Lead Project Manager (Strategy & Operations)

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 Lead Project Manager (Strategy & Operations) position.  Reporting to the SVP of Business Management within the Marketing and Communications (“MarComms”) business unit, this position oversees the cross-functional execution of work that requires Marketing and Communications expertise and execution, ensuring processes are efficient, and that projects are completed on time, within budget and to the required standards.

For this role, projects will typically include deliverables from teams across departments and channels. This individual will gather input from strategists and resource teams to develop scope, timelines and clear deliverables, leading projects with interdependencies across multiple business units and ensuring seamless collaboration among diverse stakeholders. This position maintains regular communication with leadership, keeping them informed about challenges that may impact project completion. The Lead Project Manager will also help to develop, implement, and codify the process for interdepartmental projects and for engaging external vendors, leveraging strategic thinking and demonstrating operational excellence.

This position may be hybrid-flex with the opportunity to work out of the Foundation’s office in New York City or based remotely within the U.S.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
Project Leadership

• Lead and manage project teams, including assigning tasks, providing guidance and ensuring team cohesion
• Develop and implement project plans, timelines and budgets, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and objectives
• Serve as the primary point of contact for stakeholders to communicate project status and address concerns

Project Planning

• Collaborate with leadership to define project scope, objectives and deliverables
• Conduct risk assessments and develop mitigation strategies to address potential challenges
• Analyze project requirements and constraints to ensure effective resource allocation and management

Strategic Thinking & Operational Excellence:

• Identify opportunities for efficiency within existing processes and develop new processes as needed, maintaining documentation and socializing changes
• Own the relationship with external vendors as it relates to project management (e.g. printing vendor) and help to improve processes, including the introduction and ordering system for internal stakeholders to request materials
• Act as “dot connector” between processes within MarComms and other departments to ensure efficient use of resources
• Propose options for resource allocation planning

Execution and Monitoring

• Oversee project execution, ensuring adherence to project plans and timelines
• Monitor project progress and performance, implementing adjustments as needed to stay on track
• Prepare and present regular project status reports, including progress updates, budgetary concerns and risk assessments

Quality Assurance

• Ensure project deliverables meet organization’s standards and expectations
• Implement and enforce best practices and project management methodologies to enhance project outcomes

Team Development

• Provide mentorship and support to peers
• Facilitate effective communication and collaboration within the team and across departments

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, ensuring their needs and expectations are met
• Manage stakeholder feedback and integrate it into project planning and execution

Qualifications and Skills:

• Proven experience in project management with a track record of successfully managing large and complex projects
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with varying deadlines
• Proven ability to build and maintain the management of relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels
• Proactive and organized, ability to independently prioritize needs with competing timelines and stakeholders
• Strategic mindset and the ability to think outside the box
• Strong attention to detail and organization skills to share information across teams
• Ability to handle complex and highly confidential materials
• Extremely clear communicator; good at setting expectations 
• Experience with donor management software, such as Salesforce and DOMO
• Experience with project management tools such as Asana
• PMP or equivalent certification is strongly preferred

Salary and Benefits:
The salary range for this position is $110,000 - $130,000.  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.