[Hiring] Transplant Initiatives Director @National Kidney Foundation

Role Description

Reporting to the Vice President, Transplant Strategy & Programs, the Transplant Initiatives Director is responsible for the execution, accountability, measurement, and funder-readiness infrastructure supporting NKF's Transplants for All (T4A) initiative. This is a high-ownership individual contributor role for an experienced program/project management professional who can bring order, rigor, and follow-through to a cross-functional initiative across the national and local levels. The Director will also help generate the content that lets NKF tell the story of its impact, both internally and externally, requiring existing knowledge of the transplant and donation landscape to bring contextual expertise to the work.

The Director will work closely with Programs, Corporate Relations, Government Relations, NKF field offices, and other internal teams to ensure clear coordination on cross-functional projects and will be a key partner to the Vice President in preparing materials that support funder engagement, internal reporting, and external partnerships.

Execution & Accountability

• Provide superior project management for major T4A projects, including meeting coordination and logistics, data analysis, and project management execution across multiple teams, including both state-level and national projects.
• Develop and maintain timelines for relevant projects, programs, and initiatives, ensuring deadlines and deliverables are met or exceeded.
• Own project and program communications across the initiative, including recurring operational cadences (internal leadership meetings, status check-ins, etc.), in partnership with the VP of Transplant Programs & Strategy.
• Founded in experience and knowledge of the transplant and donation space, provide input into NKF’s Transplants for All strategic planning process and contribute ideas for continually improving T4A efforts.

Partnerships & Advisory Governance

• Support the monitoring and coordination of ongoing transplant partnerships, programs, and projects, working with internal departments and external partners.
• Partner with NKF field offices and HQ teams to deploy the collective impact model locally and regionally, strengthening cross-sector collaboration and improving transplant access, navigation, and outcomes through core T4A projects and programs.
• Organize and manage logistics for NKF’s Transplant Advisory Committee, an external advisory board of leading kidney transplant and donation experts, including meeting and teleconference coordination, member support, and clear, continuous communication to maintain excellent relationships.
• Manage grant and research projects as identified, including assembling and submitting grant applications and providing logistical and project management support.
• Support budget tracking and reporting, as needed.

Measurement & Impact System

• Design and implement a measurement and impact framework for the T4A initiative, including defining core metrics, building tracking systems, and establishing reporting cadences that connect program activity to strategic outcomes.
• Continuously refine measurement approaches as the initiative evolves, ensuring data remains credible and useful across internal and external audiences, as well as aligned with organizational practices.
• Use data to identify emerging risks, gaps, and opportunities, proactively flagging these to the Vice President and relevant partners.

Reporting & Impact Communications

• Produce regular internal reports on transplant efforts, collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative program data from multiple sources and translating findings into clear, actionable insight for leadership.
• Generate the underlying content (project updates, metrics, outcomes narratives, and data) for external-facing impact reporting, funder updates, and donor materials, ensuring NKF’s transplant work is compellingly and accurately represented outside the organization.
• Develop materials to communicate initiative progress and key results to stakeholders, including PowerPoint decks, written reports, and other formats as needed, supporting external funder, partner, and leadership-facing conversations.
• Perform additional duties as required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; Master’s in a health-related or social services field preferred.
• Minimum 5-7 years of related work experience managing complex projects or programs within a healthcare or nonprofit setting, with strong preference for previous experience in a transplant-related organization.
• Demonstrated experience building or running program performance/measurement systems and translating data into actionable reporting for leadership and external audiences.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including experience preparing materials for senior leadership, funders, or boards.
• Experience in executing research or grant-funded projects preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal, time-management, and organizational skills; able to manage multiple concurrent workstreams with minimal oversight.
• Fluent in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel analysis; open to and able to learn additional software tools, including experience with or interest in thoughtfully incorporating AI tools.
• Flexible for less than 10% overnight business travel, including occasional evening and weekend availability.

Competencies

• Accountability: Takes ownership of actions, decisions, and results, ensuring high standards of performance and transparency.
• Collaboration: Collaborates effectively with peers and stakeholders, contributing to shared goals. Demonstrates openness to feedback and works across teams to achieve NKF’s mission.
• Cultural Humility: Demonstrates self-awareness and openness to learning from others, recognizing and valuing diverse perspectives, experiences, and cultures.
• Data-Driven Decision Making & Results Orientation: Utilizes accurate data to inform decisions, ensuring actions align with NKF’s strategic goals. Focuses on achieving results that drive NKF’s mission forward, setting ambitious goals and delivering outcomes.
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion For All (DEI 4A): Actively contributes to creating an inclusive environment by respecting diversity and supporting equitable access to resources, care, and opportunities.
• Financial Acumen: Demonstrates financial literacy and effective resource management in support of NKF’s financial goals; supports budget tracking and reporting.
• Operational Excellence: Focuses on improving processes and operational efficiency to drive NKF’s strategic goals.
• Patient and Community-Centered Focus: Supports initiatives that prioritize the well-being of patients, living donors, care partners, and healthcare professionals, ensuring daily work reflects the needs of these groups.
• Resource Stewardship: Manages resources responsibly, balancing cost, quality, and sustainability to maximize impact.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Supports NKF’s mission by coordinating the efforts of volunteers, partners, and stakeholders; engages in project management activities to ensure smooth execution of initiatives and builds relationships that strengthen NKF’s impact.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

At the National Kidney Foundation, diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity apply to both our workforce and the communities we serve as they relate to kidney health and kidney disease prevention. It is the policy of NKF to provide equality of employment opportunity regardless of race, creed, color, qualified handicap or disability, national origin, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, age, gender, political affiliation or veteran status, or any other factor or reason prohibited by relevant local, state, and federal fair employment laws.

The Equal Employment Opportunity policy will apply to all employment practices of NKF, including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, promotion, training, compensation, benefits, layoffs, transfers, and discipline. Implementation of the Equal Employment Opportunity policy is the shared responsibility of the management of NKF.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The National Kidney Foundation does not accept resumes from third-party recruitment/search firms. Please do not forward resumes to NKF employees, company locations, or email addresses. NKF is not responsible for any fees related to resumes not solicited by NKF Recruiting.

WORKING CONDITIONS, EQUIPMENT USED AND SPECIAL INFORMATION

Must have unimpeachable integrity and trustworthiness while possessing a high degree of tact, discretion and professionalism. Maintain effectiveness under pressure. Competent in the use of standard office equipment, including telephone, personal computer, fax machine, and photocopier. Flexible for moderate overnight business travel which may include weekends.

DISCLAIMER

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be considered an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.

The salary band listed reflects the range for this position. Actual compensation will be determined based on the selected candidate’s experience, qualifications, and other relevant factors.