Senior Director of Membership

A national trade association is seeking a Senior Director of Membership to lead a high-impact membership department responsible for recruitment, retention, onboarding, member experience, enterprise accounts, and the systems that support these functions. This is a critical role for an organization where membership growth and retention is a top strategic priority. This is a remote position with occasional travel to industry events, conferences, or organizational activities. About The Role The Senior Director of Membership serves as the senior operational leader for the association’s membership function, overseeing both member growth and member experience. This role manages the membership team, outsourced vendors, and membership sales assets while building modern, scalable systems that drive sustainable year-over-year growth in membership and revenue. The ideal candidate combines collaboration with strong initiative and leadership presence, works well across departments but also confidently moves work forward, solves problems proactively, and builds the structures needed for a high-performing membership team. The role will initially report to a vice president, with the expectation that its long-term reporting structure may shift as part of the association’s planned organizational alignment. Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership & Planning Develop and implement the annual membership strategy, including recruitment, retention, revenue, and engagement goals. Evaluate membership programs, benefits, processes, and systems to strengthen member value and operational efficiency. Assess departmental staffing and role alignment, ensuring the team structure, capabilities, and support model are optimized for membership growth and retention. Establish scalable systems, workflows, and SOPs to ensure consistency and sustainable growth. Member Growth & Enterprise Recruitment Lead integrated recruitment and win-back campaigns using data-driven and segmented tactics. Play a hands-on role in membership sales as needed, particularly with priority prospects and enterprise accounts, while building the long-term sales structure and resources needed for a more strategic leadership focus. Collaborate with Marketing & Communications to build the prospect pipeline and enhance visibility. Cultivate enterprise relationships, design customized proposals, and expand multi-location membership participation. Supervise outsourced and/or internal membership sales assets, including goal-setting and performance management. Member Experience & Retention Oversee the member experience team and outsourced service providers to ensure timely, accurate, and high-quality support. Lead retention strategies, renewal campaigns, onboarding systems, and benefit education initiatives. Oversee affinity partnerships and member benefit programs in collaboration with internal teams and external partners. Data, Reporting & Systems Oversee the acquisition, governance, and utilization of member and prospect data. Ensure organization-wide adherence to CRM standards and effective lifecycle tracking. Guide the development of membership dashboards and reporting for leadership and board committees. Team Leadership & Culture Development Manage, mentor, and develop staff to build a high-performing, collaborative, and accountable membership team. Foster a culture of initiative, transparency, and continuous improvement. Provide clear expectations, coaching, and accountability for staff and vendors. Industry Representation Represent the association at industry events as a speaker, exhibitor, and ambassador. Lead cross-promotional membership campaigns with allied organizations. Education & Experience Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Nonprofit Management, or related field (or equivalent experience). 6+ years of progressive experience in membership, sales, customer experience, or association management. Experience supervising staff and/or outsourced teams. Proven success driving membership growth and retention. Skills & Competencies Strong initiative and proactive leadership, with the ability to drive work forward independently. Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills. Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively while exercising sound judgment and leadership authority. Strong analytical, project management, and organizational abilities. Proficiency with CRM or membership management systems (HubSpot or Microsoft Dynamics a plus). Results-oriented mindset with a commitment to service excellence and continuous improvement. #J-18808-Ljbffr