Chief Development Officer

The Opportunity

Casady School in Oklahoma City invites a visionary and mission-driven Chief Development Officer (CDO) to join its leadership team. Rooted in a strong tradition of excellence, Casady seeks a strategic and empathetic leader who will champion a culture of philanthropy and engagement across our vibrant School community. The CDO will play a pivotal role in securing the School’s long- term financial strength by building meaningful relationships with alumni, families, faculty, and friends of the School. With deep experience in fundraising and a collaborative spirit, the ideal candidate will bring both strategic insight and a heartfelt commitment to advancing Casady’s mission and impact.

Casady School

Casady School is a PreK-12 independent, college preparatory Episcopal day school located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Founded in 1947, the School serves students from preschool through the 12th grade and is known for its commitment to academic excellence and character development. The mission of Casady School revolves around creating a nurturing and challenging environment where students can thrive academically and personally. It aims to develop not only the intellectual capabilities of students but also their moral and ethical understanding, preparing them to be thoughtful and engaged members of society. Casady School is dedicated to fostering a holistic education that empowers students to reach their full potential in a supportive and vibrant community.

Leadership
Nathan L. Sheldon Head of School

Nathan Sheldon has served as Head of School at Casady since 2014. A respected leader in Independent School education, Mr. Sheldon has been a part of the Casady Community since 2003, where he previously served as Associate Head of School and Chief Financial Officer. His leadership is marked by a deep commitment to mission-driven strategy, financial stewardship, and building strong communities through deep relationships.

During his tenure, Mr. Sheldon has overseen transformative growth at Casady. He played a key role in the successful completion of the School’s $43 million Forward Focus campaign, leading efforts that eliminated more than $8 million in debt and enhanced the campus through several major construction projects. These include Oklahoma’s first LEED Silver-certified K–12 academic building—the W.R. Johnston Mathematics Building—as well as the renovation and expansion of St. Edward’s Chapel, the construction of the Dr. John W. Records Science and Art Facility, Kirby Hall, the Performing Arts, and numerous athletic facility enhancements.

A strategic thinker, Mr. Sheldon has developed and implemented operational and ?nancial metrics to ensure Casady’s long-term sustainability.

Mr. Sheldon’s leadership extends to academic planning and vision-setting. He led the development of Casady’s Strategic Academic Plan and worked with the Board of Trustees to craft a new Strategic Plan for 2024 and beyond. Over his tenure, he has helped secure over $80 million in fundraising to support new facilities, annual giving, and endowment growth.

In addition to his administrative leadership, Mr. Sheldon has remained engaged with students as a coach, teacher, mentor, and advisor. He has held various leadership board positions with the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS) and the Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools (SAES), ISAS Group Health Trust, NBOA, and ISM.

Prior to joining Casady, Mr. Sheldon held finance and accounting roles at Deloitte & Touche LLP, Sonic Industries and Fleming Companies. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from John Brown University and a Master’s in Accountancy from the University of Oklahoma.

The School's structure is borrowed from ISM and the belief that the teacher and support staff are the most important people in the delivery and support our mission.

Board Members

Casady School has 20 board members who are invested in the success and sustainability of the School: https://www.casady.org/about/board-of-trustees

Strategic Plan – updated summer of 2024

1. Preparing Students for a Changing Future: Since 1947 Casady has always evolved to meet the needs of students to ensure their future success. Today is no exception and is evolving its academic and character education to reflect the demands of a rapidly changing world. We are reimagining student success to include not only strong foundational knowledge, but also skills like adaptability, collaboration, ethical leadership, and digital fluency. At the same time, we are deepening our commitment to character formation as central to our educational mission.
2. Right-Sizing and Reimagining Our Campus: Our growing enrollment—particularly with the expansion of the Primary Division—offers an opportunity to reexamine our optimal school size and the physical campus needed to support it. We are engaged in strategic planning to ensure our facilities, including academic buildings, arts and athletics spaces, and faculty housing, align with our educational vision and student experience.
3. Investing in Faculty Excellence: At the heart of a Casady education is an extraordinary teacher. Amid national trends affecting the educator workforce, we are committed to recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty through national searches, professional development, and a strong culture of support. Our strategic faculty plan ensures we remain the top choice for educators who bring excellence and passion to their craft.
4. Leading with Purpose and Sustainability: Casady’s Board of Trustees is deeply committed to long-term stewardship and strategic governance. With a strong partnership with the Head of School, the Board remains focused on sustainability, mission alignment, and continuous improvement in its leadership practices to support the School’s evolving needs.

Current Campaigns & Master Campus Plan
www.casady.org/support/current-campaigns

In 2025, the School has begun an update to the Master Campus Plan. This plan includes bold initiatives that will propel and ensure Casady School remains the premiere Independent School in the area.

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:

In partnership with the Executive Director of Enrollment and Communications, develop compelling messaging and materials to articulate the school’s mission and value proposition to potential donors. Partner with the ED for external communications related to fundraising efforts, including cases of support, campaign materials, proposals, and digital media. 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.

About Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City offers everything you look for in a modern metropolitan community. Through multiple resident-led tax initiatives called MAPS, Oklahoma City is bursting with new development, bettering its infrastructure and schools, and creating new quality-of-life additions to the city that are wowing longtime citizens and drawing attention and visitors from around the country. With thrilling sports action, world-class museums, entertainment, shopping, and dining at more than a dozen different districts, the energy to continue to grow, build, and create is pumping all around town. Learn more about Oklahoma City, OK