About this Senior Project Manager (Development) role at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
Job Title: Senior Project Manager (Development)
Position Summary:
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (“the Foundation”) is seeking top talent for its Senior Project Manager (Development) position. Reporting to the VP, Head of Project Management, this position leads complex, high-impact initiatives that are critical to advancing the Foundation’s fundraising, campaign, and operational goals. This role plays a vital part in contributing to the high-quality production and fundraising efforts of the Foundation’s signature events program, with a focus on Executive Leadership support, donor stewardship and engagement, and events management and logistics. This position provides oversight across multiple concurrent projects, ensuring they are delivered on time, within scope, and aligned with organizational priorities. The Senior Project Manager serves as a trusted partner to senior leaders, drives cross-functional alignment, and strengthens project management practices across the organization.
Key Responsibilities:
Project Leadership
- Lead end-to-end planning and execution of complex, cross-functional projects with significant organizational impact
- Develop comprehensive project plans, including timelines, budgets, resource allocation, risk mitigation, and dependency management
- Ensure projects are aligned with broader Foundation and campaign strategy
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Partner with the Special Events team on strategy, event promotion, and event logistics
- Serve as the primary project lead across internal teams and external partners
- Facilitate alignment among stakeholders, proactively resolve conflicts, and drive decision-making
- Represent Fundraising and Strategy Operations support teams in fielding queries, building project plans, and aligning stakeholder expectations with operational feasibilities
Portfolio Oversight & Performance Management
- Oversee multiple concurrent initiatives, prioritizing effectively to balance organizational needs and capacity
- Monitor project performance, identify risks and bottlenecks early, and implement mitigation strategies
- Establish and refine processes that improve efficiency, transparency, and scalability
Executive Communication & Reporting
- Provide clear, strategic updates to senior leadership and key stakeholders
- Translate complex project details into concise, actionable insights
- Escalate risks and recommendations appropriately to support informed decision-making
Process Improvement & Organizational Impact
- Identify gaps in workflows and implement improvements that strengthen cross-team collaboration
- Standardize best practices, documentation, and tools to enhance consistency across projects
- Contribute to the evolution of the Foundation’s project management framework
Mentorship & Leadership
- Provide guidance and informal mentorship to Project Managers and Coordinators
- Model strong project management discipline, collaboration, and accountability
Qualifications and Skills:
- Relevant experience in event coordination, execution, and stakeholder engagement for high level events with 500+ in attendance preferred
- Demonstrated experience managing complex, cross-functional projects with measurable impact
- Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities
- Exceptional organizational, communication, and stakeholder management skills
- Ability to operate independently and lead through ambiguity
- Experience managing external agencies and vendors
- Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., Asana, Jira, or similar)
- PMP or equivalent certification preferred
#LI-DNI
Compensation & Benefits
Individual compensation for this role is dependent on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, qualifications, skillsets, and applicable laws. In addition to salary, the Foundation 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
- Flexible work environment. 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.
About Us:
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research 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.
Visit www.michaeljfox.org for more information.
Research has shown that people from marginalized communities apply to roles only when they meet 100% of the job requirements. If you think that your skills are transferable and can add value to this role, and you are someone who will contribute to our efforts to build and support a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce, we strongly encourage you to apply.
