Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School

Bradenton, FL

Salary Competitive and based on experience

Start July 1, 2026

Job Overview

Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School is searching for a dynamic, experienced Planned Giving Officer for a part-time role. (Hours are negotiable and remote or hybrid work is a possibility.) The successful candidate will be passionate about children and education and will welcome the chance to slow down a bit while still doing critical work for a mission-based school whose Promise is simple, yet profound: “Every child will be known, and every child will be valued.”

This position reports to the Director of Development (DD) and will work closely with the DD and the Head of School (HoS). The Planned Giving Officer will develop and lead a comprehensive planned giving program for legacy gifts that support the Saint Stephen’s Endowment (known as the Legacy Fund), which is currently valued at $9mm. The School has an ambitious goal to grow the Endowment to $15mm+ by 2030 by carefully stewarding current Legacy Fund members and identifying new ones. The Planned Giving Officer will also be responsible for coordinating the Saint Stephen’s Endowment Board, which is separate from the standing Board of Trustees.

This position is primarily responsible for the management and strategic growth of the planned gift planning program, which is in its infancy. As such, the Planned Giving Officer will have significant latitude in shaping the program and the satisfaction of seeing it make a long-term difference at Saint Stephen’s, particularly in terms of generating scholarship funds for students with demonstrated need and who would otherwise not be able to attend the school. As with any Planned Giving Role, this position involves cultivating relationships and managing a portfolio of prospects in collaboration with the DD and HoS to integrate planning-giving opportunities into Saint Stephen’s overall fundraising strategy, including an Annual Fund that has raised a record amount in 2025-26. As noted previously, remote work opportunity is available. 

About Saint Stephen’s

Located in beautiful Bradenton, Florida, Saint Stephen’s serves approximately 700 students in PK3 to grade twelve. Founded in 1970, Saint Stephen’s is a member of the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES), the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the Florida Association of Independent Schools (FCIS). 

Saint Stephen’s is “four divisions, one school,” fostering connections and community across age groups. The school offers a signature Marine Science Program, with access to the Manatee River from the bayou that runs through the 35 acre campus.  The highly-anticipated Pullen STEAM center opened this fall to support active learning and cross-divisional collaboration. The Global Scholars distinction encourages students to connect with peers from around the world. All programs are supported by a faculty that models lifelong learning through their curiosity, dedication, and collaborative spirit.

Peter A. Kraft, Saint Stephen’s sixth Head of School, assumed the role in July 2023. A native of Pittsburgh, Peter attended The Lawrenceville (N.J.) School before earning a BA in history and economics from the College of William and Mary; a master’s in U.S. history from the University of Virginia; and an MEd from Columbia University Teachers College, where he was a Klingenstein Fellow and received a degree in Private School Leadership. Peter has been a teacher and administrator (including as a Development Officer) in independent schools for more than 25 years, working at the Groton School, Northfield Mount Hermon, Peddie School, Park Tudor School, and Oregon Episcopal School (OES).

Planned Giving Program Development and Strategy

o Responsible for the design and implementation of Planned Giving strategies designed to secure planned and deferred gifts for Saint Stephen’s from current and former families, Alumni/ae, and friends of the school. Saint Stephen’s is especially interested in helping to identify foundations and individuals who are not currently connected to the school but whose interests are aligned with providing a world-class education for students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend.  

o Develop metrics to measure ongoing success and ROI. This includes operationalizing short and long-term planned giving goals and strategies to build upon existing commitments and expand the current donor base of support.

o Develop annual and multi-year plans to grow planned giving revenue.

o Coordinate Endowment Board meetings and documentation, including serving as a liaison to the Endowment advisor. 

Collaboration and Integration

o Works closely with the Development Director, the Head of School, and the Board of Trustees to establish and communicate the organizational vision and goals for Planned Giving (both multi-year and annual).  

o Develop a strong working knowledge of Saint Stephen’s funding priorities and challenges while specifically getting to know long-time benefactors in the Manatee-Sarasota County areas.

o Conduct quarterly meetings of the incipient Planned Giving Council to engage and keep members apprised of key initiatives.

o Provide timely stewardship of assigned donors and prospects, and track mature estate expectancies to ensure the preservation and timely distribution of all estate gifts.

o Identify, cultivate, and solicit donors and prospects for planned gifts through direct outreach, events, and personalized communication.

o Provide personalized illustrations of planned gifts and create proposals for prospects.

Reporting and Record Management

o Manage planned giving records, including documentation of donor intentions, gift agreements, and correspondence.

o Provide regular updates and reports to the DD, HoS, and Board on program performance and donor engagement.

o Stay current on legal, tax, and regulatory changes impacting charitable giving.

o Maintain an up-to-date list of Eagle Society members. 

Ethical and Confidentiality Compliance

o Ensure strict adherence to the ethical standards set by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning (PPP).

o Maintain confidentiality of all donor records and sensitive information, safeguarding the trust and integrity of donor relationships.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required. 

• Minimum of five years of estate work or planned giving for nonprofit organizations.

• Working proficiency in estate planning and other deferred giving vehicles.

• Proven track record of securing planned and major gifts.

Skills and Abilities: 

• Ability to clearly articulate the mission of Saint Stephen’s and the attributes that make it truly special.

• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills and aptitude to work with people of different ages and temperaments.

• Superior written and oral communication skills.

• Ability to secure support through wills, bequests, trusts, deferred gifts, charitable gift annuities, gifts of property and other planned gifts including drafting gift agreement language involving varying degrees of complexity. 

• Must have skill and desire to: multi-task and meet deadlines; be a team player; work collaboratively; understand the principles and techniques relevant to major gift fundraising.

• Proficient (or willing to be trained) in Google Suite and Microsoft Window; strong foundation in Excel and spreadsheets.

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations

• Valid driver’s license and good driving record.

The above statements describe the general qualifications required to perform the job and the general nature and level of work performed - not a complete list of duties; management may assign additional responsibilities.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

This job description recognizes that reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role. The job entails: 

• Regularly required to sit, stand and walk.

• Lift/move objects weighing up to 25 pounds.

• May spend time in the field, and experience exposure to Florida outdoor weather conditions.

• Position may be remote / hybrid. • Use of hands for various tasks.

• Visual abilities include close and color vision, along with peripheral and depth 

Equal Opportunity Employer

Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School is an equal-opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. 

To apply, email your resume to EKrupnick@saintstephens.org and HR@saintstephens.org