Managing Director - Audaxity

Overview

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW Lead something audacious. Build a movement. Help end cancer. Audaxity is a community-powered fundraising initiative of the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), dedicated to accelerating the fight against cancer by bringing people together through an inspiring, community-powered cycling event. Launched in Milwaukee in 2025, Audaxity was founded on the belief that bold ideas, meaningful connections, and collective action can drive life-changing breakthroughs in cancer research. More than a fundraising event, Audaxity brings together riders, volunteers, researchers, patients, families, corporate partners, and supporters around a shared mission: ending cancer. At the heart of Audaxity’s work is a commitment to advancing innovative cancer research at the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center (MCW Cancer Center). With 100% of participant-raised funds directed to cancer research and related initiatives, Audaxity connects the generosity and energy of the community directly to work with the potential to transform cancer prevention, treatment, and care. Audaxity is built around three core pillars—people, ideas, and community. The initiative helps attract and support exceptional researchers, provides critical funding to advance promising discoveries, and invests in programs addressing unmet needs in cancer care throughout Wisconsin. By connecting scientific excellence with community engagement, Audaxity is helping turn generosity into meaningful progress for patients and families. Inspired by the determination and resilience embodied in cycling, Audaxity welcomes people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to participate through riding, volunteering, fundraising, and community engagement. Every mile and every dollar represent another step toward accelerating lifesaving discoveries. Following the success of its inaugural ride, Audaxity is poised for significant growth. MCW and Audaxity’s volunteer leadership are building a larger, more inclusive, and increasingly influential community around cancer research, with the ambition to become a signature Milwaukee tradition and a nationally recognized fundraising movement. More than 1,100 riders, along with supporters, volunteers, and fundraisers, represented the Medical College of Wisconsin in the inaugural 2025 Audaxity bike ride. POSITION OVERVIEW Audaxity is at an exciting inflection point, and the Managing Director will have the opportunity to shape what comes next. This is an entrepreneurial leadership role within the Medical College of Wisconsin for someone energized by the opportunity to build a movement, grow philanthropic support, strengthen community engagement, and create measurable impact in the fight against cancer. The Managing Director is an employee of the Medical College of Wisconsin and reports to the Cancer Center Administrator. The Managing Director will work closely with the Audaxity Co-Chairs, MCW Cancer Center leadership, the Governing Board, and other MCW partners to advance Audaxity’s mission and strategic priorities. The Managing Director will provide the day-to-day leadership and operational direction for Audaxity while serving as the key connector between MCW and the broader community. Working closely with the Audaxity Co-Chairs, MCW Cancer Center leadership, sponsors, community partners, and external event partners, the Managing Director will lead the vision, strategy, growth, and execution of Audaxity. This includes building and inspiring a lean team, expanding ridership and philanthropic support, strengthening corporate partnerships, managing financial performance, and ensuring that every element of Audaxity advances its mission and aligns with MCW’s priorities. This is far more than an event leadership role. The Managing Director will serve as Audaxity’s highly visible ambassador throughout the Milwaukee community, developing meaningful relationships across business, philanthropy, healthcare, academia, and civic organizations. The successful leader will bring strong business acumen, financial discipline, creativity, and an entrepreneurial mindset, paired with the emotional intelligence and communication skills necessary to inspire people to action. Audaxity’s next leader will be both strategic and hands-on—able to envision where the initiative can be five years from now while remaining focused on what needs to happen next week. The opportunity is significant. The aspiration is to exponentially grow riders, sponsors, dollars raised, and community engagement, ultimately creating a $10 million-plus annual fundraising event and a lasting pillar of the Milwaukee community. The next Managing Director will not simply lead a ride. They will build the team, grow the movement, bring the community together, and help accelerate the fight against cancer—all as a member of the Medical College of Wisconsin team.

