Del Mar Encore Fellow – Air Camp, Inc.

The Dayton Foundation – Job Posting Announcement

Del Mar Encore Fellow – Air Camp, Inc.

Position Purpose:

The Del Mar Encore Fellow will play a pivotal role in advancing the vision and development of the STEM Talent Development Complex (STEM TDC) located on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base leased property. This individual will support Air Camp, Inc. and its partners in the establishment of the nonprofit entity STEM Talent Development Complex Management, LLC, and lead the philanthropic fundraising campaign targeting $15–20 million in charitable commitments toward the estimated $38 million-dollar Complex cost. The Fellow will develop key fundraising strategies, strengthen public-private stakeholder engagement, prepare external communications and donor-facing materials, and serve as a representative to brief local, state, and federal officials on the significance of the project. This work will help ensure a steady pipeline of STEM-ready talent to serve the needs of regional employers, Wright-Patterson AFB, and the national security enterprise.

In addition, the Fellow will address the goals of Del Mar Encore Fellows (DMEF) Initiative by participating in presentations and events with other Del Mar Fellows aimed at changing attitudes and policy around aging, and encouraging high-impact volunteer, employment, and community engagement opportunities for older adults.

Key Responsibility: Support Fundraising Strategy and Organizational Development for STEM Talent Development Complex Management

Specific Duties:

• Support the formation and operational planning of STEM Talent Development Complex Management, LLC, a new 501(c)(3) entity that will oversee STEM TDC construction and long-term management
• Assist in developing and implementing a strategic fundraising campaign to raise $15–20 million in philanthropic contributions
• Identify and engage with prospective donors and funding partners, including federal, state, corporate, foundation, and individual sources
• Prepare clear and persuasive case statements, stand-alone donor-facing communication materials, briefing materials, grant content and other documentation
• Represent the project and present to elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels to secure public funding and policy support
• Coordinate efforts between project partners (Air Camp, Inc., The Dayton Foundation, WPAFB Educational Outreach, SOCHE, DO STEM, Employers’ Workforce Coalition, and others as identified by Air Camp) to align messaging and fundraising timelines
• Support governance planning, including board development, bylaws, and transition planning for the LLC structure

Key Responsibility: Lead the Del Mar Encore Fellows Initiative for Assigned Host/TDF Initiative Organization

Specific Duties:

• Develop work plan for DMEF initiative
• Achieve all DMEF Initiative deliverables as required
• Achieve financial objectives by managing costs within budget
• Offer information and opinions on ways to achieve the DMEF Initiative mission and to achieve overall program objectives
• Develop and build support for a common set of outcomes among stakeholders, funders, and program participants

Key Responsibility: Support an Internal and External Communication Plan

Specific Duties:

• Coordinate internal communications to keep the appropriate TDF and the Host Organization staff informed of progress toward goals
• Participate in regular TDF Fellow meetings for information sharing and to ensure DMEF Initiative goals remain on target
• Participate in community meetings and other presentations to raise the profile and advance the goals of the DMEF Initiative

Key Responsibility: Maintain and Support Relationships with Community

Specific Duties:

• Establish relationships and work hand-in-hand with community stakeholders, government, business representatives, not-for-profit organizations and older adults in creating opportunities to improve Miami Valley communities
• Gain trust and confidence among the various partners

A four-year college degree is required; an advanced degree or equivalent experience in nonprofit management, fundraising, business, public administration, or related fields is strongly preferred. The preferred qualified candidate is a retired professional, older adult with a respected career and community record with senior-level experience in areas such as:

• Capital campaign fundraising, donor relations, or philanthropic engagement
• Government relations, particularly experience working with elected officials or public sector funding
• Nonprofit leadership, including governance, incorporation, and organizational strategy
• Demonstrated interest in or commitment to STEM education, career exploration, and aviation-related learning, particularly for K-12 students

Candidates should demonstrate the ability to work independently, lead cross-sector partnerships, and navigate sophisticated stakeholder environments. Experience launching or scaling major community initiatives, especially those tied to education, workforce development, or civic infrastructure, is highly valued. The position also requires access to reliable transportation.

Knowledge and Skills

• Ability to foster and maintain positive working relationships with TDF and Host Organization staff, Fellows, and volunteers
• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills
• Proven ability to develop and maintain relationships with high-net-worth donors, philanthropic partners, and institutional funders.
• Experience preparing donor-facing materials, support cases, or capital campaign collateral
• Knowledge of nonprofit incorporation, governance, and organizational structure (including LLC formation and 501(c)(3) compliance)
• Familiarity with public/private funding mechanisms and government grant programs.
• High level of analytical, organizational and project management skills
• Ability to work in a team-based environment and with community partners
• Highly collaborative and able to move fluidly between being a leader and a team member
• Ability to meet deadlines and prioritize work assignments to meet timelines.
• A track record of diagnosing problems and development of workable solutions
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to work without close supervision, highly motivated and self-directed to complete program goals and responsibilities
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality
• Proficiency in or knowledge of using a variety of computer software applications, as position requires
• Comfortable with public speaking
• As with all nonprofit work, patience and a sense of humor are valuable assets

Desirable, but not required

• Demonstrated passion for K-12 STEM education and/or aviation, as well as a passion for inspiring future talent and supporting national security missions
• Experience in building community partnerships to accomplish common goals
• Experience in major gifts fundraising or capital campaign support
• Familiarity with philanthropic giving trends and donor engagement strategies
• Experience working with government grants or public-private partnerships
• Understanding of nonprofit incorporation and governance, particularly for forming a new 501(c)(3)
• Experience creating relationships and working with local, state, or federal elected officials or experience in public advocacy
• Working knowledge of real estate development, public use agreements, or Enhanced Use Lease (EUL) authorities

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee.  Employees will be expected to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person with authority to give instructions or assignments.