Senior Clinical Operations Specialist

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 300 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 Senior Clinical Operations Specialist position.  This position will be focused on oversight and coordination of projects within the Foundation’s coordinated clinical programs. Coordination of and investment in large-scale, multi-center clinical studies that study individuals across the disease spectrum and produce open access, field-enabling data and biological sample resources is critical to advancing the field’s understanding of Parkinson’s disease, thereby fostering the development of transformative Parkinson’s disease treatments.

You will work closely with a diverse set of cross-functional stakeholders, including Patient Engagement, Clinical Development, Translational Research, Research Resources, Research Alliances and Marketing & Communications, as well as key opinion leaders, advisors and external program and study partners. You will serve as a liaison between internal stakeholders and external partners to ensure the Foundation’s flagship clinical studies advance the Foundation’s broader research agenda and drive field-wide innovation in Parkinson’s therapeutic development.

Reporting to the VP, Head of Clinical Research, this role will specifically work on the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (“PPMI”).  In addition to working with cross-functional internal stakeholders, this role will also work closely with external PPMI operational partners.

This position may be hybrid-flex with the opportunity to work from the Foundation’s office in NYC or based remotely from anywhere within the U.S.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Manage pilot and longer-term projects within and across clinical programs from development to closeout (including tracking key performance indicators to monitor project status, health and impact) to ensure that projects are properly scoped and completed on schedule, and that outcomes of projects are disseminated to the research community
• Oversee and assess the impact of clinical program grants (e.g., clinical study infrastructure grants, clinical study advisory committee grants) and vendor contracts to ensure that donor dollars are being spent responsibly and in alignment with clinical program objectives
• Monitor the progress and output of clinical program operational partners and vendors; support timely completion of project deliverables by proactively identifying, escalating and resolving risks and issues that could impede clinical program or project progress
• Enable internal engagement with clinical program infrastructure and outputs by facilitating connections between internal stakeholders, clinical program operational partners and clinical program leadership
• Elevate internal and external awareness of project progress, outcomes and impact and enable internal and external stakeholders to leverage project deliverables and insights by preparing and presenting project debriefings
• Develop, manage and cultivate positive working relationships with clinical program operational partners, clinical research vendors, clinical study and site network personnel, key opinion leaders, strategic funding partners and the patient and participant community
• Build and maintain intelligence on clinical operations landscape and trends for Parkinson’s and related disorders
• Support development and implementation of strategy for disseminating the Foundation’s operational best practices for global cohort studies for adoption by the research community and to advance the Foundation’s research interests

Qualifications and Skills:

• Relevant experience (approximately 4+ years) in project management, biopharma, healthcare consulting, public health, clinical research or community organizing that reflects measurable success and achievement in effective cross-functional collaboration, identification and mitigation of potential risks, and process creation and improvement
• Effective team player with a collaborative approach to problem-solving and experience navigating matrix management environment
• Strong time management skills, including ability to independently prioritize time and work
• Resourceful self-starter with comfort navigating ambiguity
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and instinct to share information
• Excellent attention to detail
• Demonstrated commitment to and knowledge of principles of diversity, equity and inclusion in personal and/or professional settings
• Some travel may be required (up to 10 percent)

Salary and Benefits:
The salary range for this position is $85,000 to $100,000.  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 2 p.m.) 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

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.