Director of Web Systems

About Us:
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) was founded in 2000 with one clear objective: accelerating meaningful therapeutic advances and, ultimately, a cure for Parkinson’s disease (PD). The Foundation applies extraordinary scientific, business and media assets to this singular focus—thus creating a unique and dynamic organization. Since inception, MJFF has quickly grown into the largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s disease research, having funded over $2 billion in research projects in both academic and industry labs worldwide.

Core to our philosophy is how we think of our capital and its risk profile relative to other stakeholders in the drug development pipeline. We work aggressively to de-risk various therapeutic strategies and tools in the hopes of building a robust pipeline of new treatments for patients. In order to achieve our mission of finding a cure for PD it is critical that we engage with, and bring together, members of the PD community including researchers, physicians, health professionals and most important, people with Parkinson's and their families.

We believe that to find a cure for PD as quickly as possible, our capital needs to push research forward today—we therefore deliberately hold no endowment or excessive reserves. We instead seek to deploy funds raised as quickly and wisely as possible. MJFF raises over $100 million annually. Today, the Foundation has approximately 250 full-time employees. We offer a collegial and collaborative environment where optimistic problem-solvers and entrepreneurial, resourceful individuals can thrive and make a tangible difference for millions of people living with Parkinson’s disease.

Position Summary:
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (“the Foundation”) is seeking top talent for its Director of Web Systems position.  This role will oversee the evolution and management of the Foundation’s digital platforms, with a primary focus on michaeljfox.org. This pivotal role ensures the Foundation’s web systems support organizational goals, drive engagement with diverse audiences, and align with the Foundation’s mission and values. Reporting to the VP, Head of Digital Products & Data Systems, the Director will balance strategic planning with operational oversight, ensuring technical excellence and impactful user experiences.  This position will be responsible for managing a team of employees and aligning their work with the Foundation’s strategic objectives.

Collaboration is essential to this role, requiring partnership across departments to deliver a scalable, reliable, and continuously optimized web presence that reflects the Foundation’s mission and fosters innovation within a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Web Architecture and Operations:

• Translate organizational needs into clear, actionable technical plans in collaboration with contractors, technical staff and internal stakeholders
• Guide external engineering teams by providing detailed functional and technical specifications, ensuring features are built to exact requirements for both front-end user experience and back-end system integration and performance
• Review technical approaches proposed by external engineers, offering feedback to ensure architectural alignment, code quality and best practices are maintained
• Refine michaeljfox.org’s architecture to ensure scalability, reliability and user-centered design
• Optimize integrations with tools such as Salesforce, Classy Pay, Auth0 or similar, ensuring seamless interoperability within the Foundation’s CMS (Drupal) and other systems
• Act as the technical expert for web projects, providing actionable guidance, troubleshooting, and ensuring high-quality deliverables

Team Management:

• Lead and mentor a team, aligning their work with the Foundation’s strategic objectives and fostering a solutions-oriented team culture
• Set clear expectations, provide ongoing feedback, and conduct formal performance evaluations to drive individual and team success
• Create growth opportunities for team members through training, mentorship and cross-functional collaboration, supporting career development and team excellence
• Ensure team capacity and skillsets align with evolving project priorities by managing resource allocation, identifying gaps and recruiting as necessary
• Build strong cross-departmental partnerships, particularly with Development and Marketing & Communications, to ensure seamless delivery of web systems and solutions
• Establish team processes, workflows and best practices that enhance operational efficiency, improve project delivery and align with the Foundation’s core values

Platform Ownership:

• Oversee the performance, security and reliability of web systems, addressing issues proactively
• Drive platform improvements with a focus on user experience, accessibility and operational efficiency
• Act as a champion for aligning technology decisions with the Foundation’s mission and values

Documentation and Standards:

• Create and maintain comprehensive technical documentation, including workflows, standards and best practices to support continuity and quality across all web initiatives
• Establish and enforce technical standards to ensure consistency, security and scalability across web systems and integrations

Qualifications and Skills:

• Relevant experience in web systems management, digital platform architecture, or related fields, with experience in technical design and documentation
• Relevant experience managing a team, including supporting the professional development of staff
• Success in developing and delivering detailed technical specifications in collaboration with contractors and internal teams
• Relevant knowledge of CMS platforms (preferably Drupal). Experience with integrations involving Salesforce, Classy Pay and Auth0 are a plus
• Familiarity with APIs, web security standards, performance optimization and accessibility best practices
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple technical projects while maintaining exceptional attention to detail.
• Formal project management certifications (e.g., Agile Scrum) are a plus

Salary and Benefits:
The salary range for this position is $160,000 - $185,000.  In addition to salary, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• 15+ options for medical insurance (with the Foundation paying 90 percent of the premiums)
• Competitive dental and vision plans
• 401(k) plan with 6 percent employer contribution
• Flexible spending accounts
• Employer paid life and disability insurance
• 18 Vacation Days; 12 Well-Being (Sick) Days; 2 Personal Days; summer Fridays (office closure at 2pm) and a summer holiday week over July 4
• Two ways of working: hybrid-flex, or remote work.  We trust all employees to work closely with their manager and colleagues to determine when, where and how programs and projects get done. 

Employees are also eligible for a discretionary bonus on an annual basis. The Foundation provides staff and leadership cultivation through regular training courses and events. 

How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a resume and thoughtful cover letter describing through examples, their specific qualifications and interest in the position. If you think that your skills are transferable and can add value to this role, please apply. Applicants who best match the position’s needs will be contacted.

MJFF is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from individuals who will contribute to our efforts to build and support a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce. Diversity may refer to characteristics including, but not limited to, race, religion, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic circumstance, geographic background, ability and disability, political ideology and age.