Senior Director of Development for Aerospace Philanthropy

Caltech; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 187,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Caltech in Pasadena seeks a Senior Director of Development for Aerospace Philanthropy to lead major gifts, cultivate a strategic donor portfolio, and advance aerospace fundraising priorities in coordination with JPL and related departments.

You will manage 30–35 entities, develop donor strategies, and represent Caltech at industry events, driving philanthropic support for space science and exploration. This role requires travel and close collaboration with senior leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent related work experience.
• 7–10 years in aerospace business, government contracts, fundraising, and/or revenue-based marketing.
• Experience with funding space science and engaging with senior management.
• Proven success soliciting and securing principal gifts or equivalent arrangements.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally, including evenings/weekends.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint).

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of philanthropic support for Caltech, JPL, and related aerospace entities by securing major gifts and grants.
• Build and maintain a 30–35 member pipeline of active entities across individuals, corporations, foundations, and institutions.
• Represent Caltech at industry events, international conferences, and institutional gatherings.
• Develop and execute donor strategies to move relationships from cultivation to solicitation with clear alignment to institutional goals.
• Prepare compelling proposals and collaborate with colleagues to document gift agreements and stewardship plans.
• Serve as a contributing member of the Advancement team, upholding Caltech's guiding principles and strategic priorities.

Skills

Major gifts fundraising

Strategic prospect management

Donor communications

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in related field

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Senior Director of Development for Aerospace Philanthropy Job Category Fulltime Regular ExemptOvertimeEligible Exempt Benefits Eligible Benefit Based

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

The division of Advancement and Alumni Relations (AAR) fosters a thriving and engaged community of philanthropic support for Caltech. By strengthening and nurturing the community of people who share and support the Institute’s mission and values, we will ensure the Institute receives the necessary resources to achieve our teaching, research, and scholarship aspirations.

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Individual Giving, and with a dotted reporting line to the Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations, the Senior Director of Development for Aerospace Philanthropy (SDOD) will work closely with AAR colleagues, the JPL Director and JPL senior staff, the Lynn Booth and Kent Kresa Department of Aerospace Head, the Brinson Exploration Hub Director, and the offices of the Vice Provost for Research, Technology Transfer, and Sponsored Research to amplify philanthropic fundraising priorities and opportunities.

The SDOD will manage a personal portfolio of approximately 30 to 35 entities at any given time, encompassing individuals, corporations, foundations, institutions, and foreign funding agencies. Relationships within the portfolio exist at varying stages of maturation, from early identification and outreach through active cultivation, solicitation, and post-gift stewardship. The SDOD will be expected to develop the remainder of the portfolio independently.

• Lead the development of philanthropic support for the joint scientific, mission and research endeavors of Caltech, JPL, the Lynn Booth and Kent Kresa Department of Aerospace, and the Brinson Exploration Hub by securing major gifts and grants from the full range of private individuals and institutional partners committed to the future of aerospace and space exploration.
• Build and maintain a viable pipeline of 30 to 35 active entities by identifying, qualifying, and cultivating the right relationships across the full range of prospective partners. Lead sources will include direct referrals from current donors and colleagues, research-driven identification by Caltech AAR's Data and Business Intelligence department, and independent prospecting.
• Presence at the industry events, international conferences and institutional convenings where aerospace's most consequential funders operate.
• Develop and execute donor strategies that move qualified relationships from cultivation to solicitation with clarity, preparation, and institutional alignment behind every ask. Develop and implement stewardship strategies.
• Work with Advancement Communications to create a compelling case for support of the aerospace fundraising priorities that are consistent with the communications strategy and follow Caltech's brand strategy.
• Prepare proposals to established and prospective donors.
• Collaborate and communicate with colleagues to ensure strategic focus, outcomes and documentation of prospect identification and management, and gift agreements and documentation.
• Operate as a contributing member of Caltech's Advancement and Alumni Relations team, functioning within a culture that measures individual performance against a collective target.
• Establish what aerospace philanthropy at Caltech looks like in practice, developing the frameworks, relationships, and institutional knowledge that will define this function for years to come.
• Serve as an ambassador for Caltech and Advancement and Alumni Relations, representing the Institute with professionalism and integrity to internal and external constituents.
• Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent related work experience.
• Seven to ten years of directly related experience in a combination of the following: aerospace business (including start-ups), government and/or contract negotiations, higher education fundraising, corporate fundraising, and/or business development or revenue-based marketing.
• Significant relevant experience with a focus on funding space science and exploration, including experience working with senior management such as Vice Presidents, Boards of Directors, and Chief Innovation Officers.
• Outstanding success soliciting and securing multi-faceted financial arrangements providing philanthropic support at the principal gift level or equivalent business experience at a corresponding level.
• Philanthropic expertise working with donors or investors on complex transactions from discovery to cultivation through solicitation and stewardship, building genuine partnerships and deep institutional relationships.
• Demonstrated track record cultivating and stewarding new relationships leading to measurable results, including a larger donor base and/or increase in revenue.
• Demonstrated problem-solving and reasoning skills, analytical skills, and excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to set priorities, manage multiple detailed tasks, meet deadlines, and initiate, analyze, monitor, evaluate, and alter strategic development plans.
• Ability and willingness to travel within the United States and internationally, sometimes to remote locations, and to work frequent evenings and weekends as needed.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office software, including Excel and PowerPoint.
• Demonstrate the ability to practice and adhere to AAR’s Guiding Principles.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree.
• Knowledge of aerospace industry, higher education, and complex fundraising techniques.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising for science or engineering related centers, setting funding priorities through working relationships with faculty, engineers, senior academic leaders, board volunteers, and university advancement teams.
• Authentic curiosity about science and engineering, the mission and objectives of NASA, and a strong appreciation for the extraordinary intellectual accomplishments of higher education.

Required Documents

• Resume.

Hiring Range

$187,200 - $250,000 per year
The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training.
As one of the largest employers in Pasadena, CA, Caltech is committed to providing comprehensive benefits to eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Our benefits package includes competitive compensation, health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement savings plans, generous paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick time, parental leave, bereavement, etc.), tuition reimbursement, and more. Non-benefit eligible employees will have access to some benefits such as onsite counseling and sick time. Learn more about our benefits and staff perks .

EEO Statement

Caltech is an equal opportunity employer and, as a federal contractor, takes affirmative action to employ qualified individuals with disabilities and protected veterans. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Disability Accommodations

Caltech complies with the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We consider reasonable accommodation measures that may be necessary for eligible applicants and employees to perform the essential functions of a position.

If you would like to request an accommodation to complete this application, interview, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please contact Caltech Recruiting at [e-mail] .

Additionally, if you do not meet the basic qualifications of a role but believe you can perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation, please reach out to Caltech Recruiting at [e-mail] .