Epiphany School, Inc Senior Philanthropic Advisor Dorchester, MA · Contractor Company website

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Epiphany is an independent school for children of economically disadvantaged families, with scholarships for all. We admit children of diverse faiths, races, cultures, and cognitive profiles, believing in the Episcopal tradition that we find God in and through each other. In close partnership with families and community partners, we are an innovative learning community. We offer structured support to enable children to discover and develop the fullness of their individual gifts and to help their families thrive.

Our Early Learning Center serves infants, toddlers and preschoolers through a rich, child-centered curriculum and whole-family program model to ensure kindergarten readiness and family self-sufficiency. Our Middle School offers small classes, individualized curricula, and extended hours providing rigorous academic, moral and social instruction to children in grades five through eight. Our Graduate Support Program provides abiding educational, personal and career guidance and assistance to our graduates, ensuring they are prepared to contribute intelligently, morally, and actively to the society they will inherit. Our Teacher Training Program supports aspiring urban teachers, including many of our own graduates. Our Impact Center shares best practices to improve educational outcomes on a broad scale.

Together we are a school that never gives up on a child.

Develop and manage a portfolio of leadership-level prospects and lead the full implementation of Epiphany’s planned giving program. This hands-on, donor-facing role also partners with the Chief Development Officer (CDO) to build the systems, skills, and practices needed to sustain and grow major gift fundraising and planned giving opportunities over time.

Key Responsibilities

Major Gifts

• Develop a portfolio and pipeline of leadership-level prospects in partnership with the CDO and Head of School.
• Develop clear strategies for each prospect, including qualification, cultivation, solicitation, upgrades, and stewardship.
• Participate in donor meetings and solicitations alongside the Head of School, CDO, and other institutional leaders.
• Analyze giving patterns to identify upgrade opportunities and increase gifts from current donors.
• Partner on prospect research and ensure portfolio records remain current.

Planned Giving

• Build a planned giving program integrated into Epiphany’s broader donor relationships.
• Identify potential legacy donors and establish systems to cultivate and steward future gifts.
• Assess readiness for a life-income program, such as charitable gift annuities, and launch the program within the first three months of the role.
• Develop a plan for educating donors about gifts of retirement plans, appreciated assets, and other complex gifts.
• Serve as Epiphany’s primary contact for all planned giving inquiries.

Metrics and Accountability

• Partner with the CDO to establish practical metrics for prospect development, solicitations, gifts, upgrades, planned giving, and pipeline growth.
• Meet individual targets for donor visits, solicitations, and dollars raised.
• Report quarterly on portfolio progress and pipeline health.
• Review and update gift acceptance policies.

Leadership Engagement and Capacity Building

• Prepare the Head of School, board members, and volunteers for donor meetings and solicitations.
• Train development staff and institutional leaders in major and planned giving.
• Develop systems and best practices that will remain with Epiphany.
• Support campaign, endowment, and other strategic fundraising efforts as they arise.

Qualifications

Required

• At least seven years of frontline fundraising experience, with a demonstrated record of using data and other effective tools to solicit and close major gifts.
• Working knowledge of planned giving, including bequests, gift annuities, retirement plan gifts, and gifts of other assets.
• Experience managing a prospect portfolio from qualification through stewardship.
• Confidence partnering with a Head of School, CDO, and board members on donor solicitations.
• Strong writing, listening, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to establish goals, track metrics, and report results.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• Commitment to educational equity and Epiphany’s mission.

Preferred

• Experience in independent schools, higher education, or community foundations.
• Experience launching or growing a planned giving or gift annuity program.
• Experience training staff and volunteers in fundraising.
• Proficiency with a donor database such as Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, Bloomerang.

How Success Is Measured

Success is measured by both dollars raised and the strength of the pipeline built for the future.

• Growth in qualified major gift prospects.
• Major gift solicitations and commitments.
• Donor upgrades and retention.
• Planned giving prospects and legacy commitments.
• Donor engagement and stewardship.
• Consistent use of shared fundraising systems and metrics across the team.

First 90 Days

The Gift Advisor will review the current portfolio, giving patterns, and planned giving activity. In partnership with the CDO, they will then deliver:

• A prioritized prospect pipeline.
• Strategies for top donors.
• A planned giving assessment.
• Recommended fundraising metrics.
• The launch of at least one planned giving vehicle.

The Epiphany School is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates of all backgrounds.