Membership Manager - Industrial Designers Society of America

Warren Whitney • Herndon, VA

24d • $80,000 - $85,000 • Remote

About The Position

The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), founded in 1965, is one of the oldest and largest professional organizations for industrial designers. IDSA is a national professional society for industrial designers who create and develop concepts and specifications that optimize the function, value and appearance of products and systems for the mutual benefit of the user and manufacturer. The Membership Manager plays a key role in supporting the growth, engagement, and overall experience members have at the local level by ensuring robust leadership and support to IDSA's volunteer leaders. This position is the staff liaison to our Professional, Women in Design, and Student Chapters and Sections, Committees and Councils. The ideal candidate is a proactive communicator, tech-savvy, and passionate about member experience and community building. This is a fully remote position, reporting to the Director of Member Services and Engagement. This position can expect limited travel for IDSA events, industry events, as well as staff gatherings throughout the year. The Manager is a highly organized, detail-oriented individual with impeccable written and verbal communication skills, and thrives in fast-paced, high-performance environments. Further, they accomplish short and long-term objectives through meticulous strategic and tactical planning and hands-on execution, ensuring their approach is based upon extensive knowledge of best practices in the association, design, and technology professions. Interested candidates should submit their resume outlining their qualifications and experience with a cover letter.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in nonprofit management, communications, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in membership management, chapter relations, or association operations.
• Demonstrated expertise with AMS platforms (e.g., Fonteva, MemberClicks, YourMembership, or similar).
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a remote environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and SharePoint; familiarity with CRM systems and project management tools.
• Ambitious about career progression and welcomes expanding responsibilities and scopes of work.
• Highly organized and detail oriented.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Proactive, responsive, and solutions-oriented mindset.
• Passionate about excellence and continuous improvement.
• Ability to quickly adapt to changing priorities and manage competing demands effectively.
• Not easily overwhelmed by large scopes of responsibility and expanding portfolios of work.
• Able to maintain composure under pressure.

Nice To Haves

• Certified Association Executive (CAE)

Responsibilities

• As liaison to IDSA's volunteer leaders, execute a membership strategy that delivers a consistent and elevated experience to leaders of IDSA's components (chapters, sections, committees, and councils) throughout the entire volunteer lifecycle in the areas of customer service, training, guidance and administrative support.
• Empower members and chapter leaders through the creation of clear FAQs, guides, and resource materials that streamline processes and reduce support requests.
• Maintain impactful processes that offer clarity, articulate purpose, and empower volunteers to achieve greatness within their communities and/or areas of support for the organization (e.g., defined orientation and onboarding process, staff vs. volunteer roles and responsibilities, feedback mechanisms, standardized templates, branding guidelines).
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date leadership information by managing chapter rosters and leadership lists, ensuring data integrity to support effective communication and governance.
• Increase member engagement and leadership capacity through the design and execution of IDSA strategic initiatives that foster active participation and leadership development across chapters.
• Ensure chapter readiness and compliance by leading onboarding and training programs that align with organizational standards and promote operational excellence.
• Drive continuous improvement by facilitating regular communication and virtual meetings with chapter leaders, capturing feedback to inform organizational enhancements, and sharing best practices.
• Strengthen volunteer leadership pipeline by managing the annual election process for incoming Committee Chair-Elect positions, ensuring transparency and engagement.
• Expand member involvement and expertise through the successful execution of the Annual Open Call for Volunteers, driving participation in key governance and program areas.
• Increase member value and visibility through collaboration with marketing and communications teams to effectively promote benefits and highlight chapter activities, resulting in stronger member participation.
• Ensure fiscal accountability and operational efficiency by managing chapter finances, overseeing invoicing processes, and coordinating timely vendor payments to support smooth chapter operations.
• Serve as a primary AMS user for the Member Services and Engagement Department managing chapter and member records, and reporting functions.
• Improve data integrity and user confidence by ensuring accuracy, resolving system issues quickly, and equipping staff and chapter leaders with training and support that enhances operational efficiency.
• Ensure the department is viewed by internal stakeholders, and externally by members and volunteer leaders as a trusted, go-to resource.
• Enhance member satisfaction and responsiveness by delivering timely, professional support for inquiries via email and phone, ensuring positive member experiences.
• Improve accessibility and accuracy of information by maintaining and updating membership-related content on the website and member portal to keep resources current and relevant.

Benefits

• Excellent health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Employer paid life insurance, AD&D, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance.
• Generous paid vacation and sick time policy.
• IDSA recognizes 8 standard holidays and 4 flexible holidays per year.
• 401(k) and Roth 401(k) accounts.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager