Director, Membership Growth & Engagement (Washington DC-Baltimore Area)

Our client is a dynamic, growing trade organization that is looking for a strategic leader to head its membership function with responsibility for the full member lifecycle: prospecting, recruitment, onboarding, engagement, renewal, and member intelligence.

The successful candidate will be a strategic, relationship-driven leader who is comfortable owning ambiguity, translating member feedback into action, and devising and executing processes that drive real impact.

Key Responsibilities

Prospecting and Recruitment Strategy

• Working closely with senior management, define the membership value proposition and service model.

• Apply organization’s member persona framework (by role and by company type) as the primary lens for segmentation, refining it as new patterns emerge.

• Where appropriate for larger members, recommend specific, tailored membership packages instead of a general menu of options.

Onboarding

• Create a 30–90 day onboarding plan for each new member; identify key contacts and connect them with relevant organization staff and programs.

• Route new members to committees, events, and content aligned to their personas and segments from day one.

Account Management

• Maintain relationships with senior decision-makers and day-to-day contacts; conduct periodic account reviews throughout the year so the renewal conversation is not the first time issues or concerns arise.

• For multi-stakeholder accounts, develop and maintain a documented map of all relevant contacts (e.g., C-suite, government affairs, marketing, education, compliance).

Engagement

• Connect members to advocacy, committees, education, events, research, and leadership opportunities.

• Tailor engagement pathways by persona — for example, partner-facing event programming for channel and partner-focused members, and certification or CE-eligible content for compliance and education-focused members.

Renewal

• Monitor renewal risk throughout the year, begin renewal conversations early, resolve concerns, and secure renewals.

• Confirm the budget decision-maker for each account in addition to the primary relationship contact(s).

• For at-risk accounts, convene the appropriate organization stakeholders to ensure the best possible positioning for the renewal conversation.

• For lost accounts, assess winback potential; devise and execute winback strategies

Member Intelligence

• Gather member priorities and concerns, identify emerging needs and concerns, and report themes to leadership.

• Maintain the member persona framework and a running log of cross-account patterns to surface recurring themes.

Member Service

• Respond to inquiries, maintain records, manage rosters, and help members navigate the organization.

• Ensure programming and support are accessible and relevant to the scope and resourcing of members in all segments.

Data and Forecasting

• Maintain the AMS/CRM, track pipeline and engagement activity, forecast renewals, and produce dashboards.

• Structure member and audience data so it can also support sponsorship and event offerings.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Coordinate with Policy, Government Relations, Product, Events, Education, and Sales & Marketing.

• Maintain clean, consistent member handoffs, particularly with Government Relations and Events.

Team Leadership

• Directly oversee the membership team, currently a small staff.

• Define team structure and role responsibilities as the membership function grows.

• Recruit, mentor, and develop team members capable of executing a high-performing membership function.

• Foster a culture of accountability, data discipline, and measurable outcomes.

Role Requirements

Qualifications

• 10-12+ years of experience in membership/association management, B2B account management, or member/customer growth and retention.

• Track record of both new-member acquisition (prospecting, qualifying, closing) and account retention/renewal in a dues- or subscription-based model.

• Experience owning and maintaining a CRM/AMS, with the discipline to keep data current and use it for forecasting and reporting, not just recordkeeping.

• Demonstrated ability to synthesize qualitative member feedback into structured, actionable insights.

• Strong cross-functional collaborator, able to work closely with Policy, Government Relations, Product, Events, Education, and Sales & Marketing without formal authority over any of them.

• Comfortable building process and structure.

• Proven ability to build and lead a small, high-performing team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the payments, financial services, or fintech industry.

• Experience in a trade association, professional society, or other member-based organization.

• Experience building or scaling a membership function, team, or program from an early stage.

Additional Information

• Position is located in Washington DC – Hybrid (in office 3 days/week)
• Our client offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience and excellent benefits.