Overview

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

Lead something audacious. Build a movement. Help end cancer. Audaxity is a nonprofit movement 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 (MCW) Cancer Center (MCWCC). 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 organization 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. The organization is 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.

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 for someone energized by the opportunity to build an organization, grow a movement, and create a measurable impact. Working closely with MCWCC leadership, the Audaxity Ride Chair, Governing Board, volunteers, sponsors, and community partners, the Managing Director will own the vision, strategy, growth, and leadership 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 the organization advances its mission. 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 emotional intelligence and communication skills to inspire people to action. Audaxity's next leader will be both strategic and hands-on—able to envision where the organization can be five years from now while remaining focused on what needs to happen next week. With dedicated support from MCW, MCWCC and experienced event partners, the Managing Director will have the freedom to challenge assumptions, pursue new opportunities, and continually ask: How can we make Audaxity bigger, better, more accessible, and more impactful? 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.

Responsibilities

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES AS MANAGING DIRECTOR

Management: 30%

• Oversee the execution of MCWCC’s Annual Audaxity Bike Ride fundraising event to include planning and execution of the logistics; vision; budgeting; committee oversight; stewardship; and evaluation of the MCWCC Bike Ride.
• Develop the strategic plan and ride objectives in partnership with the Cancer Center Director and Audaxity Ride Chair.
• Serve as liaison between the MCWCC Director, Audaxity Ride Chair, Logistics Management Company, and Marketing Management Company to define and meet strategic goals, logistical details, manage schedules and deliverables, and execute the ride to successful completion.
• Prepare and manage the $2M Bike Ride budget with philanthropic projections of up to $7M, ensuring events are meeting financial goals and expenses are within budget parameters. Work with the MCWCC Business Manager on reporting for finance. Provide budgetary updates at the Audaxity Board and Budget subcommittee meetings.
• Build an effective team of individuals who are excited and engaged in the execution of Audaxity.
• Build and maintain internal relationships with MCW Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA), Office of Communication (OCC), and Office of General Counsel (OGC).
• Secure significant corporate sponsorships. Collaborate with the OIA and the OGC to develop best practices and benefit packages regarding existing and prospective event sponsors.
• In collaboration with the Cancer Center Communications team and the OCC, responsible for the development of event marketing and communications plans including advertising, storytelling, and event logistics communications.
• Provide updates to the OCC and the OIA events team on a bimonthly basis on the planning and progress of Audaxity and Audaxity-related events and share opportunities for collaboration or consideration.
• Recruit, train and provide leadership and direction to the Bike Ride Staff ride recruiter, volunteers, and Board of Directors on all events via reports, meetings, and other communications.
• Supervise Audaxity Event Consultant staff including Event Operations, Ride Ambassador and Volunteer Coordinator, and Ride Recruiter(s). Ensure staff meet goals and objectives of the ride and ride experience.
• Use data analytics to review and ensure that event strategies, goals, and intended outcomes are updated, implemented, and fit well within the overall fundraising strategies.

Oversee Event Promotion and Execution: 30%

• Ensure the Event Operations Consultant executes all logistics and planning of launch parties or recruitment events throughout the year leading up to the bike ride and post-event.
• Develop and maintain timelines and project plans to ensure each aspect of the event is on track.
• Act as the public face and trusted ambassador of Audaxity, effectively representing the organization to internal and external stakeholders.
• Manage all fundraising event timelines. Work with the logistics management company and the marketing management company to create plans that accurately reflect the department’s roles and to maintain and monitor these timelines.
• Work with Cancer Center Communications and external marketing vendors company on website – content creation, end-user experience, fundraising updates, and technical issues; brand identity; marketing materials and design; video production.
• Collaborate with the Cancer Center Communications team to develop, review, and provide content for all electronic, social media and print communications. Support content creation, graphic development, and the production of event materials for sponsors, stakeholders, volunteers, and riders, including both digital and print assets.
• In coordination with OIA, evaluate the effectiveness and functionality of Donor Drive, the software solution that facilitates registration and peer-to-peer fundraising activities.

Rider and Volunteer Recruitment: 40%

• Lead and own all efforts related to event sponsorship, including cultivating new sponsors and maintaining existing sponsor relationships.
• Lead, own, and participate in rider recruitment meetings, events that are coordinated and scheduled by event consultants.
• Support and facilitate Audaxity Event Ride Ambassador/Volunteer Coordinator and Ridership Consultant(s) to identify, cultivate and recruit individual and corporate teams of riders through face-to-face visits and group presentations both on and off campus; goal of 2000 riders recruited for Audaxity 2027.
• Ensure the Volunteer Services team sufficiently plans for the event’s volunteer needs while facilitating positive and effective volunteer engagement.
• Oversee Audaxity Event staff collaborations with the Donor Service team to monitor the registration process for all fundraising events including data entry, seating, list production, and acknowledgements.
• Ensure the recruitment and training of approximately 500+ volunteers for the event is executed by the Audaxity Ride Ambassador and Volunteer Coordinator.
• Ensure the Audaxity Ride Ambassador and Volunteer Coordinator supports participants to successfully achieve their ride-distance and fundraising goals through training, support, encouragement, and providing fundraising tools. Ensure MCW departmental teams strategically align events to fundraising goals and MCW’s brand strategy.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree

Minimum Required Experience: 8 years

Preferred Experience: 5+ years of related event or development experience; proven fundraising success with corporate partners in a nonprofit, corporate or foundation environment; demonstrated ability to independently develop relationships; ability to work with outside volunteers/donors to manage and support peer to peer fundraising efforts; execute multiple timelines, budgets and logistics; ability to motivate people to action; knowledge of marketing and administration of large scale sporting/fundraising events is a plus; experience with peer to peer fundraising software and campaigns.

COMPETENCIES & PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES FOR SUCCESS

Strategic & Entrepreneurial Leadership

Audaxity needs a leader who can see what is possible and translate that vision into action. The Managing Director will be expected to think boldly about the organization’s future, identify new avenues for growth, and make thoughtful, timely decisions in an entrepreneurial environment. This person will bring creativity, initiative, and a willingness to take calculated risks, while balancing ambitious goals with financial discipline, organizational capacity, and the realities of execution. They will be comfortable with ambiguity, persistent in navigating obstacles, and able to connect the long-term vision for Audaxity 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 must be able to build authentic relationships that expand the organization’s reach, participation, and philanthropic support. Stakeholders described someone who is energized by people, comfortable engaging corporate and community leaders, donors, clinicians, researchers, and volunteers, and confident making the ask. Equally important is the ability to tell Audaxity’s story in a way that makes its mission tangible and compelling. The successful leader will connect people to the “why” behind the ride and inspire them to invest their time, talent, relationships, and resources in advancing cancer research.

Collaborative Team & Organizational Leadership

As Audaxity moves beyond its startup stage, the Managing Director will need to build the organizational capacity to support its ambitions. This includes developing and empowering a dedicated team, strengthening committees and volunteer engagement, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and establishing the systems and accountability necessary 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 person must be willing to take ownership, establish priorities, and ensure that ideas translate into effective execution.

Adaptive Executive Presence & Influence

Audaxity’s Managing Director will operate across a diverse and sometimes complex network of stakeholders, including MCW leadership and teams, Board members, corporate partners, healthcare and cancer organizations, volunteers, donors, and the broader Milwaukee community. Success will require confidence, composure, and the ability to influence without relying solely on formal authority. The leader must be politically astute and diplomatic while remaining appropriately assertive, able to navigate institutional complexity without losing Audaxity’s entrepreneurial agility. Stakeholders consistently emphasized the importance of someone who brings positive energy, resilience and credibility, listens well, remains open to different perspectives, and can make difficult decisions when necessary.

COMPENSATION

The salary range for this position is $101,200 to $158,300. 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