Job Description
Aids/LifeCycle Director
About AIDS/LifeCycle
AIDS/LifeCycle (ALC) is produced by and benefits San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) and the Los Angeles LGBT Center (the Center). The event debuted in 1994 as the California AIDS Ride before it was reconfigured to what is known today as AIDS/LifeCycle (ALC), the world’s largest annual HIV/AIDS fundraiser. AIDS/LifeCycle is a fully supported, seven-day, 545-mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles that raises important awareness about the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic, in addition to funding critical services such as HIV testing and screenings for other sexually transmitted infections, ALC funds HIV care, harm reduction, prevention services including PrEP, and more.
AIDS/LifeCycle happens the first full week in June and averages 2500 Cyclists and 500 volunteers (“Roadies”) participating in the event. Participants are united by a common cause: fighting to end HIV and AIDS. AIDS/LifeCycle raises millions of dollars annually to support San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the HIV-related services of the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
AIDS/LifeCycle Participants represent broad diversity: ages range from 18 to 81, including members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies, as well as participants who are HIV negative or may be living with or affected by HIV. The Ride also boasts over 52% of first-time Cyclists, where nearly all U.S. states/territories are represented at the event, and there is strong international participation, too.
In the seven days it takes the riders to reach Los Angeles, more than 650 people in the United States will contract HIV. More than one million people are currently living with HIV in the U.S., and one in eight people living with HIV nationwide are not aware of their status. Since the California AIDS Ride first began, participants have raised more than $300 million and completed more than 63,000 journeys on bikes from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
A catalyst for change and promoter of HIV/AIDS awareness in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and the communities it passes through, AIDS/LifeCycle is the largest and most successful event of its kind nationally and is celebrated as a life-changing experience by its participants.
San Francisco AIDS Foundation is ALC’s fiscal sponsor. SFAF’s mission is to promote health, wellness, and social justice for communities most impacted by HIV, through sexual health and substance use services, advocacy, and community partnerships.
The Center founded the California AIDS Ride in 1994 with a third-party consultant. The Center’s mission is to ensure all members of the LGBT community thrive as healthy, equal, and complete members of society.
Organizational Highlights
SFAF
Founded: 1982
Revenue: $44.3 million
Board of Directors: 22
Staff: 230
Headquarters: San Francisco
The Center
Founded: 1969
Revenue: $155M
Board of Directors: 23
Staff: 750
Headquarters: Los Angeles
The Position
With primary responsibility for setting the vision for AIDS/LifeCycle’s future and realizing its next phase of growth and impact, the AIDS/LifeCycle Director (Ride Director) will develop and implement a strategic plan to increase event participation and revenue, advance diversity and inclusion efforts, and ensure ALC’s long-term sustainability. Essential responsibilities include:
Leadership
• Balance the priorities of two different organizations and confidently manage up to two supervisors while mediating conflict, holding confidence, maintaining loyalty, instilling trust, and modeling transparency across all relationships;
• Lead a talented and highly committed team of 28 staff who are employed by the two agencies and who are located in San Francisco and Los Angeles;
• Build effective collaborations and foster clear and focused communication channels within and across teams;
• Recruit and retain a high-performing leadership team, setting goals and expectations, holding staff accountable, and mentoring and coaching as necessary;
• Manage a complex $8 million expense budget, maximizing resources and identifying opportunities to reduce costs while still producing a high-quality event;
• Project manage an 18-month event cycle that includes budgeting, fundraising, marketing, and event production;
• Foster a culture of equity that mirrors the culture of SFAF and the Center in their work to achieve health justice for all;
• Lead, model, and facilitate the safety and transformational experience of the staff, Cyclists, and Roadies participating in the Ride.
Fundraising
• Develop a fundraising plan to raise a minimum of $16 million annually, strengthen AIDS/LifeCycle financially, and continue ALC’s growth as an important source of revenue for SFAF and the Center;
• Create strategies to increase donors, ride participants, and team fundraising;
• Maximize revenue potential by both driving new and increasing current corporate sponsorship and partnership efforts in support of the event;
• Support the creation and implementation of year-round events to raise funds and engage sponsors, Cyclists, and volunteers;
• Oversee the development of participant fundraising training and ensure staff support to increase team fundraising and engagement.
