The Strategic Management Society (SMS), an international association providing services to those in the strategic management field, is looking for a Membership & Marketing Manager. The SMS is a small but mighty team that relies on extensive cross-functional collaboration and the support of a network of uniquely dedicated volunteers. For more information about the SMS, please visit
Position Summary:
The Membership & Marketing Manager, who reports to the Director of Membership & Events, is charged with leading the overall membership program including the management of the special interest groups, membership enrollment campaigns, and webinar and online community programming. This dynamic individual works with a wide variety of volunteer groups and stakeholders and will proactively ideate and project-manage to deliver high-value member benefits that advance the field of strategic management and support an inclusive, welcoming environment online and in-person at SMS events.
In this role, you will also manage the marketing function for SMS including extending the distribution of content into the academic and professional communities, using analytics in the formulation and measurement of a marketing strategy, and bolstering engagement on social media and with our members-only online community platform. An ideal candidate will keep a pulse on the membership and marketing trends within the field, as well as strategize, administrate, and collaborate on these insights with colleagues and key volunteers.
A “day in the life” of the Membership & Marketing Manager might include:
- Operationalizing a volunteer leader’s virtual workshop idea into a tangible event that provides learning opportunities and facilitates member connections.
- Synthesizing membership renewal data to establish monthly revenue goals for the team to rally around and support.
- Translating scholarly content offerings developed by top-level research academics into an SMS brand voice that is enticing for a broad audience.
- Designing a membership dashboard in our association management system so you can have all the information you need about SMS members at the click of a button.
- Collaborating with team members to devise data-driven marketing strategies to enhance the impact of their programs and activities.
Key responsibilities of this position
Membership and Marketing:
- Lead the identification, development, and communication of member benefits, leveraging a strong understanding of SMS members and relevant external audiences.
- Plan, implement, and manage the annual Membership Enrollment Campaign including the measurement of recruitment, retention, and member onboarding efforts; track and report on membership data.
- Monitor Membership revenue, regularly reporting on financial performance to senior leadership; contribute revenue projections to the creation of the annual budget.
- Create and oversee the implementation of marketing plans that include email, web, video, events, social networking, and other cross-platform opportunities in collaboration with marketing team members.
- Track and report on marketing performance, creating useful metrics to measure effectiveness and ROI in collaboration with program area managers; develop data-driven strategies to improve engagement and reach.
- Cultivate online engagement programs from key volunteer groups including webinars, online workshops, and other online activities; oversee the execution, performance, and development of this programming .
- Operationalize the adoption efforts for the SMS Online Community, including the support of content development, community management, and volunteer involvement.
- Provide guidance to the elected leadership of SMS’s 12 Interest Groups and 2 Communities as the primary staff liaison and serve as the main point of contact, managing timelines and deliverables related to engagement activities, communications, and governance.
- Serve as the staff liaison to the SMS Board of Directors Membership Committee including organizing and preparing materials for meetings and reports, escalating relevant issues, and developing agendas with senior leadership.
Other:
- Serve as the primary staff liaison for the Practitioner Strategy Committee of the SMS Board of Directors; own the dissemination of relevant Committee updates and lead collaboration with team members on Practitioner Strategy Committee initiatives across program areas.
- Proactively develop processes, procedures, playbooks, instruction manuals, or project plans to support the implementation and/or management of new or existing programs and initiatives.
- Work as part of a team to enhance the effectiveness of programs and services and to support the organizational mission.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- E xcellent organizational, project management, and analytics skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities while simultaneously meeting established deadlines and goals. High attention to detail.
- Strong customer service/member-orientation and well-rounded interpersonal skills.
- Demonstrated experience working with large numbers of diverse volunteers with varying levels of engagement on both long-term and short-term projects.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate and articulate complex ideas in writing and verbally to various audiences.
- Previous experience managing budgets or reporting on revenue performance preferred.
- Experience working with analytics, metrics, and key performance indicators; demonstrated ability to synthesize and analyze membership and marketing data.
- Ability to assess innovative technology platforms and vendors collaboratively with key stakeholders.
- Adept at keyword strategy and SEO best practices.
- Strong technology platform experience, especially with association management platforms and/or Salesforce. Proficiency with popular content management systems, including WordPress, and email marketing platforms, HubSpot preferred.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and additional MS 365 tools (including Microsoft Teams), online meeting software, and online survey and submission management tools.
- Familiarity with managing and developing engagement with popular social media platforms including X, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
- Ability to recognize and manage confidential and potentially sensitive information with discretion.
- Familiarity with careers in academia and higher education is a plus.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree
- 3-4+ years of experience working at a membership association in marketing, membership, or a related program area required.
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally 2-4 times per year.
The SMS is based in downtown Chicago, IL. While we offer flexible work arrangements, the ability to come to the office a minimum of two days per week is currently required. No relocation is provided for this position.
The Strategic Management Society (SMS) offers a competitive salary and benefits plan including employer paid health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, employer sponsored retirement savings plan, FSA, commuter benefits plus a generous time off program. SMS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.