Senior Director, Membership at Institute of Food Technologists – Chicago, Illinois

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is seeking a Senior Director of Membership to provide enterprise-level leadership for IFT’s global membership strategy, operations, and growth. This role is responsible for setting and executing a comprehensive, data-informed approach to member recruitment, retention, engagement, and value delivery across the full member lifecycle. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Senior Director partners closely with executive leadership, the Board of Directors, and cross-functional teams to ensure membership programs, systems, and experiences align with IFT’s strategic priorities and deliver sustainable growth.

This role leads multiple Directors and managers across Membership functions and is accountable for organizational outcomes related to membership growth, revenue, engagement, and experience. The Senior Director models IFT’s core values, builds strong leadership bench strength, and fosters a collaborative, inclusive, and results-oriented culture.

WHO WE ARE:

Since 1939, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has served as the voice of the global food science community. IFT advocates for science, technology, and research to address the world’s greatest food challenges, guiding our community of more than 200,000. IFT convenes professionals from around the world – from producers and product developers to innovators and researchers across food, nutrition, and public health – with a shared mission to help create a global food supply that is sustainable, safe, nutritious, and accessible to all. IFT provides its growing community spanning academia, industry, and government with the resources, connections, and opportunities necessary to stay ahead of a rapidly evolving food system as IFT helps feed the minds that feed the world. For more information, please visit https://www.ift.org.

LEADERSHIP SCOPE:

• Leads and develops a multi-layered Membership leadership team, including multiple Directors and managers across membership growth, engagement, sections/chapters, and operations.

• Accountable for enterprise-wide membership outcomes, including growth, retention, engagement, and revenue performance.

• Serves as a senior leader within the organization, contributing to enterprise planning, cross-functional alignment, and organizational change initiatives.

• Serves as the Executive Director for the Feeding Tomorrow Fund that provides scholarships and builds a student pipeline for Food System talent, as well as the executive sponsor for the Higher Education Review Board (HERB) that assesses and approves undergraduate Food Science programs.

WHAT WE OFFER:

• Pay range between $165,000 to $180,000 per year. (Commensurate with experience and qualifications.)

• Hybrid work environment.

• Flexible schedule with a 40-hour work week.

• Comprehensive benefits package designed to reward and energize our employees, so they can live a balanced life and maintain their well-being. We offer medical, dental, and vision plans at affordable rates. Life and Long-Term Disability insurance is completely free to all employees. Most benefits begin the first of the month following employee’s start date.

• Potential Bonus eligibility.

• Candidates must be in the Chicagoland area (preferred); no relocation benefits offered at this time.

HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT YOUR ROLE IS:

• Establishes and leads the enterprise membership strategy, including recruitment, retention, engagement, and lifecycle management, aligned to IFT’s strategic plan, revenue goals, and long-term sustainability.

• Leads and develops multiple Directors and managers through hiring, onboarding, performance management, coaching, succession planning, and professional development; cultivates a strong and productive employee experience.

• Develops and executes data-informed growth strategies by analyzing membership trends, market and geographic opportunities, pricing and dues structures, and value propositions to increase engagement, retention, and revenue.

• Establishes, monitors, and reports on key performance indicators for recruitment, retention, engagement, operational performance, and financial outcomes; provides clear, actionable insights and recommendations to executive leadership.

• Oversees membership operations, systems, and data management processes to ensure efficient, accurate, member-centric delivery of services, including renewals, activation, and special membership requests.

• Prepares, manages, and monitors membership-related budgets and revenue targets; ensures fiscal accountability, effective resource allocation, and alignment with organizational financial policies.

• Partners cross-functionally with Marketing, Sales, Meetings, IT, Finance, CoDeveloper, Divisions, Science & Policy, Knowledge and Learning Experiences, Journals, and Strategy teams to deliver seamless, integrated member experiences and maximize the value of IFT products, programs, recognition initiatives, and events, including Section events and IFT FIRST.

• Provides strategic leadership for sections/student chapters in partnership with volunteer leaders, ensuring alignment with IFT strategy and providing governance support that enables section and chapter success and consistent delivery of member value.

• Strengthens volunteer leadership systems by ensuring leaders have the tools, training, resources, and best practices needed to drive engagement and growth.

• Leads conversion, engagement, and retention strategies associated with major IFT programs and events, ensuring coordinated execution, strong member experiences, and measurable outcomes.

• Builds brand loyalty and long-term relationships by ensuring high responsiveness to member and stakeholder needs and by continuously improving the end-to-end membership experience.

• Serves as a senior advisor to executive leadership and regularly prepares and presents membership strategy, performance metrics, risks, and opportunities to the IFT Board of Directors and relevant committees.

• Partners with the CEO, COO, CFO, CMO (Chief Marketing Officer), and CSO (Chief Science Officer) to ensure membership priorities align with organizational strategy and Board-approved goals.

WHAT WE REQUIRE:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Communications, or equivalent.

• 7+ years of association management experience, particularly related to data analytics, CRM or membership platforms, performance measurement, and volunteer management.

• Certified Association Executive (CAE) (preferred experience).

• Experience in professional associations or mission-driven organizations (preferred experience).

• Interest in - and experience with - applying AI solutions to member operations, data analytics, and member outreach and engagement.

• Progressive leadership experience in membership, customer engagement, association management, or related fields.

• Demonstrated success leading multi-level teams and complex, cross-functional initiatives at a senior or director level.

• Demonstrated success in achieving growth in members, revenue, and engagement metrics in membership associations.

• Experience partnering with executive leadership and Boards to drive strategy and organizational outcomes, including strong public speaking and presentation skills.

• Strong nonprofit governance background.

• Deep curiosity and ability to problem solve, take swift action, and build systems and processes that accelerate execution of business strategy.

MORE DETAILS YOU’LL WANT TO KNOW:

• Manages up to 6 team members.

• The main office location is 433 West Van Buren Street, Suite 11-G Chicago, IL 60607.

• Interviews will be conducted virtually and/or onsite.

• Occasional domestic travel is expected including the ability to attend occasional evening, weekend, and overnight meetings consistent with IFT leadership roles.

• This position, and all others at IFT, may be modified at any time. To ensure operational efficiency and meet the changing needs of our customers and our Business, other duties may be assigned as needed.

CORE VALUES:

• Community: We believe in the power of community. We collaborate across borders and scientific disciplines with public and private institutions. We are a convener of people and ideas. Teamwork is essential to our success.

• Integrity: We want our scientific and operational integrity to be renowned. We honor and value the variety of perspectives and experiences within our community. We adhere to the highest level of professionalism and professional ethics.

• Passion: We are passionate about the science of food. We are dedicated to expanding knowledge and advancing careers. We commit ourselves to finding solutions to the food challenges facing humanity.

• Progress: We are dedicated to supporting the changing needs of our members and our community. We are committed to continuous improvement and to championing innovation. Learn More

• Respect: We respect the scientific process and our peers. We are guided by the needs and demands of our members. We are committed to clear communication and responsiveness.

• Inclusion: We promise to listen, learn, and invite input from everyone. We will create processes to reach shared agreements and ensure fairness in our community. Our decisions and actions are informed by intentionally challenging assumptions, beliefs, and practices that affect access and opportunity in society and science.

HOW TO APPLY:

If interested, please forward your resume, along with a cover letter (strongly preferred), by visiting our careers page: https://www.ift.org/about-us/our-story/work-at-ift/

The Institute of Food Technologists is an Equal Opportunity Employer.