Chief Advancement Officer

Description

Over the past 28 years, The Oaks Academy has provided a rich, classical, Christ-centered education to children of diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Currently across three campuses near downtown Indianapolis, The Oaks serves over 1,100 students. As an independent nonprofit school, philanthropic funding is a key component of our mission, allowing us to maintain a diverse student body by providing scholarship support to 67% of students each year.

We are now seeking a seasoned advancement leader to continue to build on our strong history of engaging the wider community in philanthropic support. After the successful completion of our latest campaign, the next leader will help us capitalize on significant organizational momentum as we chart our course for the coming years.

The right candidate will recognize this rare opportunity to lead inside an organization that understands and appreciates the dynamics of growing philanthropic support over time. With strong organizational alignment around building an endowment, an experienced team of professionals, and significant opportunities for future growth already in place through the federal tax credit, this leader will be well-positioned to build on a strong foundation.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for The Oaks Academy's advancement strategy, aligning philanthropic priorities with the school's mission, growth objectives, and long-term financial sustainability
• Lead and oversee all fundraising initiatives, including major gifts, annual giving, capital campaigns, planned giving, stewardship, events, and donor engagement
• Partner with the CEO, Leadership Team, and Board of Trustees to advance philanthropic goals and cultivate a strong culture of giving across the organization
• Manage and grow a portfolio of major donors and prospects, building meaningful relationships with individuals, families, foundations, corporations, and community leaders
• Develop and execute strategies to increase philanthropic support and grow The Oaks Academy endowment
• Lead efforts to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual, foundation, and corporate donors
• Provide leadership, coaching, and professional development for a high-performing advancement team of four professionals
• Create and manage a comprehensive planned giving program
• Ensure ethical stewardship of donor relationships and compliance with all fundraising policies, procedures, and best practices
• Oversee advancement operations, including budgeting, donor databases, prospect research, reporting, and supporting systems and processes
• Collaborate with the Marketing and Communications team to strengthen fundraising campaigns, donor communications, alumni engagement, events, and annual giving initiatives
• Foster strong partnerships across departments to understand organizational priorities and advance school-wide goals
• Serve as a visible ambassador for The Oaks Academy, effectively communicating its mission, impact, and value to diverse constituencies
• Contribute to strategic planning and organizational leadership as a member of the school's Leadership Team

Requirements

• Demonstrates a relationship-first approach to fundraising and donor engagement
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive fundraising experience, preferably in a faith-based, educational, or nonprofit setting
• Proven success in cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gifts
• Experience leading, developing, and managing high-performing teams
• Demonstrated track record of fundraising success, including achieving ambitious philanthropic goals
• Strategic thinker with the ability to align advancement initiatives with organizational priorities and long-term objectives
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills
• Committed Christian who actively supports and embraces the Christ-centered mission, values, and culture of The Oaks Academy