Chief Development Officer

Association of Fundraising Professionals; Oklahoma City (OK); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Association of Fundraising Professionals seeks a Chief Development Officer to lead development initiatives at Casady School. This strategic role demands exceptional leadership and communication skills to foster relationships with key stakeholders, ensuring the school's financial sustainability and advancing its mission through robust fundraising efforts.

Qualifications

• 7-10 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising or development.
• Proven track record of successfully raising significant funds.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse populations.

Responsibilities

• Lead innovative and comprehensive development efforts for Casady School.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with donors and stakeholders.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive development strategy.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Fundraising

Strategic Planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Fundraising software

Donor management systems

Job description

Position Description

Casady School is seeking an experienced, dynamic, and strategic Chief Development Officer (CDO) to lead innovative and comprehensive development efforts. The CDO will be instrumental in enhancing the school’s financial sustainability as well as cultivating relationships with key stakeholders, including alumni, parents, faculty/staff, and School members. This position requires exceptional communication skills, Strong leadership and teambuilding skills, a strong background in philanthropy and fundraising, and developing and monitoring key nonprofit development metrics.

Reporting to the Head of School, the CDO is a key member of the leadership cabinet and leads a team of four development professionals.

Strategic Leadership:

· Develop and implement a comprehensive development strategy aligned with the school’s mission and goals and strategic plan(s). Set and achieve ambitious fundraising targets relating to annual giving, major gifts, capital campaigns, and planned giving.

· Grow and cultivate a culture of philanthropy throughout the Casady School community.

· Build and nurture an innovative, sustainable, and effective development operation, including databases, policies, and procedures. Ensure accurate tracking of donor contributions, maintaining up-to-date records in the school’s development database. Analyze and create strong fundraising metrics and prepare reports for the Head of School.

· Lead and mentor the development team, fostering a collaborative and high-performance work environment. Provide training and support to staff and volunteers to enhance fundraising capabilities. Establish metrics and goals and work with the team individually and collectively to deliver and exceed development KPIs.

· Manage the development budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources and monitoring financial performance against fundraising goals in partnership with the Head of School and CFO.

Relationship Building and Fundraising Initiatives:

· Cultivate and maintain relationships with current and prospective donors, ensuring meaningful engagement and stewardship. Develop strong relationships with internal stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, and the broader school community.

· Support the Head of School in donor cultivation, solicitation, engagement efforts, and stewardship, including research, briefings, and strategy.

· Build the strategy and lead all fundraising activities, including major giving, annual fund, campaigns, events, and online giving initiatives and alumni engagement. Design and implement creative and innovative fundraising strategies to engage various donor segments.

· Recruit, train, and support volunteers for fundraising initiatives and events, creating a sense of community and involvement.

Communications and Marketing:

Partner with our communications team to develop compelling messaging and materials to articulate the school’s mission and value proposition to potential donors. In partnership with the Executive Director of Enrollment and Communications, oversee external communications related to fundraising efforts, including cases of support, campaign materials, proposals, social media, and websites. Provide creative ideas and content for events to increase engagement and gifts.

Qualifications:

· Bachelor’s degree in a related field; Master’s degree preferred.

· Minimum of 7-10 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, development, or related roles, in an education or nonprofit setting.

· Proven track record of successfully raising significant funds.

· Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate a team.

· Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.

· Proficiency in fundraising software and donor management systems.

Personal Attributes:

· Passion for education and a strong commitment to the mission of Casady School.

· High level of integrity and professionalism.

· Ability to work collaboratively with diverse populations and stakeholders.

· Energetic, creative contributor with the ability to influence and negotiate.

· Strategic mindset and pragmatic implementor.