Manager, Member Recruitment and Retention

The American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) is the leading national association that advances the democratic purposes of higher education by promoting equity, innovation, and excellence in liberal education. Its members are committed to extending the advantages of liberal education to all students, regardless of academic specialization or intended career. Founded in 1915, AAC&U member institutions include accredited public and private colleges, community colleges, research universities, and comprehensive universities of every type and size.

AAC&U seeks a mission-driven, relationship-focused, and analytically minded Manager, Member Recruitment and Retention to strengthen the membership experience and advance long-term institutional and individual member retention. This full-time position supports the development and implementation of engagement, recruitment, and renewal strategies that deepen member value and cultivate active participation across AAC&U programs, services, and initiatives. The Manger, Member Recruitment and Retention reports to the Senior Director for Membership and Engagement and works across the association.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• In partnership with the Senior Director for Membership and Engagement, execute membership engagement strategies, including recruitment, onboarding, renewal, and re-engagement campaigns for both institutional, affiliate, and individual members.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with members through proactive outreach, personalized engagement, and responsive support to enhance satisfaction and long-term retention.
• Identify at-risk members through data analysis and implement targeted retention interventions and outreach efforts.
• Partner with the Senior Director for Membership to develop and distribute a membership newsletter that includes tailored content for members, donors, and funders.
• Collaborate with Communications to refine messaging, digital outreach, promotional materials, and segmented campaigns that highlight member benefits, success stories, and opportunities for engagement.
• Coordinate quarterly webinars and develop recognition programs designed to elevate member value and foster ongoing engagement.
• Support the roll-out and ongoing management of the AAC&U Advantage Marketplace.
• Liaise with AAC&U program leadership to support member engagement at meetings, institutes, and events, ensuring meaningful and consistent member experiences.
• Analyze membership data, engagement activity, and communications metrics to generate insights that inform strategy development and retention planning.
• Contribute to annual reports, dashboards, and board materials documenting membership outcomes, trends, and performance indicators.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred.
• Three to five years of experience in membership engagement, customer relations, marketing, or nonprofit program management, preferably in a higher education association or membership-based organization.
• Familiarity with CRM systems (Salesforce, Nimble, etc.); experience managing member or customer data strongly preferred.
• Proficiency with Excel and Microsoft Office.
• Demonstrated success designing and executing engagement campaigns and managing member-facing communications.
• Strong analytical skills with experience interpreting member engagement data, CRM reports, or marketing metrics.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to create compelling messaging for diverse audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with external partners.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.

Please submit a resume, cover letter describing relevant work and educational experience, and salary requirements to AAC&U, Box OMEA, 1818 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009, or to careers@aacu.org. Review of applications will begin on January 19, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.

AAC&U’s headquarters is in Washington, DC. Preferable, hybrid position.

AAC&U believes that a broadly diverse staff is critical to achieving excellence as a national higher education association. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. We are fully committed to equal employment opportunity and compliance with the full range of fair employment practices and nondiscrimination laws.

AAC&U has exceptional benefits.