Job Title: VP, Head of Business Management (Research Programs & Partnerships)
Position Summary:
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (“the Foundation”) is seeking top talent for its VP, Head of Business Management (Research Programs & Partnerships). Reporting to the Chief Program Officer, this position leads portfolio planning, resource management, and performance oversight for the Research Programs & Partnerships (RPP) business unit, ensuring alignment with enterprise priorities and operating processes. This role translates strategic priorities into measurable operating plans and provides the governance, analysis, and reporting needed to support prioritization, capacity planning, funding decisions, and organizational performance.
Serving as the business management counterpart to research executive leadership, this role drives integrated planning across programs, finance, systems, and operations to clarify trade-offs, optimize resource deployment, and support achievement of RPP and organizational objective key results (OKRs), and key performance indicators (KPIs). The VP partners closely with the CPO, SVP, Head of Research Operations, and other organizational leaders to align business unit plans with enterprise goals.
Brought in to build and lead a team, this leader will first onboard and assess the existing RPP function and enterprise workflows, then make recommendations for an optimal team structure. This position oversees business planning, portfolio governance, performance reporting, and resource management across the RPP business unit. This role evaluates organizational capabilities, operating models, and workflows; identifies opportunities to improve effectiveness and scalability; and develops recommendations that strengthen transparency, accountability, and operational performance. This position also leads and develops a team responsible for business management functions and builds the capabilities required to support the long-term needs of the business unit.
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 Eastern region of the United States.
Key Responsibilities:
Planning, Integration & Coordination:
- Lead RPP annual planning processes in partnership with the Chief Program Officer and the Office of the CEO that translates RPP priorities into coordinated operating plans, portfolio roadmaps, and measurable objectives
- Maintain portfolio visibility across initiatives, dependencies, risks, and trade-offs to support timely RPP and enterprise leadership decisions
- Prepare prioritization and sequence recommendations for review by Research Operations and business unit leadership and ensure coordination across other organization Business Units
- Continuously improve planning, reporting, and governance processes to increase clarity, consistency, and operational effectiveness
- Partner with the Chief Program Officer and Office of the CEO to set, monitor, and review business unit OKRs and KPIs
- Partner with the Chief Program Officer and leaders within the business unit to develop business cases for new initiatives
- Serve as a central integrator between RPP and other teams, facilitating alignment, removing barriers, and ensuring leadership has clear visibility into progress and trade-offs
Capacity & Resource Alignment:
- Develop and maintain capacity views that align staffing, support, and operational demand across RPP
- Identify resource constraints, conflicts, and bottlenecks, and propose options to improve utilization and execution readiness
- Support leadership in making explicit resource allocation decisions based on priority, feasibility, and impact
Budget & Financial Alignment:
- Partner with the Chief Program Officer, Finance, Office of the CEO and Research Operations to align forecasts, funding pace, and budget decisions with execution capacity
- Provide clear analysis of financial performance, budget risks, and operational trade-offs that may affect delivery
- Support development of decision-ready materials for budget planning, reforecasting, and in-year adjustments
Business Intelligence:
- Define and track OKRs, KPIs, dashboards, and reporting that provide visibility into portfolio performance, operational health, and progress against plan
- Deliver executive- and Board-ready reporting and insights in partnership with the Chief Program Officer and the Office of the CEO to support strategic decision-making
- Continuously evaluate initiative outcomes and enterprise processes, identifying opportunities to improve effectiveness, scalability, and return on investment
Cross-Functional Partnership on Business Development Opportunities:
- Coordinate the development, tracking, and internal communication of scientific partnership pitches to allow opportunities to move forward with clarity and momentum
- Help accelerate the Foundation’s most promising scientific endeavors by aligning partnership efforts with portfolio priorities and resourcing
- Facilitate the integration of emerging research opportunities with cross-functional partner teams by aligning decisions, surfacing risks and tradeoffs, and maintaining shared visibility
Team Leadership:
- Assess the existing RPP function and enterprise workflows, then make recommendations for an optimal team structure, including developing the long-term talent plans required to execute the strategy
- Manage and develop a high-performing team by setting clear goals and performance expectations, providing ongoing coaching and feedback, and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
- Oversee workforce planning, organizational design, and resource allocation for the function, ensuring the appropriate talent, skills, and capacity are in place to meet current and future business needs
- Serve as a member of the RPP leadership team, contributing to business unit strategy, organizational effectiveness, and cross-functional decision-making while building leadership capability and succession strength within the team
Qualifications and Skills:
- Proven experience in business management, strategic planning, budget management, and project management
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret financial data and make data-driven decisions
- Excellent organizational and leadership skills with experience in leading and influencing cross-functional teams; demonstrates an enterprise mindset
- Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to present complex information clearly to diverse audiences
- Proven experience leading and motivating teams is strongly preferred
- Proficiency in project management software and financial management tools
- Familiarity with non-profit/programmatic organizations, processes, systems, and terminology
- Strong service-orientation
- Skilled at balancing competing priorities and stakeholder needs
- Experience in life sciences, healthcare research, consulting or related industry is a plus
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.
Salary Range
$190,000—$215,000 USD
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.
