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Director, Development Strategy and Project Management

National Multiple Sclerosis Society
life insurance, paid time off, paid holidays, 401(k)
United States, New York, New York
733 3rd Avenue (Show on map)
Jan 31, 2026
WHO WE ARE: The National Multiple Sclerosis Society mobilizes people and resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges of everyone affected by MS. To fulfill this mission, the Society funds cutting-edge research, drives change through advocacy, facilitates professional education, collaborates with MS organizations around the world, and provides programs and services designed to help people with MS and their families move their lives forward. We partner with volunteers to accomplish our work. Staff members engage volunteers through effective and timely communications, facilitating meaningful opportunities, and continually seeking and providing feedback for reciprocal growth and learning. Job Summary: The Director, Development Strategy and Project Management serves as a strategic thought partner to the Senior Vice President, Development, translating leadership's long-term vision into actionable strategic plans and disciplined project execution for the five-year, $1B comprehensive campaign. This role leads strategic planning and enterprise-level project management for the Development Divisions-Corporate, Industry & Foundation Partnerships; Individual Giving; and Donor Relations & Operations-overseeing integrated project plans, timelines, milestones, dependencies, and cross-functional workflows to ensure coordinated execution and accountability. The Director convenes and guides cross-functional teams to identify, prioritize, and advance funding opportunities aligned with organizational strategy, campaign goals, and revenue targets. Partnering closely with mission teams and internal business partners (including Finance, Marketing & Communications, and Technology), the role synthesizes complex programmatic and organizational information into clear, donor-ready materials, unified campaign messaging, and leadership-ready insights. Leveraging project management and CRM systems, dashboards, and reporting, the Director establishes and continuously improves the tools, processes, and governance needed to manage risk, track progress, and sustain campaign momentum. As a central connector and communicator, this role ensures clarity, alignment, and long-term operational excellence as the Society advances its mission through philanthropy. Main Responsibilities: Lead strategic planning and project management for the non-event revenue driving Development Division (Major Giving and Corporate, Industry & Foundation Partnerships) within the five-year, $1B campaign, including development and oversight of integrated plans, milestones, and timelines. Translate leadership's strategic vision into actionable plans, funding opportunities, and scalable processes that drive workflow, accountability, and measurable progress. Convene and lead cross-functional efforts to identify, assess, prioritize, and advance funding opportunities aligned with organizational strategy, campaign goals, and revenue targets. Serve as a strategic thought partner to divisional leadership and the SVP by organizing complex information, identifying interdependencies, facilitating planning and decision-making, and driving follow-through. Partner with mission, Donor Relations, Marketing & Communications, and frontline fundraising teams to synthesize programmatic and organizational information into clear, compelling, donor-ready materials and unified campaign messaging. Strengthen collaboration with internal business partners (Finance, Technology, MarComms, etc.) to ensure alignment, information flow, and coordinated execution of campaign priorities. Implement and manage project management and CRM tools to track deliverables, timelines, performance metrics, and cross-team accountability, ensuring data integrity and transparency. Develop dashboards, reports, and campaign updates that equip leadership with timely, accurate, and actionable insights. Define, standardize, and continuously improve systems, tools, and processes that support strategic planning, campaign readiness, and long-term operational excellence. Proactively identify risks, roadblocks, and resource needs; elevate issues and recommend solutions to sustain campaign momentum. Serve as a connector, communicator, and subject-matter guide across teams, fostering alignment, shared understanding, and leadership through influence. What We're Looking For: Minimum of 6 years of progressive experience in fundraising, development, campaign management, or related roles, with a strong understanding of prospect strategy, donor engagement cycles, and philanthropic operations. Demonstrated record of leadership and results in revenue strategy and campaign planning, including pipeline development, portfolio optimization, and cross-functional coordination that advances organizational fundraising goals. Proven ability to support and advise senior leaders toward a shared strategic vision, enabling teams to meet activity, performance, and revenue targets. Experience supporting large-scale, complex fundraising initiatives, collaborating effectively across development teams, mission partners, internal business partners, and volunteer leaders to advance major and principal giving strategies. Strong project management, strategic planning, and facilitation skills, with the ability to align resources, timelines, and cross-functional workflows in fast-paced, high-stakes environments. Advanced proficiency with CRM systems and data analytics, including the ability to synthesize complex information, leverage predictive analytics or AI-enabled tools, and translate insights into data-driven strategy and forecasting. Track record of implementing and scaling systems, tools, or processes that improve operational efficiency, strengthen decision-making, and drive revenue growth. Ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure, work effectively amid ambiguity, incorporate feedback constructively, and consistently deliver on organizational commitments. Demonstrated success fostering collaboration and alignment across internal business partners and mission teams, promoting transparency, information flow, and coordinated execution. Experience championing new systems, processes, or technologies and driving adoption through training, communication, and relationship management. Passion for the mission of the National MS Society and enthusiasm for enabling transformational philanthropy. Remote role with willingness to travel approximately 10% for internal planning meetings and key convenings. Location Requirements Remote - Flexible Location Work is primarily performed remotely, however, when possible and necessary, teams meet in person to conduct the business of the organization and build team relationships. Compensation \| Benefits: The estimated hiring compensation range for this role is $80,000-$89,000. Final offers will be based on the candidate'sgeographic location, consider career experience and may vary from this range due to these and other factors. You will have the opportunity for a highly competitive, comprehensive benefit package that the Society provides to employees. Your benefits include a considerable Paid Time Off Plan; Paid Holidays; 401k Retirement Savings Plan with Society match; Commuter Benefit Plan; Comprehensive Health & Welfare benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Flex Spending Accounts, Life Insurance, Disability Coverage, Spring Health Membership offering free therapy and professional coaching, as well as additional voluntary benefit offerings. Not to mention, you will join an incredible mission focused team of people! We're committed to supporting the growth of every employee through a structured and transparent approach to career development. We use Talent Portraits to define clear expectations, development opportunities, and advancement paths - whether you're growing as a people leader or deepening your expertise as an individual contributor. Each role is thoughtfully placed within one of these pathways (Leadership or Partner) to help you understand how it fits into our broader organization and your potential career journey. This position is classified as Partner- Knowledge Expert. The National MS Society is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We strive to create a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. We need you and your unique talents and perspectives to help us write the last chapter on MS. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: We appreciate your consideration of our job opportunities and strive to make it as effortless as possible to apply for our positions. With only a few required sections and the option to use our resume parsing tool, we aim to streamline the application experience, saving you time and effort. Additionally, if you wish to include a cover letter with your application, please feel free to attach it along with your resume, and any other documents required, to the Resume/CV document upload section at the bottom of the My Experience page. We appreciate your interest in joining our team and look forward to receiving your application! Important: You will not be able to modify your application after you submit it. The "My Experience" page is the only opportunity to add your cover letter and supporting document attachments. If you experience any trouble submitting your materials, please check out our FAQ & Contact Us page.