[Hiring] Senior Director, Patient Engagement @National Kidney Foundation

Role Description

The Senior Director of Patient Engagement leads NKF’s patient engagement strategy, ensuring the patient voice is meaningfully integrated across research, policy, advocacy, education, and program development. This role builds and manages relationships with patients, care partners, volunteers, and external stakeholders to advance patient-centered initiatives across the kidney community.

Working collaboratively across NKF teams and with external partners, the Senior Director develops engagement opportunities such as:

• Advisory boards
• Focus groups
• Surveys
• Interviews

The role also serves as a thought leader in patient engagement, helping shape organizational strategy and foster a culture of inclusive collaboration that improves care and outcomes for people affected by kidney disease.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university required; MPH or MSW preferred
• Minimum of five (5) years of related experience working in a multifaceted nonprofit organization
• Strong stakeholder engagement, relationship management, and coalition-building skills
• Experience with patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) and patient/public involvement and engagement (PPIE)
• Experience conducting qualitative and quantitative research, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, data analysis, and impact measurement
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, program development, and execution
• Ability to translate complex medical and scientific information into patient-friendly language
• Excellent oral, written, interpersonal, organizational, and presentation skills
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, decision-making, consultation, and planning abilities
• Experience with volunteer engagement, advisory boards, community outreach, and digital engagement strategies preferred
• Knowledge of the current healthcare environment, including trends, challenges, policy, and issues impacting patients and healthcare professionals
• Experience advancing health equity initiatives and engaging historically underrepresented and underserved communities strongly preferred
• Experience with communications strategy, storytelling, public speaking, and content development preferred
• Knowledge of healthcare policy, regulatory, advocacy, and clinical research environments preferred
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of an integrated, cross-functional team
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products, databases, social media platforms, and digital collaboration tools
• Experience with grant support, partnership development, and cross-sector collaboration preferred
• Ability to travel occasionally, including overnight and weekend travel, as needed (approximately five trips annually), and work additional hours when required

Requirements

• Coordinate strategic patient engagement initiatives across NKF and with external partners to ensure the patient voice is meaningfully integrated into research, care, advocacy, drug development, educational initiatives, and program development
• Develop and lead training programs, tools, and resources for patient volunteers, advocates, living donors, care partners, and community members to support meaningful engagement across all levels of care, research, and policy
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative research activities, including interviews, focus groups, survey design, data analysis, and preparation of narrative summaries and insight reports
• Co-author white papers, abstracts, posters, manuscripts, and other publications in collaboration with patients, care partners, and family stakeholders
• Serve as an NKF spokesperson on patient engagement, patient-centered programming, kidney disease care, and treatment, as appropriate
• Build and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders, including patient advocates, community organizations, healthcare providers, government agencies, advocacy groups, and pharmaceutical companies
• In collaboration with the Kidney Learning Solutions (KLS) team and other cross-functional teams, consulting and supporting patient-centered programs and services designed to educate, empower, and support individuals affected by kidney disease
• Collaborate closely with NKF’s grassroots advocacy network, including the Kidney Advocacy Committee, and partner with the Government Relations team to coordinate advocacy and patient engagement activities
• Support patient engagement related business development initiatives, revenue strategy, grant development, and funder deliverables
• Partner with Government Relations, as needed, to advance initiatives and policies that support individuals affected by chronic kidney disease and dialysis
• Stay informed on emerging trends, public policy, legislation, medical advances, research, publications, and conferences related to kidney disease and dialysis care
• Perform additional duties as assigned

Benefits

• This role requires unimpeachable integrity and trustworthiness, with a high degree of tact, discretion, and professionalism.
• Operates in a fast-paced, high-profile environment and depends on excellent verbal and written communication and the ability to maintain effectiveness under pressure.
• Standard office technology and collaboration tools are used daily.
• The position may require occasional lifting of materials up to 25 lbs., overnight business travel, and flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role.