Managing Director, Heart-Tech Media

Overview

Since our founding in 1924, we've cut cardiovascular disease deaths in half, but there is still so much more to do. To overcome today’s biggest health challenges and accelerate this progress, we need passionate individuals like you. Join our movement, be part of the progress, and help ensure a healthier future for all. You matter, and so does the impact you can make with us.

The American Heart Association has an excellent opportunity for a Managing Director, Heart-Tech Media. This position can be home-based.

This is a full-time, benefits eligible, grant funded opportunity. Current funding will expire on 9/1/2028, with the potential for funding renewal and role extension beyond that date.

This role will lead the development, launch, and ongoing growth of the Heart-Tech Media Initiative, a national platform designed to elevate the Association’s voice at the intersection of cardiovascular and brain health, stroke, science, technology, artificial intelligence, digital health, and patient-centered care. This role will shape a high-visibility initiative that expands the Association’s reach, strengthens engagement with innovators and clinical experts, and advances the mission to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.

The Association offers many resources to help you maintain work-life harmonization through your changing needs and life situations. To help you be successful, you will have access to Heart U, our award-winning corporate university, as well as additional training and support, locally.

#TheAHALife is more than a company culture; it is our way of life. It embodies our commitment to work-life harmonization and is guided by our core values where our employees can thrive both personally and professionally. Discover why you will Be Seen. Be Heard. Be Valued at the American Heart Association by following us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and at heart.jobs.

Responsibilities

The Managing Director will serve as the founding business and content leader for Heart-Tech Media, building an integrated media, events, programming, and relationship platform that positions the Association as a trusted convener and thought leader in health technology. The role will combine strategic planning, executive stakeholder engagement, editorial and programming leadership, business development, sponsorship strategy, operational execution, and financial stewardship. The successful leader will translate emerging technology trends into mission-aligned programming that is credible, science-informed, commercially sustainable, and valuable to patients, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, volunteers, sponsors, and health technology partners.

• Lead the design, launch, and scaling of the Heart-Tech Media Initiative, including its strategic roadmap, operating model, revenue plan, content priorities, programming calendar, partner engagement approach, and performance measures.

• Establish the initiative as a trusted American Heart Association platform for health technology, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, clinical innovation, cardiovascular and brain health, stroke, patient care, and emerging models of care delivery.

• Develop/acquire online platform(s) to host and then oversee an expanded portfolio of multimedia programming, including webinars, newsletters, interviews, video programming, conference activations, executive conversations, thought leadership

• Partner with the CHTI’s, Health-Tech Advisory Group Members, and Network Companies, as well as other relevant American Heart Association volunteers, and internal subject matter experts to source timely topics, expert voices, and practical use cases. Determine the role of the existing ahahealthtech.org website (and related tools/content) – determine how to leverage for Heart-Tech Media

• Build and manage relationships with health technology companies, AI companies, digital health innovators, med-tech and pharma organizations, academic leaders, clinicians, researchers, volunteers, grant awardees, and other stakeholders relevant to the initiative.

• Partner with the Center for Health Technology & Innovation, Health-Tech Advisory Group members, innovators’ networks, our volunteers, and internal subject matter experts to source timely topics, expert voices, and practical use cases.

• Create sponsorship, grant, and fee-based opportunities that support the initiative’s two-year incubation period and move the platform toward long-term sustainability and break-even performance or better.

• Oversee budgets, staffing needs, vendors, production workflows, business processes, and measurement systems required to operate a high-quality national media and programming platform.

• Identify emerging trends, competitive activity, market opportunities, and reputational considerations in the health technology and AI landscape, translating them into actionable programming and partnership opportunities.

• Represent the Association with senior external executives and partners, serving as a credible convener across media, technology, healthcare, innovation, science, and mission communities.

• Consider and explore the creation of a process to both improve our access to tech companies and guide consumers to the most appropriate Heart-Tech care and treatment innovations via a newly developed American Heart Association Trustmark – speaks to applicability/appropriate use, alignment with science guidelines, safety and reliability, etc.

Strategic Priorities

• Build a practical launch plan for Heart-Tech Media, including brand positioning, audience strategy, content pillars, internal governance, sponsor approach, and success metrics.

• Develop a repeatable programming model that can support high-quality content across mixed media channels while leveraging existing American Heart Association assets and expertise.

• Activate a pipeline of topics focused on AI, clinical decision support, patient-provider shared decision-making, faster diagnosis, post-acute care, rehabilitation, secondary prevention, aging, and real-world technology applications in clinical workflows.

