The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is looking to add a talented Senior Director of Member Engagement to its team.

Summary of Position  

The Senior Director of Member Engagement is responsible for the development and implementation of ADEA membership engagement and retention strategies and the development of affinity strategies for new and existing ADEA stakeholders. This position develops the plan for cultivation of stakeholders, increasing the value of membership.
This position requires a hands-on, customer-focused self-starter who manages key aspects of membership for the Association. The Senior Director is responsible for the marketing and management of membership services, recruitment and retention, renewals, budgeting and overall customer service. The Senior Director must maintain a firm grasp on data with a proven fluency in the use of membership databases to develop dashboards and reports that highlight trends and opportunities. The Senior Director plays a crucial role in the growth of programs, practices and processes that generate and maintain approximately $2.2 million in the Association’s revenue from membership dues. This position serves as the key internal voice for member needs, working across departments to ensure the member perspective is paramount in ADEA’s work.

ADEA has a semi-decentralized approach to membership with other departments partnering in responsibility for the stewardship of key relationships. The Senior Director works closely with each of ADEA’s stakeholder groups including each of the Councils, the ADEAGies Foundation and internal ADEA departments to nurture relationships with specific membership segments and collaborate on growth goals. This position reports to the Senior Chief of Knowledge, Engagement, and Development and supervises one direct report.

Primary Responsibilities
Leadership, Engagement and Retention:

• Develops the strategy and planning for new approaches to engagement of all membership segments including Councils, Sponsors, ADEAGies Foundation stakeholders and others.
• Leads and interacts with multiple team members to coordinate engagement activities that intersect multiple ADEA collaborative areas such as the Office of Communications and Marketing for marketing and promotions, the Office of Meetings, Conferences and Educational Technology (MCET) for meetings and activities, Corporate Relations, etc.
• Plans coordination of donor/sponsor relations between ADEA Corporate Relations and the ADEAGies Foundation activities and events.
• Cultivates affinity for ADEA and communicates membership benefits to various member segments.
• Works with ADEAGies Foundation to create engagement plan for development of constituents and potential donors.
• Supervises the Sr. Manager for Member Engagement and Council of Deans.
• Collaborates with the Sr. Manager for Member Engagement and Council of Deans to maintain membership databases and engagement activities.
• Delegates and manages membership management workflow and engagement tasks to provide seamless interaction and responses to requests for information.
• Strategizes membership structure and related by-laws.
• Develops and coordinates outreach campaigns (including direct mail); website content; manages and motivates member volunteers to participate in various programs; writes and produces promotional materials; develops and directs membership marketing activities; analyzes results and provides recommendations for improvements.
• Provides oversight of all administrative functions associated with the onboarding of new members.
• Provides direction and financial planning for Knowledge, Engagement, and Development activity as it relates to the association’s strategic goals.
• Defines goals and outcomes of strategies for engagement and development.
• Defines and communicates value proposition for various audience segments.
• Generates awareness and recruitment strategy for new members.
• Defines and communicates value proposition for various audience segments.
• Evaluates and improves upon onboarding process including redesign/rethinking
• Evaluates and improves upon onboarding and retention processes.
• Develops new member welcome kits.
• Assesses current information collected in database and works to maximize
• Assesses information collected in database and works to maximize database for better understanding of members and their behaviors.
• Works with marketing/communications staff and other internal stakeholders to develop membership benefits guide, toolkit and other collateral for recruitment.
• Develops and oversees periodic membership survey (in coordination with an outside vendor).
• Develops strategic annual renewal cycles and campaigns assessed and developed by member Develops strategic annual renewal cycles and campaigns assessed and developed by member segment and reflecting ADEA’s strategic priorities and initiatives.
• Initiates satisfaction surveys/focus groups/research by segment (and sub-segment career level, etc.).

Customer Service and Member Relations

• Serves as the voice of the member internally and externally and consistently communicates the member needs across the organization.
• In coordination with Sr. Manager of Member Engagement and Council of Deans, responds to all member queries and requests promptly and effectively.
• Increases value-added benefits of membership to affinity groups.
• Understands membership structure, bylaws and policies.
• Leverages ADEA email marketing tool for member retention, engagement, recruitment, drip campaigns, etc.
• Works with the Office of Information Technology and Web Services on the continual refinement of association management software (Association Anywhere) for improved access to and accuracy of member information.
• Provides oversight of applications, renewals and invoicing of membership dues.

