Senior Donor Relations Manager

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 Donor Relations Manager position.  Reporting to the Director of Donor Relations, this role serves as a key strategist and communicator on the Development team, responsible for executing stewardship initiatives and creating donor-focused content that inspires philanthropic support and deepens donor engagement. This position works closely with executive leadership and the Communications team to ensure accuracy and alignment with the priorities, mission and brand voice of the Foundation.

Key responsibilities include overseeing the complete gift agreement process and implementing proactive stewardship strategies to support leadership communications, campaign recognition and special events. This role creates donor-centric written content on behalf of the Chief Development Officer and supports the Development team by customizing proposal and report templates, acknowledgment letters, recurring donor updates and other development communications. Additionally, this team member assists in planning and executing timely updates to stewardship materials, ensuring that relationship managers consistently deliver a high-quality donor experience.

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: 
Developing Process and Strategy:

• Manage the customization and execution of gift agreements, from initial drafting to obtaining final signatures from donors and executive leadership
• Coordinate the use of Microsoft Teams and/or other tools to enhance awareness, communication and subsequent actions across departments for proposed gifts and newly executed gift agreements
• Working with project managers and writers on Communications, develop a proactive stewardship process for all written leadership touchpoints (e.g., acknowledgment letters, pre- and post-event notes to guests, and special case notes)
• Collaborate with Donor Relations colleagues to establish a proactive stewardship plan for special events
• Assist with the Tribute Pages process by supporting annual updates and refreshing templates as needed
• Coordinate with Donor Relations colleagues to develop and implement a recognition strategy in support of campaign goals
• Partner with the Knowledge Management team to maintain a comprehensive library of proposals and reports on SharePoint as a shared internal resource across business units
• Collaborate with the Comprehensive Campaign Coordinator and Donor Relations colleagues to develop a centralized Donor Relations resource hub on SharePoint, including templates, guidelines, best practices, and examples to support consistent and effective donor stewardship across all giving levels

Writing and Editing:

• Develop high-impact written content on behalf of the Chief Development Officer and executive leadership, including remarks, correspondence, pitches and proposals, talking points, cover letters, and strategic communications tailored to internal and external audiences
• Working closely with relationship managers, adapt proposal and report templates to align with donor interests, incorporating personalized messaging and content that reflects priorities and brand voice of the Foundation
• Support the timely and proactive refresh of written content including recurring newsletters from relationship managers, templates, topic briefs, and other assets in the Donor Relations resource hub on SharePoint
• Support the development of sophisticated, highly customized acknowledgment letters and pledge reminders, delivered in a timely manner and aligned with gift agreements, in partnership with the Donor Services team

Qualifications and Skills:

• Relevant experience as a strong and independent writer who can both adapt and repurpose materials authored by the Communications team and conceptualize fresh, engaging correspondence and other materials to steward select donor audiences
• Exceptional organizational skills
• Understanding of donor relations best practices

Salary and Benefits:
The salary range for this position is $95,000 to $115,000.  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

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.