VBSR Membership & Development Manager
Position: Permanent, Full-Time, Salaried, Exempt; Reports to Executive Director
Locations: Remote plus regular in-person business in Burlington, VT
Salary: $65,000 – $75,000, commensurate with experience
Benefits: Health and dental insurance; SIMPLE retirement plan contribution; Flexible schedule and hybrid work; Reimbursement for remote work expenses; Strong organizational culture supporting work-life balance
VBSR is a statewide, nonprofit business association with an enduring mission to leverage the power of business for positive social and environmental impact. Our diverse membership represents all sectors and geographic regions of Vermont – from sole proprietors to the largest employers in the state – all working toward a just, thriving, and transformative economy that works for all people and the planet.
For more than 30 years, VBSR has recognized that what is good for people, communities, and the environment is also good for business. From our beginnings as a small group of progressive businesses to today’s network of thousands, VBSR members have continued to prove themselves leaders, innovators, and influencers, with impact reaching far beyond the workplace: our members have shaped the Vermont brand, advanced leading-edge policy, and fueled the social responsibility movement.
The Membership & Development Manager is responsible for developing and implementing a strategic approach to VBSR membership and fundraising. This includes recruitment and retention of VBSR members and soliciting sponsorships and donations to support VBSR programs and services.
The Membership & Development Manager ensures the value of VBSR membership by 1) building relationships directly with members to identify what is important to members and where there are opportunities for member engagement and 2) collaborating with VBSR’s programming, policy, and communications staff to deliver high-quality, relevant opportunities for member engagement.
This position is also responsible for managing VBSR’s development activities and Development Committee and works closely with the Executive Director on strategic partnerships, fundraising strategy, donor prospecting, and stewarding a culture of philanthropy within VBSR.
Primary Responsibilities
Membership:
- Actively develop and implement a strategic approach to new member recruitment and existing member retention.
- Maintain a list of prospective members and actively recruit them.
- Actively reach out to existing members, engaging them in VBSR activities, programs, and services and connecting them with both internal and external resources.
- Work with the Communications Manager to assist with development of materials and communications to support membership recruitment and retention.
- Work with the Communications Manager on communications strategies to highlight member stories and thought leadership.
- Work with the Education & Events Manager to recommend programming that adds value to the membership and stewards VBSR’s mission.
- Evaluate the experience and value of VBSR membership, including annual survey of members to gather feedback and invite ideas for improvement.
- ‘Coordinate, implement, and evaluate membership benefits and services.
- Work with the Outreach & Communications Coordinator to manage the member database and ensure that it is both accurate and meeting the needs of the organization.
Development:
- Work with the Executive Director to develop and coordinate strategic partnerships that expand both organizational capacity and impact in priority areas of growth.
- Secure corporate sponsorships for VBSR signature events (Annual Conference, Awards Ceremony, Legislative Breakfast) and networking events.
- Work with the Communications Manager to assist with development of materials and communications to support fundraising goals.
- Work with the Executive Director to research and identify potential donors and assist in implementing strategies for donor cultivation and stewardship.
- Oversee planning, operations, and reporting for Expanding Our Movement Fund, including Silent Auction, Annual Fundraiser, and Annual Appeal.
- Manage VBSR’s Development Committee.
- Work with programming and policy staff to identify opportunities for grant and donation support. Support programming and policy staff with grant and donor solicitation.
- Work with the Finance Manager to manage the donor database and ensure that it is both accurate and meeting the needs of the organization.
- Work with Executive Director to steward a culture of philanthropy within VBSR.
Required Qualifications:
- Passionate belief in the power of business to be a force for good
- Confident and self-motivated with tenacious drive to meet revenue goals
- Proven track record of revenue generation through sales and/or fundraising
- Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, including active listening
- Ability to easily connect with people across a variety of backgrounds and perspectives
- Adept at building relationships in-person and virtually, including the occasional cold call
- A high degree of comfort in networking, including making new connections
- Ability to work well independently as well as in a team environment
Also Desirable:
- A strong network of personal and professional contacts in Vermont
- Familiarity with the Vermont business community
- Familiarity with membership-based organizations
- Interest in innovative solutions to social, environmental, and economic issues
Physical Requirements:
- VBSR does not keep a physical office. We provide a 20-hour/week membership to Hula, a state-of-the-art co-working and business accelerator campus in Burlington, VT.
- Duties will primarily be performed remotely and at in-person in locations in Vermont. Some additional travel may be required.
- VBSR provides standard office equipment (including a computer, and, if needed, printer) and supplies as well as reimbursement for remote work expenses (phone and internet).
- Evening work may occasionally be required in order to attend events.
- This position requires working with a computer and phone for long periods of time.
How to Apply:
Please send your resume and cover letter – attention “Search Committee” – as pdf documents to search@vbsr.org. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt through Monday, April 10th. Questions may be directed to search@vbsr.org.
Those who identify as women and non-binary, Black, Indigenous and People of Color, First- or Second-Generation American, individuals with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, veterans, justice-involved, or other historically marginalized and underrepresented identities are strongly encouraged to apply. A college degree is not required to be successful in this position.
Our Commitment to Equity
In 2021 VBSR made a formal commitment to center equity within our organization and consulted with Claire Wheeler from REWORK to draft a Strategic Plan that embodies this principle, including our vision for centering equity:
“VBSR has a strong culture that welcomes, includes, and empowers identities historically underrepresented in our organization. Operationally, equity is a primary lens through which we design, implement, and evaluate our work: governance, operations, branding, programming, and policy. Our philosophy and practice of centering equity inspires and influences all VBSR stakeholders. Our internal transformation creates the necessary conditions for VBSR and our partners to contribute to the shared goal of expanded economic opportunity for all, including the redistribution of power, wealth, and access.”
We see delivering on this commitment as an unending journey. We have challenged our community to lean into discomfort, hold ourselves accountable, and support each other in new ways as we learn/unlearn. As one of VBSR’s core values, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are a part of each conversation of VBSR’s board, staff, and committees, and inform each decision we make.
VBSR Public Policy
Concurrent with creating this foundation of culture, policies, and practices internally within VBSR, we have been providing our membership with opportunities to engage in education and training focused on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI); and actively working to influence both the public narrative and Vermont legislation. In our policy work we have partnered with the Social Equity Caucus, Vermont Partnership for Fairness and Diversity, and Vermont Professionals of Color. In our educational programming we have partnered with numerous Vermont leaders and leading organizations to deliver content that aims to shift power dynamics in workplaces, create people-centered workplaces grounded in JEDI; address the inherit relationship between capitalism and racism, and support new ways of thinking. This work endeavors to shape not only policies for our state and our workplaces, but also the perceptions of individuals and communities through public dialogue around race, gender, class, ability, and identity.