Project Manager, Community Partnerships

MDA Overview:

At MDA, we believe our biggest asset is our combination of different backgrounds, cultures, and disciplines united to form one high-performing team. By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives, and generations, we ensure that we all have access to the opportunities, relationships, and resources necessary to learn, grow, and thrive. What we do starts with our people and the neuromuscular disease community we serve. As America’s largest voluntary health organization covering research, healthcare, and advocacy for people with neuromuscular diseases, MDA is leading the way in improving the quality of life for those living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, spinal muscular atrophy, and dozens of related disorders – many first discovered and diagnosed by MDA supported scientists and clinicians.

Department Overview:

The Community Partnerships department is responsible for planning and executing fundraising events throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Through community and corporate-led events such as golf tournaments, galas, walks, DIY, and MDA Supported events, the team’s overarching goal is to raise critical funds in a cost-effective manner.  This is done by adhering to event best practices, operational efficiencies, and creative integration of volunteers into nearly every aspect of fundraising. The Community Partnerships department is part of the Development Partnerships structure that is responsible for relationship management to retain donors and fiscal management to ensure best practices are employed to keep margins (net revenue after expenses) for all summative fundraising activities above 85%.

Position Description:

The Project Manager, Community Partnerships is accountable for implementing complex and diverse projects and cross-division programs working with key internal and external stakeholders to ensure each project/program is delivered with excellence to meet or exceed client expectations. Types of projects supported: Distinguished Gala and Golf events, Muscle Walk, MDA Supported events and other projects as needed.

The Project Manager, Community Partnerships manages workstreams and develops comprehensive project plans to ensure initiatives are delivered on time, in-scope, and on budget and responsible for the day-to-day execution of their clients' campaigns. This individual delivers high quality solutions, evaluates business needs, develops functional requirements, and implements project plans to achieve results from conception through completion of the full life cycle. This position reports directly to the Director, Community Partnerships.

Location: This is currently a remote position with occasional travel requirements.

Salary: This position's salary range is $60,000 to $65,000. Final offer amounts and levels are determined by multiple factors, including your experience, and may vary from the amounts listed above.

What you’ll do:

• Accountable for the successful delivery of complex projects through the effective management of solution design/development, project plans, resources, and stakeholder engagement.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive statements of work that accurately define project scope, activities, deliverables, and timelines.
• Confirm agreements with partners to meet sponsorship objectives, program specific funding and any business- related documents and work with finance on any contracts, SOW’s and LOA’s.
• Evaluate business requirements to ensure the development of accurate requirements that align with available and appropriate resources.
• Convert business objectives into achievable project plans, milestones, and deliverables.
• Accountable for all project related financials, budgets, and vendor management.
• Develop project risk assessments, contingency plans, quality assurance controls, and performance measures.
• Implement effective frameworks and processes to maintain appropriate operational and organizational support throughout the solution lifecycle.
• Provide effective/timely communication of project planning, status, issues, risks, and financials to key internal and external stakeholders.
• Lead meetings such as daily/weekly updates and planning/reviews/retrospectives.
• Manage project collaboration across all stakeholders, including external vendors and partners.
• Provide leadership that fosters participant equity and inclusiveness in project development and implementation.
• Develop and sustain relationships with client stakeholders, external agency partners, project owners, and client management leadership.
• Interact with senior and executive level management (as needed) regarding project, expected business outcome, contract/ engagement administration.
• Work closely with clients to obtain the necessary information, budget approvals or data to provide to the agency service teams to produce the work.
• Foster ongoing relationships with registered families, volunteers, committee members, and donors.
• Enforce delivery excellence and compliance while managing the quality and timeliness to deliver on time, within budget, meet revenue / margin targets and meet contractual obligations.
• Track and control assigned project progress and updates of documentation. Keeps an updated high-level dashboard of each project they are responsible for communicating milestones and progress to upper management and stakeholders.
• Analyze active projects, project retrospectives, team input, and systems in order to propose improvements to processes/workflows/tools.
• Coordinate deliveries, distributes documentation related to the new features of each version, and ensures communication with stakeholders.
• Identify risk and develop plans for risk mitigation.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What we are looking for:

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience required.
• 3+ years of experience in project management or similar roles required.
• Ability to work across a wide variety of platforms including Better Unite, DonorDrive, Canva, digital, social platforms, and client specific applications.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage competing priorities and multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Extensive experience managing external vendors and working with finance on contract management.
• Strong written/verbal communication, presentation, and listening skills, with the ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner to a variety of audiences.
• Strong collaborator with demonstrated success leading diverse, cross-functional teams and fostering a results-focused culture.
• Comprehensive understanding of project risk, financials, and functional/non-functional requirements.

MDA is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.