Assistant Director, Community Engagement

American Chemical Society•Washington, DC

4d•$145,000 - $155,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Assistant Director oversees the Community Engagement team, including strategic planning, budget development, staff leadership, and performance management. Working collaboratively across Membership & Strategic Engagement, Marketing, Education, Meetings, Local Sections, Divisions, and other ACS business units, this role drives initiatives that advance ACS strategic goals and strengthen member loyalty and lifetime value. This position reports directly to the Vice President, Membership & Strategic Engagement and is based in our Washington, D.C. office.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Association Management, Chemistry, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.
Minimum 10 years of experience in community engagement, customer success, association management, or related fields, including leadership experience.
Demonstrated success driving measurable growth in member/customer engagement, retention, renewals, or acquisition.
Experience leading teams, managing budgets, and implementing strategic initiatives.
Strong understanding of customer lifecycle management, engagement strategy, and customer/member retention principles.
Experience using CRM platforms, engagement analytics tools, and reporting systems.
Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.
Ability to build consensus and influence across a matrixed organization.
Strong data analysis skills with ability to derive insights from engagement metrics.
Experience with conversion tracking, funnel analysis, and membership attribution models.
Knowledge of A/B testing methodologies for optimizing member conversion experiences.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in professional societies, associations or subscription-based businesses.
Knowledge of volunteer engagement and governance-driven organizations.
Experience developing customer/member loyalty programs and engagement strategies.
Familiarity with community platforms, digital engagement tools, and audience segmentation methodologies.
Understanding of scientific or technical professional communities.

Responsibilities

Create and maintain vibrant communities that foster collaboration, peer-to-peer learning, professional networking, and career growth.
Develop engagement journeys that connect the community with relevant ACS benefits, programs, and opportunities.
Advance inclusive community practices that encourage participation from diverse member segments.
Build programs that strengthen community connections and create clear pathways for ongoing engagement with ACS.
Design scalable engagement models aligned with the needs of students, early-career professionals, mid-career members, and retired chemists.
Develop initiatives that expand the value proposition of ACS membership and deepen member loyalty.
Develop and execute engagement strategies that increase membership acquisition, retention, renewal, and member satisfaction.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators related to community growth, engagement, retention, volunteer participation, and member satisfaction.
Utilize member behavior data and community analytics to optimize engagement strategies and improve outcomes.
Develop dashboards and reporting frameworks that demonstrate program impact and return on investment.
Conduct audience segmentation and engagement analysis to identify growth opportunities and inform strategic decision-making.
Evaluate emerging trends and recommend innovative approaches to increase member value and community participation.
Develop strategies that support members through key career and life transitions.
Design targeted engagement and retention programs that reduce churn and increase renewal rates.
Partner with Membership, Marketing, and Product teams to develop recruitment, onboarding, and re-engagement strategies.
Identify and implement interventions for at-risk and disengaged members.
Develop programs that convert community participants, event attendees, students, and prospects into active members.
Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing community engagement team.
Manage departmental budget, operational planning, and resource allocation.
Collaborate across ACS business units to align community engagement strategies with organizational priorities.
Serve as a subject matter expert on community engagement and building, volunteer engagement, and retention strategies.
Represent ACS with volunteer leaders, strategic partners, and external stakeholders.