Responsibilities

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES AS MANAGING DIRECTOR • Provide overall day-to-day leadership and management of Audaxity on behalf of the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, ensuring alignment with MCW’s institutional priorities, policies, and fundraising objectives. • Report to the Cancer Center Administrator and work closely with the Audaxity Co-Chairs, volunteer leadership, and MCW Cancer Center leadership to establish strategic priorities, goals, and objectives for Audaxity. • Oversee the planning and execution of the annual Audaxity Bike Ride, including vision, logistics, budgeting, committee oversight, stewardship, participant experience, and evaluation. • Serve as the primary liaison among the Cancer Center Administrator, Audaxity Co-Chairs, MCW Cancer Center leadership, MCW partners, external event consultants, and other key stakeholders to ensure strategic goals and operational priorities are aligned and successfully executed. • Prepare and manage the $2M Bike Ride budget, with philanthropic projections of up to $7M, ensuring financial goals are met and expenses remain within budget parameters. Partner with the MCW Cancer Center Business Manager on financial reporting and provide regular budget updates to Audaxity leadership and appropriate MCW committees. • Build an effective team of individuals who are engaged and inspired by Audaxity’s mission. • Build and maintain strong internal relationships across MCW, including the Office of Institutional Advancement, Office of Communications, Office of General Counsel, and other departments critical to Audaxity’s success.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE Minimum Education: Bachelor’s degree Minimum Experience: 8 years of professional experience The ideal candidate will bring a strong combination of fundraising, business, relationship development, and event leadership experience, along with the entrepreneurial drive to grow Audaxity into a significant and sustainable fundraising movement. Preferred qualifications include: • Five or more years of related experience in fundraising, development, event management, or a comparable field. • Demonstrated success securing philanthropic support and developing relationships with corporate partners, donors, foundations, and community leaders. • Proven ability to build and cultivate relationships independently and translate those relationships into meaningful engagement and financial support. • Experience leading peer-to-peer fundraising initiatives and engaging donors, participants, teams, and community partners. • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, complex timelines, budgets, vendors, and event logistics. • Strong leadership skills and the ability to inspire individuals and groups to take action in support of a shared mission. • Experience with large-scale sporting, fundraising, or community events is highly desirable. • Familiarity with peer-to-peer fundraising platforms, campaigns, digital engagement, and related technologies is a plus. • Experience working within a complex organization and collaborating across multiple teams and functions is preferred. COMPETENCIES & PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES FOR SUCCESS Strategic & Entrepreneurial Leadership The Managing Director will be a visionary and entrepreneurial leader who can see what is possible and translate that vision into action. This individual will identify new opportunities for growth, make thoughtful and timely decisions, and balance ambitious goals with financial discipline, organizational capacity, and effective execution. The successful candidate will be comfortable with ambiguity, persistent in navigating challenges, and able to connect Audaxity’s long-term aspirations with the priorities that must be addressed today. Relationship Development & Mission-Driven External Leadership The Managing Director will be one of Audaxity’s most visible ambassadors and will build authentic relationships that expand participation, community engagement, corporate partnerships, and philanthropic support. This individual will be energized by connecting with corporate and community leaders, donors, clinicians, researchers, participants, and other stakeholders and will be confident inspiring others to invest their time, talent, relationships, and resources. Equally important will be the ability to tell Audaxity’s story in a way that makes its mission tangible and compelling. The successful candidate will connect people to the purpose behind the ride and inspire them to become part of a movement advancing cancer research and improving patient care. Collaborative Team & Organizational Leadership As Audaxity continues to grow, the Managing Director will build the organizational capacity necessary to support its ambitions. This includes developing and empowering a high-performing team, strengthening committees and engagement, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and establishing the systems, processes, and accountability needed for sustainable growth. The ideal leader will be highly collaborative and emotionally intelligent—a strong listener who builds trust, brings people together, and creates an environment where others are motivated to contribute and succeed. At the same time, this individual will be willing to take ownership, establish priorities, make decisions, and ensure that ideas translate into meaningful results. Adaptive Executive Presence & Influence The Managing Director will operate across a diverse and complex network of stakeholders, including MCW leadership and teams, the Audaxity Co-Chairs, Board members, corporate partners, healthcare and cancer organizations, donors, participants, and the broader Milwaukee community. Success will require confidence, composure, credibility, and the ability to influence across an organization and community without relying solely on formal authority. The successful candidate will be politically astute and diplomatic while remaining appropriately assertive, able to navigate institutional complexity without losing Audaxity’s entrepreneurial spirit. This leader will bring positive energy, resilience, sound judgment, and authenticity; listen thoughtfully and remain open to diverse perspectives; and have the confidence to make difficult decisions when necessary. COMPENSATION The salary range for this position is $101,200 to $129,700. To be considered for this opportunity, please submit a cover letter and resume to: Shelly Beaver, Executive Search Consultant sbeaver@spanopratt.com -OR- Lindsey Kriete, Practice Director lkriete@spanopratt.com