Sample Annual Goals

• Develops member engagement strategy for organization.
• Support ADEA Student Chapters as a pipeline to increase student awareness and consideration of academic careers.
• Increase Allied Dental membership and engagement.
• Improve ADEA membership communication and engagement.

Qualifications

As this position requires close contact and collaboration with Association leaders and members, it requires a person who is highly customer focused, diplomatic, creative, confident, proactive and acutely attentive to details. The successful candidate will possess excellent judgment, exceptional organizational skills and professional discretion. The candidate must be able to manage a workload that can be fast-paced with multiple and competing assignments and deadlines.  

  The ideal candidate will have:  

1. A bachelor’s degree is required in marketing, communications, business or relevant field.   
2. A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in a similar role in an association.   
3. A minimum of five years of supervisory experience.  
4. CAE certification preferred. 
5. Experience in managing and guiding outside vendors on membership initiatives. 
6. Experience in developing and monitoring budgets. 
7. Demonstrated expertise in managing and improving the membership of an association or other membership organization.   
8. The proven ability to lead the development of meaningful goals and metrics, then design and implement plans to meet them.  
9. Dexterity in managing an AMS-type database and running reports. 
10. Ability to work across departments and in an environment where membership responsibilities are not fully centralized.  
11. Ability to work successfully in a diverse team environment and collaborate effectively with others. 
12. Superior customer service skills.  
13. Superior communications skills.   
14. An understanding of non-profit association structure and management.   
15. Knowledge of best practices in membership services and ability to utilize new technologies to assist with membership goals.   
16. Ability to learn new technology as needed. 
17. Ability to travel as needed to member meetings, including overnight and on weekends (approx.3-5 meetings per year). 

The salary range for this position is $126k to $140k. In addition to a rewarding and purposeful mission, ADEA offers you a collaborative team environment with competitive salary and excellent benefits, including health, vision, dental and life insurance, wellness benefits, a 35-hour work week with a hybrid work schedule, generous paid leave and a 403(b) retirement plan with 10% employer contribution. Our office is conveniently located across from the Washington Convention Center, near shopping, restaurants and the Red and Green Line Metro Stations. For more information and to apply online, visit www.adea.org.

Our mission is to develop an inclusive, future-ready oral health workforce prepared to improve the health of all people and communities through leadership, education, and collaboration.

As The Voice of Academic Oral Health, ADEA is the sole national organization representing academic dentistry. Our members include all 80 U.S. and Canadian dental schools, more than 800 allied and advanced dental education programs, more than 55 corporations and approximately 15,000 individuals.

Our activities encompass a wide range of research, advocacy, faculty and leadership development, meetings, news and publications, including the peer-reviewed Journal of Dental Education. We also offer the dental education application services ADEA AADSAS, ADEA PASS, ADEA DHCAS and ADEA CAAPID.

ADEA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Association’s EEO policy prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin or ancestry, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, child birth or related medical conditions, family responsibilities, genetic information, political affiliation, matriculation, veteran status, union affiliation, disability, credit information, status as a victim or family member of a victim of domestic violence, a sexual offense, or stalking, or any other legally- protected characteristic in accordance with federal or local law (the Protected Categories). EEO applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, training and development, promotion, termination, compensation, and benefits.

About American Dental Education Association

Our mission is to develop an inclusive, future-ready oral health workforce prepared to improve the health of all people and communities through leadership, education, and collaboration. As The Voice of Academic Oral Health, ADEA is the sole national organization representing academic dentistry. Our members include all 80 U.S. and Canadian dental schools, more than 800 allied and advanced dental education programs, more than 55 corporations and approximately 15,000 individuals. Our activities encompass a wide range of research, advocacy, faculty and leadership development, meetings, news and publications, including the peer-reviewed Journal of Dental Education. We also offer the dental education application services ADEA AADSAS, ADEA PASS, ADEA DHCAS and ADEA CAAPID.

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