National Multiple Sclerosis Society Reviews

Pros

Excellent at fundraising through events. Good opportunity for growth for junior staff. Really does help people with MS. Nice new offices, centrally located.

Cons

The regional structure they have introduced in some areas of the country has been stalled in its implementation. It is hard to see how it will all come together.

Pros

The insurance benefits and amount of paid holidays you receive is very generous. Most of the long tenured employees are willing to teach and guide you. The office space is beautiful and it is located next to the Metra/Union Station. There is a free healthclub membership included, too.

Cons

The Senior Management Team of the Greater Illinois Chapter is volatile and inexperienced. Because employment turnover is high, it is difficult to create processes that affect overall performance. Although the work week is a 37.5 work week, the hours needed to accomplish work in the development department are closer to 50-55 per week.

Advice to Senior Management

The National Office needs to pay more attention to what is really happpening on the local level. The local board of directors needs stronger leadership in order to instill confidence throughout the organization.

Pros

Sense of doing good work for those in need
wonderful recognition from supporters of the organization
some good people to work with

Cons

Lazy upper-level management
Lazy staff
Nepotism was strong in this office
Poor compensation for those who did the most work

Advice to Senior Management

Reward the hard workers and do not allow family relationships taint the work environment. Remember that this is for a cause and not time to relax.

Pros

good bennies at employee level, most people good to work with others not so much

Cons

work-life balance can be challenging.
Recognition occurs where it may not be appropriate.
Opportunities for advancement are minimally available.

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to employees and not just senior management simply because you may not receive the entire story.

Pros

Decent benefits, eroded in recent years.

Cons

Best to come from local chapter to national office, otherwise virtually no credibility. Cultish organization, very suspicious of anything not invented here. Disproportionate amount of resources expended on organizational power structure; far more attention to NMSS, the Society, than MS, the disease. Missing opportunities to network and collaborate, co-opted by big pharma. Driven by marketing and branding.

Advice to Senior Management

EVPs and other "leadership" are not generalists and should not dabble in other department's goals, budgets and evaluation to extent currently encouraged.

Pros

Good health care benefits for employee only. The family plan was unaffordable. TIme off for major holidays and comp time if you worked an event during the weekend or evening.

Cons

Poor communication. Incompetent management and employees. Highly paid worthless consultants who don't contribute to the mission. Lots of physical work, loading trucks, breaking down tables, etc. Archaic systems. An incestuous relationship with the MS drug pharmaceutical companies. Not looking out for the best interests of their clients with MS. Self serving. A thankless job.

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to your employees. Research less expensive family medical benefits. Don't hire $5500 a day consultants to tell your employees what personality type they are; how does this help people with MS?

Pros

There are opportunities to advance, but can be limited because it is a small organization. Benefits are very good for a non-profit.

Cons

Work-life balance can at times be hard to achieve due to working events on the weekend. This is to be expected in an event driven nonprofit.

Advice to Senior Management

Respect the employees that work for you and given them the right tools and opportunities to improve in their careers.

Pros

The Society offers excellent benefits and compensation. Staff are genuinly comitted to the mission and enjoy working with each other.

Cons

The Society is currently going through a period of re-organization and change which creates an environment of fear and distrust.

Advice to Senior Management

Management is generally qualified within their discipline but not qualified as managers. Staff development and supervision is hit or miss.

Pros

Good colleagues at my location

Cons

Lost their way for now

Advice to Senior Management

Executive staff - too much ability to comment and input on areas they are not qualified to judge

Pros

Your work is for a good cause; promoting education and research on MS.

Cons

As a nonprofit, salaries are terribly low. Chapters operate independendently, and there is nothing to stop a bad chapter boss. I worked at the Gateway Area Chapter, where the turnover was somewhere around 80 percent per year. We all had to work at events, and were treated like slaves, working from 3am until midnight and allowed to sleep for only 3-4 hours before getting up to to it all again. Wjhen I asked for learning opportunities I was told flat out that it wasn't about me, and was then given an impossible assignment as punishment.

Advice to Senior Management

Senior management needs to monitor the chapters and offer employees the opportunity to provide anonymous feedback. Once they get the feedback, they need to act on it.