Overview
The National MS Society mobilizes people and resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges of everyone affected by MS. The Executive Director is the lead fundraiser and chief representative for the Gateway Chapter (eastern Missouri and southern Illinois), responsible for driving transformational revenue and strengthening community engagement through innovative strategies and mission-driven leadership. This position leads a high-impact portfolio focused on peer-to-peer fundraising events, major gifts, and corporate partnerships. The Executive Director also builds and mobilizes a dynamic Board of Trustees, cultivates leadership volunteers, and convenes cross-functional teams to maximize community impact and revenue.
This is a strategic, creative, and results-driven leadership role with a passion for mission-based work and a proven track record in nonprofit fundraising and relationship management.
Key Responsibilities
- Fundraising & Revenue Leadership: Serve as the Chapter’s executive fundraiser, directly accountable for meeting or exceeding the annual revenue budget as part of an integrated regional effort.
- Donor & Partner Management: Manage a high-level portfolio of relationships including peer-to-peer fundraisers, major gift donors, and corporate partners through identification, cultivation, stewardship, and recognition.
- Revenue Innovation: Identify and develop new revenue streams with a focus on innovation and sustainability.
- Peer-to-Peer Event Leadership: Play a lead role in peer-to-peer fundraising event success by identifying, recruiting, and supporting volunteer committees and honorees; partnering with staff to recruit, coach, and recognize top fundraising teams and participants; collaborating with internal teams to deliver a mission-forward event experience; and leveraging events to identify major gift and corporate partnership prospects.
- Donor Cultivation & Stewardship: Organize and host donor cultivation and stewardship events to elevate engagement and generate new funding opportunities.
- Data & Strategy: Utilize Salesforce and other tools to analyze data and guide strategic decisions based on donor behavior, performance metrics, and KPIs.
- Regional Collaboration: Participate in regional meetings, goal setting, and collaborative opportunities to meet the regional revenue goal.
Board & Volunteer Leadership
- Serve as the primary liaison to the Chapter’s Board of Trustees; engage members in fundraising, strategic planning, and mission advocacy.
- Recruit, onboard, and support a diverse, engaged, and high-performing Board that champions revenue growth through personal giving and network influence.
- Develop and engage volunteer leaders to expand community reach and fundraising capacity.
Mission & Community Engagement
- Act as the Chapter’s primary spokesperson to media, community groups, donors, and program participants; represent the Society at events, programs, and public functions.
- Collaborate across departments to align fundraising, programming, and advocacy strategies that support the mission and deepen community involvement.
- Ensure an inclusive, meaningful, and mission-connected experience for all community members, including donors, event participants, volunteers, and individuals impacted by the mission.
- Participate in national and statewide initiatives such as advocacy efforts, in-person programs, and leadership events to represent local interests and amplify mission impact.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Convene local staff to identify strategic cross-functional opportunities that enhance donor experience and connect community stakeholders to the Society’s mission.
- Ensure that donor intent is honored and aligned with organizational priorities through collaborative planning and communication across functions.
- Provide feedback on local staff as appropriate to support recognition, redirection, and performance management that supports high-performing teams.
What We’re Looking For
- Proven nonprofit leadership experience with increasing responsibility, successfully securing 7-8 figure gifts.
- Expertise in AI, predictive analytics, and CRM tools to utilize sales pipeline automation, donor journey mapping, and forecasting donor trends, with a strong emphasis on acquiring new participants while enhancing retention to maximize event success.
- Proven ability to drive innovation in community event fundraising, leveraging emerging trends, data-driven insights, and creative strategies to optimize growth and engagement.
- Experience supporting geographically dispersed teams, in remote and hybrid environments, providing coaching and mentoring to Development employees.
- Strong ability to perform under pressure, handle criticism professionally, and consistently meet fundraising commitments.
- Exceptional project management, strategic planning, and negotiation skills to drive effective resource allocation and optimize fundraising outcomes.
- Advanced CRM expertise, leveraging data analytics to drive decision-making and train teams on data-driven fundraising strategies.
Location & Compensation
Location : This is a market-based role supporting the Midwest Region — Gateway Chapter. Regular, in-person attendance at meetings, constituent interactions, and events is required, with travel up to approximately 50% of the work time. The remainder is remote from a home office or Society workspace where available. Preferred location: St. Louis, MO.
Compensation : The estimated hiring compensation range is $110,000-$135,000 . Final offers reflect geographic location, experience, and other factors.
Benefits : Comprehensive benefits include PTO, paid holidays, 401k with match, commuter benefits, health/dental/vision, FSA, life and disability coverage, mental health resources, and additional voluntary benefits. The Society supports career development and uses Talent Portraits to define paths and expectations. This position is classified as Partner – Knowledge Leader.
Application Instructions
We appreciate your consideration of our job opportunities. To apply, attach your resume and, if desired, a cover letter and any required documents in the Resume/CV upload section at the bottom of the My Experience page. The job posting link: Important: You will not be able to modify your application after submission. If you experience trouble, please review our FAQ & Contact Us page.
Tagged as: board & volunteer leadership, cross-functional collaboration, fundraising & revenue leadership, mission & community engagement
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