Membership Officer

Purpose

The Membership Officer directs the membership activities of the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS). Their primary responsibilities are to recruit new members, retain existing members, and help achieve the financial goals of the OHS. They develop programs, campaigns, and initiatives, plan member events, and implement outreach strategies to increase member involvement and level of support.

Functions

• Assist the Executive Director (ED), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and the Director of Communications and Development in establishing annual membership goals, department budget and calendar.
• Provide analysis of existing programming and membership materials as well as membership retention rates and opportunities for improvement.
• Develop a strategic plan for the retention of existing members and recruitment of new members, including improving membership benefits and the regular solicitation of member feedback.
• Evaluate the success of membership programs, campaigns, and materials throughout the year and make necessary adjustments to meet goals.
• Conduct targeted membership appeals and programming to develop higher renewal rates, increase levels of giving, and to grow and diversify the general member roster.
• Regularly update primary membership materials, appeal letters, invoices, brochures, etc. to encourage a high response rate.
• Assist in creating and updating membership marketing materials, materials for upcoming events, fact sheets, surveys, and annual reports.
• Initiate internal communications, including developing newsletter content, social media content, emails,
  
  

event announcements, awareness of member benefits, etc.

• Manage the execution of the History Symposium, Annual Meeting of the Membership, and special membership programming to cultivate relationships and the OHS image.
• Serve on internal agency committees, such as the Oklahoma Heritage Preservation Grant Staff Review Committee, the History OffCenter Committee, and Strategic Initiatives Committees.
• Provide membership data for quarterly board reports, CFO reports, publication lists, and donor recognition lists.
• Assist the OHS Nominating Committee and division director in planning the OHS board election.
• Responsible for the oversight and management of Raiser’s Edge (RE) member and donor database, including staff training, RE customer service communications, and quarterly database cleaning.
• Supervise the processing, accuracy, privacy, and data collection of digital and paper membership records, including proper archival and disposal methods.
• Seek and manage co-membership programs such as the Smithsonian Affiliate Membership program, making sure that OHS members are aware of these programs and are receiving associated benefits such as the Smithsonian Magazine.
• Manage all aspects of the Membership Office including the supervision of staff members. This includes the tracking of memberships and associated benefits, the timely mailing of renewals, invoices, and membership acknowledgements, and promptly responding to membership inquiries.
• Remain competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, and attending professional development opportunities.
  
  

Skills And Knowledge

Solid understanding of basic fundraising principles. Strong organizational skills and ability to follow through on projects. Excellent project management skills and the ability to think strategically. Superior verbal and written communication skills and ability to confidently interact with a wide variety of individuals. Able to maintain confidentiality. Ability to work on a team and with other divisions to achieve a common goal. Strong computer skills with proficiency in Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams.

Education And Experience

Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Business, Philanthropy, Finance, English, or related field. Minimum four years’ experience in fundraising, development, or managing complex projects, including at least one year in a supervisory capacity and one year in database management. This can include a combination of any of the following: giving campaigns, event planning, and membership programs.