Executive Vice President, Marketing and Communications

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY
LOCATION FLEXIBLE – Ideal if candidate is based close to a major market (e.g., New York City, Houston, Denver, Los Angeles, Florida)

Several puzzle pieces have fallen into place that are bringing us closer to a world free of multiple sclerosis. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society advances health equity by dispelling misconceptions about who gets MS, engaging underrepresented groups, providing MS information in culturally accessible and plain language (including in Spanish), developing and expanding MS specialty care, and more, thereby accelerating diagnosis and the start of disease modifying therapy. The Society’s activist network grew significantly this year with more than 5,000 new voices joining its efforts and helping make significant headway in influencing legislation at the state and federal levels. The MS Ambassador program is engaging volunteers who leverage their connections to educate, motivate, and inspire more people to join the movement. Other programs like “New to Pediatric MS” broaden the National MS Society’s reach to connect with audiences to provide the support, communities, and resources they need.

The National MS Society’s current strategic and implementation plans reflect extensive organizational assessment and strategies to ensure the organization’s ongoing evolution and impact. Success in curing MS and empowering people affected by MS to live their best lives is dependent upon increasing awareness and recognition of MS and its symptoms among people at risk and healthcare providers, bringing more people and diversity into the MS movement, as well as revenue growth. The organization must focus on strategies and milestones that strengthen the MS movement through more and deeper connections, while building the pipeline of new donors and enhancing engagement with existing fundraisers. Each person who wants to do something about MS should feel a sense of belonging in their National MS Society.

Amid this environment of organizational excellence, scientific and social progress, and forward-looking investment, the National MS Society seeks candidates for the position of Executive Vice President, Marketing and Communications (EVP). The EVP directly manages respective vice presidents in the areas of Constituent Experience, Content Strategy, Web Experience & Analytics, and Brand & Communications and is responsible for an overall team of approximately 43 staff. They will drive the ongoing evolution and optimization of this integrated, multi-functional team, fostering its alignment and provision of related strategic counsel on an organization-wide scale. They will refine corresponding structures, systems, and processes as appropriate and ensure the specification of tactics to achieve strategic goals in support of overall mission advancement, brand and programmatic awareness, and fundraising. Consistent with the Society’s strategic direction, the EVP will lead efforts to infuse diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of marketing and communications. The EVP will champion consultation, collaboration, active communication, and an outcomes-focused approach in continuing to shape marketing and communications within this large, complex, highly matrixed organization.

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the EVP must maintain broad cross-functional knowledge of the Society and model its culture while contributing to preparing, monitoring, and ensuring progress of an integrated Society strategic plan and budget. They will inform CEO decisions for the organization’s mission, workforce, priorities, and overall operations. Working effectively on leadership teams, creating high performing teams, and contributing to increasing capacity through professional development is a primary responsibility.

Minimum Experience/Skills/Competencies Required

• Demonstrated commitment to the mission and values of the National MS Society.
• Ten or more years of experience at the management level with oversight of marketing, public relations, communications, brand development, or digital marketing. Demonstrated experience in a turnaround environment and building a standard marketing and communications department informed by industry best practices.
• Knowledge of nonprofit governance, experience leading in resource-constrained environments, and a history of engaging volunteer leaders/board members and volunteer committees in collaboration with leadership staff.
• Experience in an organization with geographically dispersed operations and leading remote teams. Ability to work independently while functioning in a matrix-oriented environment.
• Strong business acumen and organizational leadership experience, including a track record of data-informed decision-making, financial analysis, and strategic and operational planning, along with a proven ability to handle competing priorities and effectively facilitate change. Demonstrated ability to design systems and processes that ensure accountability for achieving results, prioritizing return on investment and effectively utilizing key performance indicators.
• Leadership style that is open to innovation, creativity, calculated risk taking, inclusiveness, diverse perspectives, and consensus building. Capacity to understand, make, and communicate complex decisions while maintaining objectivity. Comfortable in dealing directly and positively with conflict.
• A high energy level and demonstrated ability to develop and maintain trusting, open, and effective partnerships on an organization-wide scale and with diverse constituencies.
• Superior verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to effectively communicate organizational direction and present complex ideas to a range of audiences.
• Proven ability to balance strategic and operational management, including hiring, coaching, and developing staff from diverse backgrounds. Track record of setting strategic direction, establishing goals, and benchmarking as well as working across divisional/departmental lines when necessary to achieve results. Experience in building and enhancing marketing and communications systems and processes as well as effectively leveraging technology to integrate processes and expand the team reach.
• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of how to build diversity and inclusion in marketing and communications functions; culturally competent with respect to issues such as racial, cultural, religious, sexual, and gender identity.
• Willing and able to travel (projected as 25% to 35% of work schedule).
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office programs including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. Experience with constituent relationship management (Salesforce experience a plus), online meeting tools, and social media platforms.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is a movement by and for all people affected by MS. The Society wants everyone to feel respected and be empowered to bring their whole selves to work to ensure the organization makes the best decisions to achieve its mission.

The Society is deeply committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and is working with intentionality to build cultural competence and create a welcoming environment. For example, the Society:

• Has four active employee-led resource groups – “Inclusive Voices,” “Military Community Network,” “Society Pride,” and “Workability.”
• Provides regular, ongoing DEI training for all employees to ensure that its DEI values and principles are consistently understood and practiced throughout the organization.
• Focuses on attracting, recruiting, and hiring a diverse workforce that reflects the communities the organization serves, including updating practices to prevent the potential for bias in processes.

Download the full position description via the following link:
https://diversifiedsearchgroup.com/search/21442-nmss-evp-mktgcomms/

The National MS Society has retained the DSG Fundraising & Advancement Practice of the Diversified Search Group to assist in this confidential search process. Inquiries, nominations, and applications (current resumes and cover letters) may be submitted via the following link or directed to the leader of the search team:

https://talent-profile.diversifiedsearchgroup.com/search/v2/21442

Gerard F. Cattie, Jr.
Managing Director and DSG Fundraising & Advancement Practice Leader
Diversified Search Group
The Chrysler Building, 405 Lexington Avenue, 49th Floor, New York, New York 10174
gerard.cattie@divsearch.com | 212.542.2587