Marketing & Communications
• Drive comprehensive updating and refinement of all marketing materials, event signage, messaging, and event entertainment to lift up priority communities and reflect the values of SFAF and the Center;
• Create and support the implementation of marketing strategies to attract corporate sponsors, Cyclists, and Roadies;
• Develop forward-looking messaging that connects participants to the missions of SFAF and the Center;
• Serve as spokesperson for the Ride and steward of the ALC community;
• Ensure messaging and brand consistency across all platforms and audiences that are in alignment with the values of both SFAF and the Center.
Community Engagement
• Lead efforts to create an event that is safe and welcoming for all by fostering a culture grounded in diversity, equity, and inclusion;
• Develop engagement strategies to retain, expand, and diversify the ALC community;
• Foster and maintain strong working relationships with key partners and community leaders.
The Opportunity
This is an exceptional opportunity for an innovative fundraiser to envision AIDS/LifeCycle’s future, create a strategic long-range sustainability plan, and ensure the brand’s continued success.
Position Overview
The AIDS/LifeCycle Director
Reports to: Vice President of Philanthropy for SFAF and Chief Development Officer for the Center
Leads: 28-person staff in San Francisco and Los Angeles and 750 volunteers
Oversees: Senior Director of Community Engagement & Fundraising; Production Director; Director of Marketing, Communications & Digital Engagement; and the Director of Partnership Development
Manages: $16 million in revenue and $8 million in expenses
Lives: In San Francisco or Los Angeles
Professional Requirements
The Ride Director will have the strategic and leadership skills to envision and realize continued growth and a sustainable future for ALC. Critically, they will be a collaborative, big-picture thinker with staff and project management expertise and technical skills to lead a high-functioning team through the 18-month process required to produce a 545-mile, weeklong, multi-site ride that raises $16 million for two essential community-based organizations. The ideal candidate will bring:
• At least five years of senior leadership experience in positions with similar budget and staff oversight responsibilities;
• Fundraising expertise, including ideally, event-based peer-to-peer fundraising and/or corporate sponsorship experience;
• Event production knowledge is required, large multi-day event experience with cause-based athletic endurance events is highly regarded;
• Entrepreneurial savvy supported by the financial acumen to create and implement a multi-year business plan that builds on ALC’s past success to increase the Ride’s growth and impact with knowledge of budgeting;
• Prior experience growing and scaling large events is ideal;
• An appetite for innovation including knowledge of the ways in which technology is used to engage event donors, participants, and volunteers;
• Sophisticated traditional, social media, and grassroots marketing skills to guide strategies for reaching new audiences;
• Exceptional communication skills including messaging and public speaking skills to engage the ALC community, and attract new audiences;
• Outstanding interpersonal skills defined by the capacity to develop and maintain strong and authentic working relationships with key constituents, including Roadie Captains, Corporate Sponsors, and Team Leaders;
• A commitment to upholding the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion and the ability to further advance ALC’s efforts to be an actively inclusive and diverse event.
Essential Qualities
The Ride Director will be a visionary fundraiser and passionate warrior in the fight to end AIDS.
Personal Characteristics
We are seeking candidates with a deep commitment to funding free HIV/AIDS medical care, testing, and prevention services; raising awareness to end the stigmas surrounding HIV/AIDS; and providing a positive, life-affirming experience for people affected by HIV/AIDS. The new Ride Director will bring the following qualities:
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to engage, foster trust, and build genuine connections with key constituents including Roadie Captains, Team Leaders, and Corporate Sponsors;
• High emotional intelligence characterized by an openness to feedback and the humility to learn from staff and the community of Cyclists and volunteers, some of whom have been involved with ALC for decades;
• A diplomatic approach that preserves the positive working relationship between the partner organizations by balancing the competing priorities of two agencies and adapting style to manage up to two leaders;
• Capacity to gather and analyze information and exercise sound judgment to make decisions and take action;
• A demonstrated commitment to centering the values and advancing the missions of SFAF and the Center;
• A strong and dedicated desire to grow ALC in its equity work;
• A passion for cycling or a willingness to learn about the remarkable cycling community;
• Enthusiasm, empathy, and a sense of humor.
