The director, membership, will be responsible for leading the organization’s member engagement, retention and recruitment, with a constant focus on member satisfaction. This role is critical because the strength and engagement of our membership is the foundation of all the Council’s work and because membership dues are the main source of support for the Council’s efforts.

The ideal candidate will be strategic, organized and service-oriented, possessing strong interpersonal skills and an approachable demeanor. This candidate will also demonstrate the ability to build and sustain relationships with members and communicate in a highly effective manner. Experience working in the field of employee benefits is a plus. For context, the Council’s long-time membership executive is retiring this coming fall and will work with the new director, membership, to ensure a smooth transition.

While the director, membership, has primary responsibility for membership management and does not manage, or have, any other colleagues in the membership department, this individual will work closely alongside the Council’s leadership, communications, accounting and meeting planning colleagues. In this role, the director will also maintain frequent member contact both by electronic and in-person means.

The new director would be joining the close-knit team of Council staff, many of whom have been with the Council for decades. We are an intellectually curious group; we care deeply about our members and about each other. We are very proud of the work we do, which enables our member companies to provide valuable health, retirement and paid leave benefits to millions of American families. We are a small staff, with twelve employees total – working hard each day to serve our many member companies. 

Responsibilities

• Take primary responsibility for engagement with current members, including organizing and executing regular outreach, across all forms of communication.
• Develop and execute strategies for retention of at-risk members.
• Develop and execute strategies for acquisition of new members.
• Identify and implement policies and strategies that enhance member engagement.
• Establish success metrics with regard to membership satisfaction, retention and recruitment and develop methods to track those metrics.
• Advise the Council’s leadership and Executive Board of Directors on critical issues related to membership as required.
• Take primary responsibility for onboarding new member companies and benefits professionals employed by those companies and create and implement a plan to ensure key contacts with individuals at all member companies, taking into account turnover rates.
• Ensure the membership database is up to date, always including a primary point of contact for each Council member company.
• Schedule, organize and attend 15 roundtable meetings in cities throughout the country, facilitating in-person connections with member companies and venues for members to provide input to the policy staff on policy priorities, as well as to recruit prospective Council members.
• Work with colleagues to monitor trends in the benefits sphere to develop strategies for member growth.
• Analyze membership strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
• Help plan and attend various in-person meetings and symposia with member companies, including coordinating with others on the Council team and those in other organizations.
• Participate in and help support the organization of three meetings each year of the Council’s Policy Board of Directors, supporting all aspects of membership engagement and growth as part of those meetings.
• Write and edit materials to convey the value of Council membership.
• Help publicize and amplify policy efforts and wins by the Council, through communications, social media and otherwise.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 7+ years’ experience in member or client relations, experience in non-profit fundraising and development is a plus.
• A very strong member service ethic.
• Previous work experience in a membership organization, trade association, professional services, government affairs, or a communications agency is preferred; with experience in the field of employee benefits as a plus.
• Enjoys a fast-paced work environment; ability to manage an array of requests and needs from many members at the same time; and a full commitment to responsiveness.
• A friendly and approachable demeanor and someone who genuinely likes engaging with others with strong interpersonal skills.
• Strong presentation and persuasion skills and confidence when conversing with senior executives at major companies in a business development capacity.
• Strong writing and communications skills.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, as the role requires management of and communication with hundreds of individuals.
• Ability to plan and organize in-person events to support engagement.
• Confident using client management databases and CRM-based software and a demonstrated strong data-driven approach to track membership status, track progress on membership efforts, identify trends and increase engagement.

Other Considerations

• Preference for this individual to be located in Washington, D.C., with hybrid schedule and liberal telework policy.
• Travel required approximately eight times per year within the U.S.; most trips range about 2-3 days in length; seasonal frequency varies and you would have some control over scheduling; primary focus of this travel is to visit with member and prospective companies in approximately 15 cities across the country for half-day meetings and to one board meeting per year outside of Washington, D.C.

Salary and Benefits

• The salary range for this position is $110,000 to $125,000, with the possibility of additional amounts through a merit-based bonus.
• Health and dental insurance coverage for employees and their families, subsidized by the Council.
• A 401(k) retirement plan with an automatic 5% employer contribution.
• Long-term disability insurance and life insurance.
• Initially for new employees four weeks of paid time off (PTO) and two weeks of sick leave annually are provided.
• Most Federal holidays are paid time off (New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas). The office is also closed the day after Thanksgiving and the week between Christmas and New Years Day.
• Flexibility with regard to telework.

Application Procedure

The application deadline for this role is June 20, 2025. Persons interested in this position should submit a cover letter, resume and references to resume@abcstaff.org. 

The American Benefits Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment based on an individual's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic as defined by federal, state, and local law. Reference checks are conducted on all prospective new hires.

About American Benefits Council

The American Benefits Council is a Washington D.C.-based employee benefits public policy organization that for nearly 60 years has advocated for employers that sponsor health and retirement benefit programs for their employees. The Council works closely with Congress, the White House, executive branch agencies and the courts to support the provision of valuable health and retirement benefits to millions of American workers and their families. The Council is committed to both general public policy advocacy as well as specialized assistance to member companies. The Council has approximately 430 member companies, chiefly large, multi-state employers who sponsor health, retirement and paid leave programs. The membership also includes service providers to those companies and other industry trade associations who support employee benefits. Through those organizations, approximately 7,500 individuals participate in Council activities and receive membership benefits.

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