• Engage a core group of our volunteers, clinical experts, researchers, and external innovators who can serve as advisors, speakers, contributors, and ambassadors.

• Build a sponsor and partner prospect strategy across major technology companies, AI companies, digital health firms, med-tech, pharma, healthcare systems, and other aligned organizations.

• Demonstrate early momentum through measurable audience growth, stakeholder engagement, sponsor interest, content production, operational discipline, and internal adoption.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent.

• 10 years of prior relevant experience.

• 8 years of supervisory experience.

• Significant executive-level experience leading media, digital content, programming, events, innovation, business development, or market-facing platforms within healthcare, health technology, life sciences, professional associations, or mission-driven organizations.

• Experience with success building or transforming a business unit, innovation platform, media operation, or content-driven revenue model with accountability for strategy, operations, budgets, revenue, and stakeholder outcomes.

• Deep understanding of healthcare technology, digital health, AI, clinical innovation, healthcare markets, and the evolving needs of clinicians, patients, caregivers, sponsors, and industry partners.

• Ability to develop high-quality programming and thought leadership that balances market relevance, scientific credibility, audience engagement, sponsor value, and organizational reputation.

• Experience working with senior executives, boards, volunteers, medical experts, editorial teams, sponsors, vendors, and cross-functional internal partners.

• Strong commercial acumen, including sponsorship strategy, partnership development, revenue growth, P&L management, vendor management, and financial discipline.

• Excellent executive communication skills, including the ability to frame complex technology and healthcare issues for varied audiences and translate ideas into compelling programming, proposals, and operating plans.

• Ability to operate in a start-up environment within a larger organization, balancing entrepreneurial speed with appropriate governance, collaboration, and risk management.

• Commitment to the Association’s mission, scientific integrity, patient-centered impact, and responsible use of emerging technologies.

• Ability to travel up to 25% nationally with overnight stay

Preferred Background

• Senior leadership experience in healthcare media, professional association media, digital health, healthcare technology, or health-focused content platforms.

• Experience of growing audience engagement, subscriptions, digital membership, sponsor revenue, media partnerships, or conference programming.

• Experience leading teams through transformation, restructuring, platform repositioning, operational improvement, or new venture launch.

• Established relationships or credibility with health technology companies, healthcare systems, medical device companies, pharma organizations, digital health innovators, clinical experts, researchers, or healthcare media partners.

• Experience producing or overseeing video, editorial, newsletters, webinars, sponsored content, educational sessions, executive interviews, or conference-based programming.

Success Measures

• Heart-Tech Media launch plan, governance model, content pillars, and operating cadence established and adopted by key internal stakeholders.

• High-quality programming delivered consistently across priority channels with clear audience, sponsor, and mission value.

• Growth in engaged audiences, subscribers, partner participation, volunteer involvement, and internal stakeholder utilization.

• Strong pipeline of sponsorship, grant, and partner opportunities with progress toward long-term financial sustainability.

• Consider the development of and explore the American Heart Association Heart-Tech product/procedure evaluation process and symbol that indicates “Aligned with the American Heart Association Guidelines” (without specifically endorsing any product), that becomes a sought-after trustmark in the initiative’s coverage and opens doors to leading healthcare IT firms.

Compensation & Benefits

The American Heart Association invests in its people. Here are the main components of our total rewards package. Visit Rewards & Benefits to see more details.

• Compensation – Our goal is to ensure you have a competitive base salary. That’s why we regularly review the market value of jobs and make adjustments, as needed.

• Performance and Recognition – You are rewarded for achieving success through annual salary planning and incentive programs; eligibility for an incentive program is based on the type of position.

• Benefits – We offer a wide array of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance, along with a robust retirement program that includes an employer match and automatic contribution. As a mark of our commitment to employee well-being, we also offer an employee assistance program, employee wellness program and telemedicine, and medical consultation.

• Professional Development – You can join one of our many Employee Resource Groups (ERG) or be a mentor/mentee in our professional mentoring program. Heart U is the Association’s national online university, with more than 100,000 resources designed to meet your needs and busy schedule.

• Work-Life Harmonization – The Association offers Paid Time Off (PTO) at a minimum of 16 days per year for new employees. The number of days will increase based on seniority level. You will also have a total of 12 paid holidays off each year, which includes several days off at the end of the year.

• Tuition Assistance - We support the career development of all employees. This program provides financial assistance to employees who wish to further their education and career in relation to