Membership Coordinator

The Membership Coordinator drives proactive, data-driven member retention and community cultivation, owning the complete member journey from initial giving through long-term loyalty. This role, which reports to the Vice President of Development, shifts the organization from reactive donor fulfillment to strategic membership growth, managing the pipeline of loyal, long-term supporters while freeing organizational capacity for specialized work in marketing, audience engagement, and major gifts.

The Membership Coordinator drives proactive, data-driven member retention and community cultivation, owning the complete member journey from initial giving through long-term loyalty. This role, which reports to the Vice President of Development, shifts the organization from reactive donor fulfillment to strategic membership growth, managing the pipeline of loyal, long-term supporters while freeing organizational capacity for specialized work in marketing, audience engagement, and major gifts.

• Develop and execute comprehensive membership strategies optimizing acquisition, retention, growth, engagement, and churn reduction.
• Manage membership tiers, benefits, and fulfillment for retention.
• Design and implement donor incentive programs through testing and learning.
• Track and analyze member lifecycle data to inform strategic decisions.
• Identify opportunities for member upgrades and conversion to major giving.

• Plan and execute seasonal membership campaigns and appeals.
• Develop acquisition and renewal strategies aligned with organizational calendar.
• Create compelling messaging and case statements demonstrating impact.
• Test campaign approaches and optimize based on performance data.
• Coordinate with Marketing and Growth on audience acquisition strategies.

• Define and actively manage member community strategy.
• Oversee engagement, exclusive content, and digital community-building activities.
• Foster strong sense of belonging and connection to mission.
• Plan and coordinate member events (virtual and in-person) deepening engagement.
• Develop superfan and ambassador programs mobilizing most engaged members.

• Use data to inform campaigns, incentives, and retention strategies.
• Conduct predictive analysis identifying at‑risk members and growth opportunities.
• Monitor donor giving patterns and flag upgrade opportunities.
• Benchmark performance against peer organizations.

• Use customer service as donor engagement tool.
• Respond to inquiries and resolve issues ensuring positive giving experience.
• Manage fulfillment of membership benefits and recognition programs.
• Develop automated onboarding and stewardship journeys.
• Gather and act on member feedback.

• Partner with Director of Marketing and Growth on aligned campaigns and acquisition.
• Collaborate with Director of Audience Engagement and Audience Editors to integrate editorial initiatives into membership programming.
• Work with Development Manager on pipeline management and major gift identification.
• Coordinate with local newsroom leadership on community-building initiatives.
• Support Finance team on revenue forecasting and reporting.

• Deep understanding of membership models and donor retention psychology
• Experience with membership tier design and benefit fulfillment
• Knowledge of fundraising best practices and donor cultivation techniques
• Familiarity with direct response marketing and appeals

• Proficiency in analyzing member data and identifying actionable insights
• Ability to track and interpret retention, LTV, and cohort analysis
• Experience with A/B testing and conversion optimization
• Strategic mindset for long‑term pipeline development

• Proven track record executing successful membership campaigns
• Project management skills coordinating multi-channel initiatives
• Ability to develop compelling messaging and case statements
• Experience managing campaign budgets and ROI analysis