Executive Director
About the role
The ISTAT Foundation is the charitable arm of the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT), a leading global membership organization for professionals in commercial aviation finance, leasing, and asset management. The Foundation supports education and professional development through scholarships, internships, mentorship, grants, and humanitarian aid.
Responsibilities
Serve as primary staff resource to the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee; prepare board books, minutes, and governance documentation.
Partner with the Chairperson on agenda development, trustee communications, officer elections, and committee coordination.
Maintain and administer the Foundation's bylaws, policies, and compliance obligations as a nonprofit corporation.
Support the Governance and Nominating Committee in trustee recruitment, onboarding, and succession planning.
Care for annual reporting obligations, legal filings, and engagement with foundation counsel.
Drive implementation of the Foundation's strategic plan in partnership with the Board, translating priorities into annual operating plans with measurable outcomes.
Build and maintain the operational infrastructure — systems, processes, and accountability frameworks — needed to support the Foundation's growth.
Manage staff resources, issue work instructions, and ensure service quality and accountability.
Oversee fundraising priorities, track progress, and ensure accountability against goals.
Ensure named scholarship donors and restricted fund holders receive appropriate stewardship, acknowledgment, and reporting in accordance with applicable agreements and compliance requirements.
Oversee fundraising event logistics and execution, ensuring events are delivered on time, on budget, and to the standard expected by the ISTAT community.
Oversee all Foundation programs: scholarship awards, internship-related reimbursements, the mentorship program, grants, and humanitarian aid.
Manage university and institutional partnerships (including Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Purdue University) and associated program agreements.
Represent the Foundation at ISTAT events, industry conferences, and with external stakeholders.
Manage the annual ISTAT grant process, including coordination with ISTAT staff on timing, documentation, and disbursement.
Identify opportunities for cross-promotion and collaboration between the Foundation and ISTAT to maximize impact and reach.
Qualifications
Minimum eight (8) years of progressive nonprofit management experience, preferably within a 501(c)(3) organization, with demonstrated leadership responsibility.
Experience supporting or working directly with volunteer boards of directors or trustees in a nonprofit governance context.
Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills; ability to represent the Foundation with credibility to senior industry professionals.
Strong financial acumen; experience managing nonprofit budgets, audits, and financial reporting.
Working knowledge of 501(c)(3) compliance requirements, including IRS Form 990 obligations, state charitable registration, and the legal standards governing nonprofit governance and grantmaking.
Demonstrated ability to build organizational systems, manage operational complexity, and lead through change.
Bachelor's degree required.
Advanced degree in nonprofit management, business administration, or a related field preferred.
Proven track record in fundraising and donor development, including major gifts, annual fund management, and/or corporate sponsorship.
Benefits
Not specified.
Pay
$140,000-170,000
Schedule
Hybrid work environment with in-office days established as Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Employees will work a standard 40-hour week, with the possibility of additional hours based on project deadlines.