Job Title: Associate Director of Advancement (Midwest)

Position Summary:

The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) is seeking top talent for its Associate Director of Advancement position. Reporting to the Senior Associate Director, Advancement the Associate Director, Advancement will manage a portfolio of major gift donors, work across Development to deepen donor engagement, seek additional funding opportunities, and track portfolio forecasting and revenue.

A successful candidate will feel at home as a member of a dynamic and supportive team. They will develop and maintain strong collaborative working relationships with colleagues within Development and across the Foundation. They will lead major gift fundraising strategies for their portfolio and oversee donor solicitation and stewardship efforts with a focus on retaining and upgrading donors.

This role will primarily manage relationships in the Midwest region of the US. This fundraiser may be based remotely within the Midwest with regular travel to assigned donors and periodic travel to NYC required. Travel expectations are approximately 25% of the year with the occasional weekend travel or work requirements. Team members plan travel for highest strategic impact thus travel cadence varies (some seasons are more active than others).

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Strategically lead major gift fundraising strategy in assigned portfolio and oversee donor solicitation and stewardship efforts with a focus on retaining and upgrading donors
• Manage a portfolio of high-level donors giving $5,000 annually
• Build strong and lasting relationships with constituents through multiple meaningful points of contact
• Strengthen the Foundation’s presence through fundraising and community engagement efforts in partnership with other teams at MJFF
• Proactively coordinate outreach, conduct prospect research, track revenue, manage stewardship, and seek additional opportunities for broader community engagement within assigned territories
• Serve as a key Foundation spokesperson and frontline fundraiser, with the ability to confidently articulate a clear and compelling case for support for MJFF with a focus on major gifts
• Increase MJFF awareness at research, patient and community events, Research Roundtables, Hosted Events, Support Groups, Team Fox events, and Symposiums
• Perform administrative activities including, but not limited to, high-end stewardship and solicitation mailings, curated communications, revenue tracking, update donor and prospect records, track and record action items and update notes in CRM, internal strategic projects
• Identify and compile relevant, timely updates and articles of interest to share with key constituents
• Contribute to a collaborative teamworking environment and have a positive roll-up-your sleeves attitude

Qualifications and Skills:

• Demonstrated repeated success closing 5-6 figure gifts
• Strong time management skills and adept at pivoting to manage shifting priorities
• Familiarity with CRM software such as Salesforce
• Ability to quickly grasp opportunities for growth within assigned portfolio and potential impact on team revenue goals
• Proven ability leading projects and donor engagement strategies
• Proven ability to digest complex material and present in an empathetic and compelling manner
• Have a capacity to work independently and collaboratively across multiple departments
• Be a self-starter with sound judgement and attention to detail
• Have excellent inter-personal verbal and written communication skills and emotional intelligence
• Be comfortable presenting publicly in a variety of settings
• Willingness to travel and work evenings and weekends as needed. Must have a valid driver’s license
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills

Salary and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $80,000 - $95,000. In addition to salary, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• 15 options for medical insurance (with MJFF 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 days Paid Time Off (PTO); 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. MJFF 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 (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.

Visit www.michaeljfox.org for more information.

Vaccination Statement

At The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF), the health and safety of our team and our community is a priority. MJFF has made the decision to require all staff receive the COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment. Successful applicants for this position must be fully vaccinated by date of hire and proof of vaccine is required. Full vaccination is defined as two weeks after both doses of two-dose vaccine or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine has been administered. Anyone unable to be vaccinated, because of medical or religious reasons, can request a reasonable accommodation for consideration.

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.