Senior Executive Director

Senior Executive Director (SED) Scion Executive Search has been exclusively retained by the American Heart Association to identify an exceptional, high-impact Senior Executive Director (SED) with an entrepreneurial mindset and an unwavering commitment to driving measurable revenue growth. This is a rare opportunity for a relentless business development leader who thrives in highly competitive environments, embraces ambitious goals, and consistently exceeds expectations. This leader will build strategic partnerships, secure transformational investments, and inspire others to achieve what many believe is impossible for one of the nation’s most respected and influential nonprofit organizations throughout the greater Dallas market. This is a full-time, onsite leadership opportunity based in Irving, Texas. ABOUT THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION For more than 100 years, the American Heart Association has been a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. As one of the nation’s most recognized and impactful nonprofit organizations, the Association is dedicated to improving cardiovascular and brain health through groundbreaking research, public policy advocacy, education, and community engagement. Since its founding in 1924, the American Heart Association has helped reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease and stroke while driving innovation in prevention, treatment, and equitable access to care. Through the collective efforts of volunteers, donors, healthcare leaders, corporate partners, and community advocates, the organization continues to advance solutions that improve health outcomes in communities across the country. POSITION OVERVIEW Reporting directly to the Associate Executive Vice President, Southwest Region, the SED will serve as the senior market leader for the American Heart Association’s Dallas market, driving multimillion-dollar revenue growth, community impact, and market influence across the region. Leading a team of approximately 20 professionals, the SED will serve as the chief business and market leader for the Dallas operation, accountable for revenue growth, operational performance, talent leadership, resource management, and market expansion while advancing the Association's mission and serving as a visible ambassador for the organization. This highly strategic and externally focused leader will collaborate with corporate executives, philanthropists, physicians, board members, and community stakeholders to expand the Association’s reach and impact. The ideal candidate is an elite relationship builder and revenue producer with a proven track record of consistently exceeding aggressive fundraising, business development, or sales goals. They possess exceptional executive presence, competitive drive, and resilience, refusing to allow obstacles, rejection, or market conditions to stand in the way of achieving results. They are energized by ambitious metrics, thrive under accountability, and have built a career creating opportunities where others see barriers. RESPONSIBILITIES Strategic Leadership & Market Advancement: Champion a culture of urgency, accountability, ownership, and measurable performance where ambitious goals are expected and achieved. Aggressively identify, pursue, and close strategic opportunities that significantly accelerate revenue growth, market influence, and community impact. Lead the strategic vision and oversight for fundraising, volunteer engagement, community impact initiatives, and overall Dallas market growth. Develop and manage market business plans to ensure alignment among revenue goals, operational priorities, staffing strategies, and community impact objectives. Align staff, volunteers, board members, and community stakeholders around shared goals, measurable outcomes, and a culture of excellence. Revenue Generation & Fundraising Leadership: Own and consistently deliver ambitious multimillion-dollar revenue goals while creating a culture that expects and celebrates winning. Develop and execute bold market-growth strategies that dramatically expand philanthropic investment, corporate partnerships, sponsorship revenue, and transformational giving. Identify, pursue, cultivate, solicit, negotiate, and close six-, seven-, and transformational gifts while serving as the organization's lead revenue strategist and chief relationship builder. Operate with the mindset of a top-performing sales executive proactively building pipelines, forecasting revenue, overcoming objections, and converting opportunities into measurable results while maintaining the highest level of professionalism and integrity. Strengthen volunteer-led fundraising efforts while building sustainable pipelines that support long-term growth and market expansion. Monitor fundraising performance, evaluate key metrics, and proactively adjust strategies to maximize revenue and organizational impact. Volunteer, Board & Community Engagement: Partner closely with volunteer leaders, campaign leadership, and community stakeholders to advance fundraising, mission, and market objectives. Collaborate effectively with the Advisory Board and volunteer leadership to advance strategic priorities, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and support organizational growth. Assist in the recruitment, engagement, development, and succession planning of volunteer and board leadership. Serve as a highly visible and influential ambassador for the American Heart Association throughout the Dallas market. Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with corporate executives, healthcare leaders, donors, community partners, and other key stakeholders. Organizational & Team Leadership: Build and lead an exceptionally high-performing team by establishing ambitious expectations, holding individuals accountable to measurable outcomes, coaching through challenges, and celebrating achievement. Ensure seamless collaboration across development, communications, community impact, and volunteer engagement functions. Establish aggressive performance goals, regularly evaluate progress, and take decisive action to ensure revenue and operational targets are consistently achieved. Champion professional development opportunities that strengthen leadership capacity and support employee growth. Lead with a hands‑on, solutions‑oriented approach while empowering team members to achieve ambitious goals and deliver exceptional results. Financial Stewardship & Operational Excellence: Direct all aspects of market business operations, including budgeting, forecasting, financial performance, workforce planning, resource allocation, and operational strategy. Monitor financial performance and ensure responsible stewardship of organizational resources and investments. Partner with senior leadership to evaluate fundraising performance, market opportunities, operational effectiveness, and return on investment. Leverage data, reporting, analytics, and performance metrics to inform strategic decision‑making and drive continuous improvement. Ensure compliance with organizational policies, procedures, financial controls, and operational standards. QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor’s degree in health education, administration, business, marketing, social sciences, or a related field preferred, or equivalent professional experience. 8+ years of progressively responsible executive leadership experience overseeing revenue generation, business operations, financial performance, and team leadership within a nonprofit, healthcare, association, corporate, or related environment. 7+ years of leadership and team management experience with demonstrated success developing high‑performing teams. Demonstrated experience managing complex business operations, multimillion‑dollar budgets, performance metrics, and strategic planning initiatives. Demonstrated history of consistently achieving or exceeding ambitious revenue, fundraising, business development, or sales goals in highly competitive environments. Ability to travel extensively throughout the Dallas market and maintain reliable transportation. Demonstrated resilience, persistence, and competitive drive with the ability to overcome setbacks, navigate rejection, and maintain momentum toward ambitious objectives. COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS Competitive salary of $171,000–$190,000 (DOE) with eligibility for an incentive opportunity of up to 25% based on achievement of revenue goals. Medical insurance Dental insurance Vision insurance Disability insurance Life insurance Retirement benefits with 4% match Paid time off and holidays Tuition assistance Employee wellness programs Professional development resources A variety of employee support programs APPLICATION PROCESS The American Heart Association has retained the services of Scion Executive Search to assist in conducting this important search. Immediate consideration welcomed via resume and cover letter formatted in Microsoft Word, submitted through the applicant portal. 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