Since 1973 the American Brain Tumor Association has been the champion of the brain tumor community. Our mission: to advance the understanding and treatment of brain tumors with the goals of improving, extending and, ultimately, saving the lives of those impacted by a brain tumor diagnosis. 

The American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) is seeking a detail-oriented and creative Senior Director, Marketing and Communications to lead the efforts of building awareness, engaging the community, and advancing the mission of the ABTA. This individual oversees all marketing and communications initiatives, driving strategic campaigns that resonate with patients, caregivers, and stakeholders. The incumbent works collaboratively within the department to ensure overall strategy is effectively achieved and provides communication support to the President & CEO and the Board of Directors while working closely with the ABTA Leadership Team to align marketing strategies with organizational goals.

This is a remote position where ideally the incumbent would live within the Chicagoland area.  Travel to the Chicago office will be expected on occasion.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Marketing & Brand Management

• Leads the development and execution of integrated marketing and communication strategies that enhance ABTA’s visibility, donor engagement, and revenue generation.
• Oversees the evolution of ABTA’s brand identity, ensuring consistency across all channels and touchpoints.
• Aligns marketing initiatives with organizational goals, focusing on fundraising campaigns, patient services, research efforts, and advocacy.
• Fosters a culture of innovation, continuously identifying new opportunities to expand ABTA’s brand and reach through traditional, digital, and grassroots marketing.

Stakeholder Engagement & Fundraising Support

• Partners with the Development team to create compelling donor-centric marketing campaigns that drive fundraising efforts and donor retention.
• Develops targeted messaging and personalized content strategies to deepen donor relationships and increase lifetime value.
• Supports major fundraising initiatives, including events, annual appeals, peer-to-peer fundraising, and corporate partnerships.
• Oversees donor communications, ensuring alignment with fundraising objectives and mission impact storytelling.

Team Leadership

• Leads and mentors a team of marketing and communications professionals, fostering a high-performance culture within a collaborative environment.
• Collaborates with internal stakeholders, including Development and Mission, to align marketing efforts with organizational goals.
• Acts as a thought leader within the organization, advocating for the power of marketing to advance ABTA’s mission.

Operational Excellence

• Oversees project timelines, budgets, deliverables, and resource allocation to ensure successful campaign execution.
• Analyzes performance metrics and adjusts strategies to optimize outcomes.
• Manages vendor relationships, including agencies, freelance designers, writers, and other contractors.
• Works closely with subject matter experts to translate complex medical and/or scientific information into accessible messaging.
• Represents the ABTA in communications with the Board of Directors, donors, media, and other key stakeholders.
• Stays current on marketing, nonprofit design, and technology trends, tools, and platforms to ensure innovative and strategic approaches.
• Ensures compliance with nonprofit marketing regulations and best practices.
• Other duties may be assigned at any time.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or related field. Second degree or Masters a plus.
• Minimum of 8 years progressive marketing experience.
• Minimum 4 years managerial/leadership experience
• Demonstrated experience working in a nonprofit organization with strong understanding of donor relations and mission-driven marketing.
• High level of organization and attention to detail, strong process orientation, and ability to simultaneously manage multiple projects with varying timelines and deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to interface and maintain effective relationships with all departments and employees in a team-oriented environment.
• Ability to work collaboratively with all constituent groups, including Board members, volunteers, donors, program participants, and other supporters
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills; ability to distill complex ideas into clear, compelling content.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and familiarity with current marketing tools and software platforms including Salesforce CRM and Pardot. Familiarity with SEO, Google Analytics, paid media and social media advertising.

Interested in Working for the ABTA?

Submit a cover letter with your resume to careers@abta.org.

Resumes without a cover letter will not be considered.

Salary Range

The salary range for this position is $107,000 to $110,000 annually, commensurate with experience which will be evaluated during the candidate selection process.