Membership Manager

Smithbucklin; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee-owned company

Hybrid work environment

In-office days: Mon, Tue, Thu

Job summary

Smithbucklin is seeking a Membership Manager in Chicago to lead ISTAT's membership function and drive member value from strategy to execution.

You will partner with the Executive Director, volunteer leaders, and colleagues to implement initiatives, manage a lean team, and coordinate across departments to enhance the member experience and engagement while supporting ISTAT's growth and retention goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Five+ years in association membership, association management, or related organization.
• Experience managing and developing staff.
• Experience administering or owning an AMS.
• Strong project management skills with multiple priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for senior leadership or committees.
• Ability to leverage technology, automation, and AI-enabled tools.

Responsibilities

• Translate strategic priorities into practical initiatives with measurable outcomes.
• Develop ISTAT's membership strategy with the Executive Director and volunteer leaders.
• Improve member experience, operational efficiency, and membership value.
• Evaluate programs, processes, and services for ongoing improvement.
• Prepare papers, business cases, presentations, and recommendations for committees.

Skills

Staff management

Project management

AMS ownership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Technology & AI tools

Travel ability

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Association Management System (AMS)

Job description

Smithbucklin, a 650-person, employee-owned professional services company with more than 70 years of success serving the association market, with primary offices in Chicago and Washington, D.C., is looking for a Membership Manager to join our team in our Chicago office and serve our association management client organization International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT).

The International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) is the leading global association serving the global aviation trading and finance industry. With more than 6,000 members worldwide, ISTAT connects professionals through conferences, networking, education, and thought leadership while advancing the long-term success of the aviation industry. ISTAT is seeking a collaborative, innovative, results-oriented Membership Manager to lead ISTAT's membership function and help shape the member experience across the organization.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Manager will facilitate the development and implementation of ISTAT's membership strategy while leading the team, systems, and operational initiatives that deliver an exceptional membership experience.

This position is ideal for someone who enjoys transforming ideas into action. Working closely with the Executive Director, volunteer leaders, and colleagues across the organization, the Manager will develop recommendations, build implementation plans, improve operational processes, and lead initiatives that strengthen member value, engagement, and long-term growth. Leading a lean, high-performing membership team, the Manager will balance strategic leadership with hands-on execution while partnering closely with volunteers and colleagues across the organization to achieve ISTAT's membership goals. The successful candidate is equally comfortable thinking strategically, developing recommendations, managing projects, improving operational processes, and translating ideas into action.

At Smithbucklin, we embody a culture driven by optimism, ambition, expertise, and thoughtfulness, where every team member is empowered to exceed expectations and deliver exceptional results for our clients. Join us in shaping the future of association management, where our values serve as the cornerstone of our success.

What You Will Do:

• Translate strategic priorities into practical initiatives, implementation plans, and measurable outcomes.
• Facilitate the development and implementation of ISTAT's membership strategy in partnership with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, and volunteer leadership.
• Develop practical recommendations that improve the member experience, operational efficiency, and overall membership value.
• Continuously evaluate membership programs, processes, and services to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Prepare discussion papers, business cases, presentations, and recommendations for committees, leadership, and the Board of Directors.

Membership Systems & Technology

• Serve as the business owner for ISTAT's Association Management System (AMS).
• Partner with Information Technology, vendors, and internal stakeholders to improve system functionality, integration, and business processes.
• Ensure membership data is accurate, well-governed, and supports informed decision-making.
• Identify opportunities to leverage technology, automation, and AI-enabled tools to improve productivity, operational efficiency, and the member experience.

Membership Experience

• Lead the continuous improvement of the member value proposition and member experience throughout the membership lifecycle.
• Partner with Marketing, Events, Education, and other departments to ensure a consistent and engaging member experience.

Membership Operations

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of ISTAT's membership program, including membership administration, corporate and airline membership, member benefits, and customer service.
• Lead and develop the Membership Operations team.
• Develop and improve policies, procedures, and workflows that support operational excellence.
• Supervise temporary staff and other short-term resources supporting membership operations, as needed.
• Lead the implementation, administration, and continuous improvement of ISTAT's mentoring program.
• Coordinate mentor and mentee recruitment, onboarding, matching, communications, and ongoing engagement.
• Partner with volunteer leaders to evaluate program outcomes and recommend enhancements.
• Monitor participation and success metrics and recommend opportunities for program growth.
• Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Member Services Committee.
• Support additional committees and working groups related to membership and member engagement, including the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, ISTAT Awards Committee, Emerging Markets initiatives, and other groups as assigned.
• Work closely with volunteer leaders to identify opportunities, evaluate ideas, and translate committee recommendations into actionable implementation plans.
• Coordinate committee meetings, agendas, materials, follow-up activities, and project timelines.
• Support volunteer recruitment, onboarding, recognition, and engagement initiatives.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate across departments to ensure membership considerations are incorporated into organizational initiatives, conferences, education programs, and member communications.
• Support the annual budgeting process by providing membership forecasts and operational recommendations.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in association membership, association management, or a closely related membership-based organization.
• Experience managing and developing staff.
• Experience administering or serving as the business owner of an Association Management System (AMS).
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing reports, recommendations, and presentations for senior leadership or volunteer committees.
• Ability to leverage technology, automation, and AI-enabled tools to improve productivity, decision-making, and organizational effectiveness.
• Willingness to travel a few times a year to support conferences, committee meetings, and Board meetings.

Where Do You Fit?

Whether you are just beginning your career or are a mid- or senior-level professional, working at Smithbucklin will offer you countless opportunities to develop transferable skills, acquire meaningful knowledge and gain rich experiences at an accelerated pace. By working collaboratively with smart, ambitious, multi-talented, genuine and hardworking colleagues, you will build meaningful, deep and enduring relationships that will serve you well throughout your career, regardless of your chosen path. In addition, as a 100 percent employee-owned company, Smithbucklin offers all of our people - regardless of position or compensation - an equal chance to experience the fulfillment and reap the benefits of ownership. As owners, our employees control the destiny of Smithbucklin and are unified in the goal of building a great, enduring company.

Smithbucklin is a hybrid work environment with in-office days established as Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Employees will work a standard 40-hour week, with the possibility of additional hours based on project deadlines.

Smithbucklin considers several factors when determining compensation, including a candidate's recent coursework, training, experience, and certifications, among other considerations. The expected pay for this role is $80,000-$100,000.

At Smithbucklin, Equal Employment Opportunity is our commitment and goal. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status or any other protected status designated by federal, state or local law. Applicants are encouraged to confidentially self-identify when applying. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a reference and background investigation based on position.

Smithbucklin will not sponsor applicants for work visas and as a precondition of employment. You must be authorized to work in the United States permanently.