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California Academy of Sciences

Sr. Manager Membership

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About the California Academy of Sciences

The California Academy of Sciences is a globally renowned scientific and cultural institution located in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Home to a world-class planetarium, aquarium, research center, and natural history museum—all under one living roof—our mission is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.

Our extensive collections span plants, animals, fossils, and cultural artifacts from across the globe and throughout history. We are a diverse team of leading biodiversity scientists, educators, storytellers, designers, and communicators who work collaboratively to advance knowledge and inspire action through science and storytelling.

When you join the California Academy of Sciences, you become part of a mission-driven community that values curiosity, collaboration, and innovation. Whether you're working behind the scenes in research or engaging the public on the museum floor, your work will help connect people to the natural world and empower them to protect it.

About the Opportunity

The Sr. Manager Membership is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing all aspects of the Academy's membership program to drive growth, retention, and engagement. Reporting to the Director of Guest Engagement, this role develops the membership strategy and oversees the day-to-day operations of the membership program, including renewal campaigns, new member acquisition efforts, member communications and events, and benefits development and fulfillment, ensuring an exceptional experience for all Academy members. This role will directly supervise the Membership Engagement team.

Organizational Culture
Join a team dedicated to the Academy’s mission, vision and values! Currently, the Academy has a new strategic plan including three initiatives – Hope for Reefs, Thriving California, and Islands 2030 – that leverage biodiversity science, environmental learning, and collaborative engagement to regenerate fragile ecosystems around the world. Learn more at https://www.calacademy.org/about-us/major-initiatives.

We hope you are inspired by what we do and are excited to contribute to our mission. The mission of the California Academy of Sciences is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work, and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every qualification for the position.

This position is based in San Francisco, California. The specific onsite/hybrid schedule for this position is listed below.

Key Responsibilities

  • Strategy and Planning:
    • Develop and execute comprehensive annual and long-term membership strategies and revenue plans to meet revenue and growth goals
    • P&L responsibility for the $10M membership program
    • Work with Marketing to develop and execute membership marketing strategies, including multi-channel campaigns for new member acquisitions, renewals, and lapsed memberships
    • Develop new and engaging content for membership events and campaigns
  • Operations Management:
    • Oversee the daily administration of the membership database, processing of new memberships and renewals, and managing benefits delivery
    • Work with the Applications team to ensure accurate data management
    • Manage the Membership staff, including hiring, training, and performance management, to ensure a high level of membership engagement and retention
  • Acquisition and Retention:
    • Design and implement multi-channel campaigns for both new member acquisition and member renewals
    • Develop a membership pricing strategy for new and existing membership levels
    • Research and develop new membership partnerships and sales channels
  • Member Services:
    • Train and work with Contact Center and Front of House Sales staff to help resolve member issues and increase membership sales
    • Develop and manage membership perks and benefits

  • Events & Communications:
    • Develop compelling and consistent member communications
    • Develop member events, including exclusive content, in collaboration with marketing, communications, exhibits, research, and other Academy departments.
  • Financial Reporting:
    • Track, analyze, and report on membership trends, campaign performance, and financial metrics to inform decision-making.
    • Participate in and share membership-related results at monthly financial and attendance meetings
  • Budget Management:
    • Develop and manage the membership operating budget, optimizing expenses while maximizing program impact and revenue.
    • Develop an annual membership revenue budget using detailed reports and market trends
  • Collaboration:
    • Work cross-functionally with Advancement, events, and education teams to integrate membership benefits and develop member engagement opportunities
    • Work closely with the Advancement team to create a pathway from membership to becoming a donor
    • Work with the Sales and Guest Engagement teams to increase membership sales

Qualifications: A successful candidate will have the following:

  • Education: Bachelor's degree required, preferably in business administration, marketing, non-profit management, or a related field

  • Experience/Qualifications
    • Minimum of 5 years of experience managing a membership or loyalty program
    • Proven track record of increasing membership revenue and retention rates
    • Experience managing and mentoring a small team
    • Ability to work evenings and weekends

  • Skills:
    • Strong proficiency with CRM software and membership database systems
    • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to tailor messages to diverse audiences
    • Strong analytical skills with an ability to interpret data and make data-driven decisions
    • High level of organizational and project management skills

Physical Environment:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Compensation and Benefits:
The salary range for this position is $80,000.00- $100,000.00. Actual compensation will be commensurate with the final candidate's qualifications and experience, including skills, knowledge, relevant education, certifications and aligned with the internal peer group. We believe in fair and equitable compensation practices and are committed to providing competitive salaries within the industry and market standards. The Academy offers a total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and comprehensive benefits based on the hours per week worked. Further details regarding compensation and benefits will be discussed during the interview process.

Schedule: Full-Time, Hybrid (3 days onsite, 2 days remote), 40 hours per week

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit a resume and application through our Careers Page portal.

The California Academy of Sciences will give full consideration for employment to all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance (SF Police Code, Article 49).