Executive Director and Account Manager

Associations West; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

McDonaldAMC seeks an experienced association professional to step into an Executive Director role serving several client associations. You will lead day-to-day operations, work closely with boards and volunteers, and guide strategic initiatives to deliver value to members.

The role involves financial oversight, program development, and event coordination, with a focus on sustaining growth and high-quality service across client organizations.

Qualifications

• Strong oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple organizations and priorities.
• Experience managing budgets and reviewing financial reports.
• Strategic thinker who can also handle practical details of association management.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary staff contact and day-to-day leader for assigned associations.
• Oversee administration of client programs, services, and activities.
• Ensure contractual responsibilities and client expectations are met.
• Work with volunteer leaders to identify priorities and advance initiatives.
• Provide strategic guidance to help associations grow and improve operations.
• Develop and manage annual client budgets and monitor financial health.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Budgeting

Strategic thinking

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration/Nonprofit Management/Communications

Job description

The Opportunity

This is a client-facing, executive-level position for an experienced association professional who enjoys working directly with volunteer leaders and taking ownership of an organization’s day-to-day operations and long-term success.

At McDonaldAMC, Account Manager is the employee's position within our company. Executive Director is typically the title used by the client association.

You will typically manage approximately 2–4 client organizations depending on size, complexity, and scope, with each client representing a part-time assignment. You will serve as the primary staff leader for your assigned associations and work closely with their boards of directors, committees, members, vendors, and other stakeholders involving McDonaldAMC leadership when significant contractual, financial, legal, personnel, or client retention issues arise.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys the variety of association management and wants the opportunity to serve as the executive leader of multiple organizations without being responsible for running an entire association management company.

What You’ll Do

• Serve as the primary staff contact and day-to-day leader for assigned associations.
• Oversee the administration of client association programs, services, and activities.
• Ensure contractual responsibilities and client expectations are consistently met.
• Work with volunteer leaders to identify priorities and move initiatives forward.
• Provide strategic guidance to help associations grow, improve their operations, and deliver greater value to members.
• Serve as a professional representative of the client associations with the media and at meetings, conferences, and other events within the individual association’s guidelines
• Build strong, trusted relationships with boards of directors and volunteer leaders.
• Attend and support board and committee meetings, including preparing agendas, reports, and other materials.
• Help boards develop and implement policies, programs, and strategic initiatives.
• Provide recommendations and professional guidance while respecting the role of volunteer leadership.
• Help volunteer leaders stay focused on the association's mission, priorities, and responsibilities.
• Develop and manage annual client association budgets.
• Review financial reports and monitor the financial health of assigned organizations.
• Work with McDonaldAMC's accounting resources to understand financial performance and address issues.
• Help boards and committees make informed financial decisions.
• Monitor expenses, contracts, and other financial commitments.
• Develop and implement strategies to improve member engagement, retention, recruitment, and overall value.
• Work with volunteer leaders to identify opportunities for new programs, services, education, and other member benefits.
• Monitor membership trends and recommend opportunities for growth.
• Help associations better communicate their value proposition to current and prospective members.
• Coordinate board meetings, annual conferences, educational programs, networking events, and other association activities.
• Work with McDonaldAMC staff and vendors to plan and execute successful events.
• Assist with event strategy, budgets, logistics, contracts, speakers, sponsors, and other event-related responsibilities.
• Attend assigned meetings and events, including occasional evening or weekend events.
• Develop and maintain productive relationships with vendors, service providers, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Negotiate and oversee client association vendor agreements and contracts as appropriate.
• Coordinate with outside professionals and other resources supporting client organizations.
• Serve as a professional and responsive point of contact for the association.
• Work collaboratively with McDonaldAMC staff who provide specialized support to your client organizations.
• Clearly communicate priorities, deadlines, and expectations for client-related work.
• Coordinate efforts across accounting, administrative, meeting, marketing, and other support functions.
• Help ensure the client receives consistent, high-quality service across all areas of its operations.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for an experienced association professional who can step into an Executive Director role and quickly earn the confidence of volunteer leaders.

The ideal candidate is:

• Experienced in professional, trade, or other nonprofit membership association management.
• Comfortable working directly with boards of directors and volunteer committees.
• A strong communicator who can build relationships with a wide range of personalities and stakeholders.
• Organized and able to manage multiple clients, priorities, deadlines, and projects simultaneously.
• Financially savvy and comfortable managing budgets and reviewing financial reports.
• Strategic, while also willing to roll up their sleeves and handle the practical details of association management.
• Able to work independently and make sound recommendations without requiring constant direction.
• Professional, responsive, dependable, and committed to providing excellent client service.
• Comfortable representing an association publicly and serving as its professional staff leader.
• Collaborative and able to effectively coordinate the work of internal and external resources.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressively responsible experience working with nonprofit membership associations or volunteer committees.
• Demonstrated experience with association operations, board relations, strategic planning, programs and services, member recruitment, and similar nonprofit leadership responsibilities.
• Strong oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience managing budgets and working with financial information.
• Ability to manage multiple organizations and competing priorities.
• Ability to travel overnight with up to 50 pounds of meeting or event supplies.

Preferred But Not Required

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Nonprofit Management, Communications, or a related field.
• Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation.
• Previous experience serving as an association executive director or senior staff executive
• Previous experience working for an association management company with primary responsibility for a client association.
• Equivalent professional experience will be considered in place of a specific degree or credential.