Editorial Director Jobs in Park Ridge, IL (NOW HIRING)

The Association Forum has a unique and exciting opportunity for an experienced and innovative expert to shape and lead our Marketing and Membership efforts! The newly defined Director, Marketing and Membership is the strategic owner of narrative, segmentation, calendars, standards, and governance. This role exists to do three things extremely well:

1. Tell a clear, compelling story of how Association Forum’s resources and tools empower individuals to fuel associations and lead into the future.
2. Build and maintain a marketing + member engagement ecosystem that blends operating systems and engagement data into repeatable, revenue-supporting campaigns and initiatives.
3. Protect brand trust through strong corporate communications and a durable publications system (BOLD Times and related resources), executed with a small team and a volunteer editorial workforce.

This position will develop and drive one narrative with many touchpoints; focus on membership growth and retention; develop and engage through an ecosystem of communication tools and touchpoints that speak to multiple audiences and their needs; innovate marketing resources and tools that drive members and the broader association community to action; and ensure communications are clean, concise, and reach the market quickly.

Own and evolve the AF Brand narrative into a usable message map by audience segment (CEO, leaders, emerging, specialists, and supporting members/partners). Translate strategy into campaign-ready messaging: headlines, value propositions, proof points, and calls-to-action that are recognizable and repeatable. Maintain and enforce brand voice and visual standards across channels.

Own Association Forum’s corporate communications posture and execution standards (press releases, official announcements, and priority organizational messages). Coordinate approvals and inputs with the CEO and relevant leaders; ensure messaging accuracy and brand alignment. Maintain a reusable press release workflow and template set to reduce cycle time and rework. Membership and Partnership Engagement.

Own the publication operating model and standards for BOLD Times (structure, voice, segmentation rhythm, and conversion CTAs). Lead and enable the Publications Working Group as an Editorial Council: topic scouting, voice sourcing, and quarterly editorial planning (not production). Maintain editorial integrity for recurring series (e.g., FIRE Signals) and ensure sponsor-related placements protect member trust.

Own digital brand presence across web/email/social/digital publications and keep voice/visual identity consistent. Set a 12‑month social strategy aligned to the FY27 campaign calendar and publication rhythm (BOLD Times). Maintain reusable templates to reduce rework (aligned to Template Library + backbone logic). Direct paid/targeted digital activation via external support where used (your outsourcing strategy explicitly includes paid ads + targeting + reporting).

Design a system that turns major organizational resources (e.g., Annual Report) into repeatable engagement assets that feed the newsletter and member actions. Set standards for how resources are packaged, surfaced, and measured across email, web, and community touchpoints. Use engagement insights to refine what content/resources are emphasized and how audiences are prompted to act.

Own the campaign calendar + backbone calendar; enforce lane designations and the two-campaign cap. Maintain the Template Library and “Gold Standard” assets (email + social + landing page scaffolds) to reduce rework and accelerate throughput. Blend operating systems and engagement data into a single operating view (workflow tracking, email performance, CRM/AMS insights, community signals, web analytics) to drive decisions. Establish QA checklists and reporting logic (tagging, naming conventions, testing discipline) so results are reliable.

Own membership acquisition and retention strategy (with segmented journeys for priority audiences). Lead and enable the Membership Engagement Committee and set direction and strategy for membership engagement tools (MyForum communities, SIGs, meet‑ups like Forum After Dark and membership housecalls). Partner with frontline support and the Manager to close feedback loops and improve onboarding/renewal experiences. Use data to identify conversion drop‑offs and optimize journeys.

Create messaging frameworks and proof assets that support partner/advertising products (in coordination with VP, Business Operations and sales resources). Protect editorial integrity and audience fit while enabling revenue through clear packaging and measurable value. Coordinate marketing support for priority revenue platforms and de‑emphasize low‑return work.

Support the work of the Public Policy Advisory Committee (PPAC).

Lead and develop the Manager, Marketing & Membership and Frontline Customer Service Coordinator; set definitions of done and handoffs; delegate execution fully. Ensure SIG management and Membership Engagement Committee operations are executed through standardized processes owned by the Manager (with specialist coordination support). Direct vendors through briefs and standards; hold them accountable to deliverables; prevent internal shadow work.

• 7–10+ years leading marketing/communications and engagement strategy (association or mission‑driven org preferred).
• Demonstrated ability to build repeatable marketing operating systems (calendars, templates, workflows, QA, analytics).
• Strong executive‑level writing and storytelling; can translate complex value into clear, compelling language.
• Data fluency: comfortable working across email platform, CRM/AMS, web analytics, and community insights; uses data to drive decisions.
• Experience working with volunteers as a structured contributor base (e.g., editorial council, committee leadership).
• Demonstrated ability to incorporate AI tools into daily workflows to improve throughput and quality control.

The salary range for this position is $130,000 to $140,000 annually.

Association Forum offers a hybrid work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We realize the key to creating a company with a world‑class culture and employee experience comes from who we hire, as well as creating and maintaining a workplace that celebrates everyone.

We proudly consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, sex, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, or any other legally protected category.