Executive Director – Gateway; Missouri and Illinois

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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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…