Compensation
The salary range for this position is $180,000 – 185,000. The employer will be based on the region of California where the Ride Director resides (e.g., Northern California: San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Southern California: Los Angeles LGBT Center).
SFAF’s comprehensive benefits plan includes 100% employer-paid health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance. SFAF’s generous paid leave policies include 14 paid holidays, 24 days of Paid Time Off/Sick Time for the first two years of employment, and 29 days after two years. SFAF offers a 403(b)-retirement plan and matches employee contributions up to 3% of salary. In addition to providing flex spending accounts (FSA) and commuter benefits, SFAF offers paid memberships and access to digital platforms that provide gender-affirming care, family-forming support, and access to family caretakers such as nannies, babysitters, and senior caregivers. Access to voluntary supplemental benefits including critical illness insurance, legal services, identity theft protection, and pet insurance as well as discounts for theme parks, shows and events, hotels, and rental cars is also provided.
The Center’s comprehensive benefits plan includes 100% employer-funded health, vision, dental, and life insurance. The Center’s paid leave policies include 10 paid holidays, 12 sick days, three personal days, and 12 vacation days in the first year of employment, 15 in the second and third years of employment, and 20 days at the start of the fourth year of employment. In addition, the Center also provides Flex Spending Accounts and a voluntary 403(b)-retirement plan.
Location
The Ride Director may be based in San Francisco or Los Angeles but will be expected to divide their time between the two cities, spending time with the two producing organizations and the event’s Northern and Southern California staff and stewarding the relationship between the leadership teams in each location. An annual stipend to support travel and related expenses is provided.
Reimbursement toward relocation expenses will be provided for the exceptional candidate our clients seek.
Contact
Please submit a résumé and original cover letter that describes your interest in the organization’s mission and qualifications through the https://www.searchbriefing.com/slindex.aspx?client=8131b98b-1324-4386-ae0b-81261b3e35f6&survey=25e19509-7df5-4d86-83e9-8abcde57b898&search=0d5e5277-9c0c-41b9-875f-5137fc69e884.
Michelle Kristel, Managing Partner
McCormack + Kristel
1740 Broadway, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212.531.5003 | Fax: 212.203.9599
Email: search@mccormackkristel.com
Website: www.mccormackkristel.com
All inquiries will be held in strict confidence. Please note that your education, dates of employment, and other information will be verified prior to an offer.
McCormack + Kristel works only with equal opportunity employers.
The San Francisco AIDS Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. SFAF is committed to providing a work environment free of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and disrespectful or other unprofessional conduct based on: Race, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), color, sex/gender(including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), sex stereotype, gender identity/gender expression/transgender (including whether or not you are transitioning or have transitioned) and sexual orientation, national origin (including language use restrictions and possession of a driver's license issued to persons unable to prove their presence in the United States is authorized under federal law [Vehicle Code section 12801.9]), ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information/characteristics, marital status/registered domestic partner status, age (40 and above), sexual orientation, military or veteran status, any other basis protected by federal, state or local law.
SFAF also prohibits discrimination, harassment, disrespectful or unprofessional conduct based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.
This policy applies to all areas of employment including recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, compensation, benefits, transfer, layoffs, terminations, and social programs. This policy applies to managers, supervisors, coworkers, and third parties with whom employees come into contact.
In addition, SFAF prohibits retaliation against individuals who raise complaints of discrimination or harassment or who participate in an investigation into allegations of harassment.
The Los Angeles LGBT Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering diversity within its staff. Applications are encouraged from all persons regardless of their race, color, ancestry, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, medical/physical/mental condition, pregnancy/childbirth, and related medical condition, age, marital status, or veteran status.
The Center has implemented a policy requiring all staff to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment, subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws.
