Senior Director, Athletic Events and Community Fundraising

Mass General Brigham•Boston, MA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director serves as a vital member of our Athletic Events team, a collaborative, mission-driven, donor- and sponsor-focused group of professionals committed to delivering best-in-class events through a spirit of teamwork and support. The Senior Director plays a leadership role in driving revenue to support the fundraising success of annual events, currently raising $20M+ annually to support the mission of Mass General Brigham. The Senior Director is responsible for leading a portfolio of high-profile events/programs for the MGBDO, an area we are investing in to meet ambitious targets. This includes the MGB Eversource Cancer 5K Run-Walk, our Community Fundraising (3rd party) program, and the management of a team of event and fundraising professionals. This role ensures that event logistics and fundraising strategies are effectively designed and executed to maximize support for MGB’s charitable mission.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
10+ years of client-facing or relationship building experience, ideally in fundraising.
People management experience
Experience leading large scale/7-figure fundraising events
Experience fundraising for a complex healthcare setting
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Organizational, time management, problem solving and project management skills
Command of Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook, or the ability to learn them quickly
Competency using videoconferencing platforms (Zoom and Teams preferred)
Proficiency with data entry or data management in a database (Blackbaud CRM or Raiser’s Edge preferred)
Attention to detail, creativity and strong work ethic
Desire and motivation to learn about the organization and fundraising
Awareness of personal work styles in self and others
Adaptability and flexibility in times of shifting priorities
Ability to work collaboratively with diverse audiences
Mission driven
Ability to complete assigned projects and tasks independently or with minimal guidance

Responsibilities

Drive event and fundraising strategies, oversee planning and execution, and meet or exceed fundraising goals for a portfolio of major fundraising events/programs. Fundraising metrics are reestablished annually.
Serve as the event and fundraising strategy lead for the MGB Eversource Cancer 5K Run-Walk, a high-profile fundraising event held each fall to raise funds for the MGB Cancer Institute. Includes: Develop and execute growth plans for MGBCI Run-Walk and Community Fundraising, in partnership with key stakeholders across MGB. Manage a team of professionals from the Athletic Fundraising Events team as they execute all aspects of this large-scale event, including revenue growth and logistical execution. Serve as the lead for a cross-functional project team within the MGB Development Office, integrating the work of various teams to ensure a successfully executed Run-Walk. This includes staff members from Major Gifts, Comms, Digital, Donor Relations, Corporate Partnerships. Serve as a liaison to and maintain positive relationships with executive leadership from MGB Development Office, the MGB Cancer Institute, and other hospital leaders. Maintain strong relationships with event partners like presenting sponsor, event production vendor, venue, etc. Develop annual project plan, budget, revenue growth strategies, etc.
Oversee MGB’s Community Fundraising, a program of hundreds of donor-led fundraising events that benefit a variety of areas across MGB. Includes establishing program best practices, collaborating with Communications and MGBDO to ensure maximum promotion to hospital communities, managing staff who are relationship managers for Community Fundraising events, and overseeing stewardship and cultivation of event organizers.
Identify and evaluate new opportunities in athletic and community fundraising, in partnership with Event, MGBDO, and MGB leadership. Develop a strategic plan to expand community fundraising in areas of priority and across MGB system.
Manage and develop a team of ~6 event professionals, providing guidance and performance management. Provide timely performance evaluations and collaborate with Talent Management on recruitment and onboarding of new team members, as needed.
Establish and nurture partnerships with hospital leadership, faculty, board members, donors, and vendors to ensure collaborative success.
Lead cross collaboration with communications, IS, operations, and finance teams to maximize operational efficiency and revenue generation for events.
Manage complex event logistics, including venue selection, vendor contracts, production needs, and volunteer coordination.
Oversee event budgets, ensuring effective use of resources and adherence to financial targets.
Analyze fundraising outcomes and metrics, harnessing insights to inform future strategies.
Anticipate and independently troubleshoot and problem-solve for issues that put events at risk of not meeting set goals.
Play a leadership role on the Events Team, providing mentorship across the team.
Provide additional support for other events as needed.