VP, Head of Business Management (Research Programs & Partnerships)

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, finan ce , systems, and operations to clarify trade-offs, optimize resour ce deployment, and support achievement of RPP and organizational objective key results (OKRs), and key performan ce 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 governan ce , performan ce reporting, and resour ce management across the RPP business unit. Th is role evaluates organizational capabilities, operating models, and workflows; identifies opportunities to improve effectiveness and scalability; and develops recommendations that strengthen transparency, accountability, and operational performan ce . 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 offi ce 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 a