Director for Membership and Events

The Commercial Club of Chicago Overview

The Commercial Club of Chicago is a membership organization of senior leaders in the region. Our members span the business, education, civic, cultural, and philanthropic sectors – unified by excitement for the future of Chicago. We believe cooperation and an open exchange of ideas are fundamental to success.

Throughout our history, the Commercial Club of Chicago and our affiliated organizations have played a leading role in shaping the Chicago region. We have helped tackle the most pressing issues facing Chicago and have been instrumental in some of the City’s most visionary efforts.

Today, the Commercial Club continues to address social and economic issues of importance to the Chicago region.

The Civic Committee Overview

The Civic Committee, a committee of the Commercial Club composed of the leaders of our region’s leading private sector employers, works with public officials, and other civic organizations on game-changing initiatives to promote our region’s social and economic well-being. We are committed to making our region a better place for everyone to live, work, and do business. Through our key focus areas and the work of our affiliated organizations, we address the most pressing issues facing the Chicago region. These projects change over time and currently include efforts on business diversity, education, state finance, technology, transportation and infrastructure, and veteran employment.

We also work alongside, and fund, the organizations established by us to tackle key issues head-on including Civic Consulting Alliance, Kids First Chicago, and P33.

Terms of Employment

This is a full-time, exempt position with benefits, reporting to the Executive Vice President. The person in this position will also work in close collaboration with other Civic Committee staff as needed. There is an initial training and probationary period of three months.

Commercial Club and Civic Committee Membership

The Commercial Club of Chicago has approximately four hundred individual members and the Civic Committee has ninety institutional members that are represented by CEOs and senior leadership of the largest private sector employers in the region. Each year, the Commercial Club and Civic Committee bring on new members while also cultivating existing membership engagement. At the present time, members participate in monthly luncheons, quarterly meetings and special task forces created to address issues facing the city, region, and state. As we are working to bring in the next generation of leaders at both organizations and expand membership at the Civic Committee, the organization is looking to implement a strategic recruitment, on-boarding process, and enhancement of member experience. The goal is to deepen our relationships with members, improve their experience with the organization, and leverage their insights and commitment to making Chicago the best big city in which to live, work, and do business.

Position Summary

The Director for Membership and Events is responsible for the development of program ideas, management, and effective oversight of the Commercial Club’s operations including programs and events, and committees. In addition, this role will manage the membership process for both the Commercial Club and the Civic Committee. The person in this role must possess the sophistication, communication, and interpersonal relationship skills necessary to make things happen through the power of influence and persuasion. They must also be skilled at problem-solving and strategizing with internal and external partners. Analytical aptitude and experience are also necessary for sector analysis to develop and evaluate strategies and tactics for reaching diverse constituencies.

The successful candidate will be a creative, highly intelligent, and self-confident leader with a proven track-record of success in a collaborative and entrepreneurial environment. The ideal candidate will have experience in a membership organization or nonprofit social and economic policy organization. The Director’s personal characteristics will include proven leadership skills; a focused and pragmatic, but open management style; superior written and oral communication skills; and experience planning and producing high quality events.

Essential Functions

Membership Engagement

• Develop and execute on a new strategy, with participation of senior leadership and the Membership Committee, to recruit, onboard, and engage new members of both the Commercial Club and Civic Committee to participate in meetings, task forces, and committees as well as other opportunities for member engagement.
• Develop and manage process and preparation of materials and tracking for recruiting, onboarding, and engaging new members in the Commercial Club and Civic Committee.
• Conduct new member onboarding including orientation, distribution of welcome packages and initial invoices, and setting up the new member in Salesforce.
• Foster a positive, ongoing relationship with members and ensure a long-term relationship is forged by maintaining contact and proactively educating members on outcomes and results of the Civic Committee’s efforts.
• Collaborate with individuals working on development regarding opportunities for members to get involved in Civic Committee programs and initiatives.

Program Development

• In collaboration with colleagues and the Program Committee of the Commercial Club, conceptualize ideas for a minimum of 10 Commercial Club events each year as part of the increased membership engagement efforts, determine potential new avenues for participation. Periodically review and suggest strategic changes to the program development structure of the Program Committee to ensure members remain engaged and that topics, speakers, and activities are sufficiently attractive to draw member attendance.
• Oversee the development of program plans, outreach to speakers, engagement, and briefing materials for Club leadership and speakers.
• Partner with the senior leadership team to create an intentional and integrated communications strategy that includes collaboration on message creation, member communications, and membership engagement strategies.

Event Planning and Execution

• Oversee the events team to ensure seamless execution of events and programs, maintaining the highest standards of quality and professionalism.
• Direct the procurement of all necessary outside resources for the execution and support of the organization’s membership events and committees including purchases with outside print and mail shop suppliers, e.g., database providers, caterers, and audio and visual providers. The procurement process includes reviewing contracts for venues, speakers, and entertainers.
• Develop and manage process and materials for Commercial Club and Civic Committee meetings including Club lunches and Program, Membership, and other committee meetings on Super Day.
• Lead programs including Commercial Club luncheon meetings, Family Dinner, and other special Club meetings.

Team Management

• Supervise and provide leadership to the Membership, Events, and Salesforce Coordinator, ensuring efficient coordination of, and execution of events, membership engagement and management, and cultivation of resources for programmatic and policy work.

Relationship Management

• Foster and maintain strong relationships with Commercial Club and Civic Committee members and other key stakeholders with whom the organization works.
• Identify a target retention rate, design, and implement growth and retention strategies with existing members and opportunities to recruit new members.
• Develop and manage relationships with Committee chairs and members. Committees include Executive, Membership, Nominating and Program. These responsibilities are undertaken along with the assistance of the Membership, Events, and Salesforce Coordinator and other staff.

Operations

• Oversee the billing operations of the Commercial Club and Civic Committee.
• Refine and enhance the Salesforce to generate reports, support member stewardship efforts, and create more transparency for fundraising.
• Ensure up-to-date accuracy of member data in Salesforce and work closely with Accounting regarding the billing operations of Commercial Club and Civic Committee dues and the timeliness of invoices for membership dues.
• Develop annual budget and manage expenses to perform within budget.

Education and Experience Requirements

• B.A. required and M.A. preferred in nonprofit or business management, social and economic policy, or other fields that align with our policy and programmatic agenda.
• Five+ years of experience leading diverse teams responsible for event management.
• Tangible experience of having expanded and cultivated existing member relationships over time is preferred.

Working Environment

We offer opportunities for employees to work in a combination of in-person and remote work (“hybrid” option).

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Club and its affiliated organizations are equal opportunity employers and do not unlawfully discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on the basis of any legally protected characteristic, whether actual or perceived, including, including, but not limited to, an individual’s race, religion, color, creed, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or other legally protected status. This policy applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, compensation, promotion, discipline, and termination.

Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago