Senior Director, Engagement in New York, New York at LUNG CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Senior Director of Engagement

The Senior Director of Engagement is a full-time, benefit-eligible position responsible for developing a scalable model for building LCRF’s presence, credibility and network of support in priority markets through meaningful local relationships, active community engagement, and strong connections with volunteer leaders. This individual will serve as LCRF’s lead market strategist, ambassador and connector, across the market portfolio – initially 3 markets (New York City, Chicago, Nashville.) They will build early relationships with promising medical, patient, corporate, philanthropic and community leaders, uncover opportunities and create the local momentum necessary for LCRF to expand its visibility, partnerships and revenue.

Reporting to the Vice President of Growth, the success of leader will be measured by the development of sustainable, revenue-generating priority markets, the cultivation of strong local leadership and philanthropic pipelines, the acquisition and retention of supporters, achievement of established financial goals, and the creation of a scalable model for LCRF's continued geographic expansion.

Key Responsibilities

Market Growth Strategy Design a scalable approach for entering, assessing, cultivating and growing priority markets, defining the stages from early exploration and relationship-building through deeper investment and sustained growth. Develop practical tools, processes and measures of success that allow for meaningful local adaptation and apply lessons from current priority markets to refine LCRF’s broader expansion strategy. Establish annual market plans with defined revenue targets, donor and sponsor acquisition goals, relationship development priorities, and measurable indicators of market readiness and growth.

Relationship Building Build relationships with individuals and institutions that can become ambassadors, advisors, donors, partners and door-openers for LCRF. Engage physicians, researchers, healthcare institutions, patients, survivors, families, corporations, foundations, community groups and philanthropic leaders to strengthen LCRF’s local credibility. Maintain a proactive, highly visible presence in priority markets through frequent travel, in-person meetings, and active community involvement, consistently seeking opportunities to build new relationships, deepen existing connections, and establish LCRF as a trusted and recognizable presence in each market.

Market Research Create coordinated engagement plans for priority markets. Develop a clear understanding of each market’s healthcare institutions, research community, patient networks, corporations, philanthropic leaders and community landscape. Identify distinctive opportunities and potential barriers and maintain a portfolio-wide view to compare opportunities, allocate resources thoughtfully and sequence deeper market investments.

Volunteer Leadership Serve as the primary point of contact for high-level volunteer leaders across three priority markets, including leading committees, and partnering with event chairs and honorees. Lead their recruitment, cultivation, and engagement with tact, compassion, and professionalism, building trusted relationships while providing strategic direction and empowering volunteers to expand LCRF’s presence, strengthen community connections, and drive fundraising.

Team Management Lead the engagement team in building relationships, brand visibility and revenue through peer-to-peer fundraising initiatives, educational research-update events, fundraising benefits including Benefits and Walks, and other cultivation events. Align events with each market’s engagement strategy in collaboration with LCRF’s leaders. Ensure mission-centered experiences that deepen the commitment of participants and supporters and create a collaborative team culture grounded in relationship-building and measurable results.

Strategic Collaboration Serve as the strategic point person for LCRF’s engagement within priority markets. Collaborate with marketing, philanthropy, fundraising, mission and strategic partnerships colleagues to make introductions and advance LCRF’s work. Establish clear roles, handoffs and shared accountability while advancing a relationship or opportunity, ensuring supporters experience one coordinated LCRF across colleagues and departments.

Financial Management & Revenue Growth Develop and manage annual revenue budgets with clear financial targets and multi-year growth projections. Drive achievement of revenue and net contribution goals for directly managed engagement events, track market-level fundraising performance, and collaborate with philanthropy team to identify and advance additional revenue opportunities. Regularly evaluate results against budgets, donor acquisition goals, and market growth indicators to inform future investment decisions.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of related experience in nonprofit advancement, market development, community engagement or a related field.
• Experience developing and leading teams.
• Strong strategic instincts and demonstrated success building scalable models and processes from an early-stage initiative.
• Experience building trusted relationships with senior leaders, donors, physicians, researchers, corporate partners and community influencers, particularly in markets where an organization’s presence is emerging.
• Familiarity with fundraising events, major gifts, corporate partnerships and associated measures of success.
• Strong communication, facilitation, organizational and follow-through skills.
• Comfort operating in an evolving organization where excellent strategy, experimentation and execution are all required.

Location

• This position is remote with travel up to 40% anywhere in the United States, with an emphasis in Chicago, Nashville, and New York.