Position Summary

The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) is the largest national association in Canada representing the legal profession. Reporting to the Executive Director, Shared Services, the Senior Manager, Membership Strategy is responsible for developing, leading, and executing a pan-Canadian membership growth strategy that aligns with the CBA’s vision, mission, and objectives. This role will focus on strategic planning, business development, marketing, and sales to expand the association’s reach, attract new members, and enhance member engagement.

The Senior Manager, Membership Strategy oversees the membership strategy and plan and is focused on member targeting, attraction, acquisition, and retention, membership processing operations, and membership reporting and analytics. The successful candidate must demonstrate a high level of creativity in identifying and developing new ways to attract and retain members, design compelling value propositions, and craft innovative campaigns that will resonate with a diverse membership base.

Location

66 Slater Street, Suite 1200, Ottawa, ON

Languages

Bilingualism required (English and French)

Annual Salary

$95,000 to $110,000 per year

Responsibilities

Membership Strategy, Operational Planning, & Results Delivery

1. Lead the development of a pan-Canadian Membership Strategy that is member driven and member focused, and which considers the unique aspects of member practices, firm types, and demographic characteristics, provincial, territorial, and practitioner differences and commonalities, and especially CBA Branch culture, size, and structure.
2. Develop and oversee an operational plan to implement the CBA Membership Strategy.
3. Measure and monitor impact to be able to adjust where and when needed.

Membership Growth & Business Development

1. Develop and identify underpenetrated markets (e.g., solo practitioners, small/mid-size firms, in-house counsel, government/MUSH sector lawyers) and tailor engagement strategies accordingly.
2. On an ongoing basis, conduct research and analysis to develop market intelligence and use data analytics to assess membership trends, refine outreach efforts, and identify growth opportunities.
3. Jointly with Branch Executive Directors and the CBA CEO, develop and maintain relationships with law firms, bar associations, legal regulators, and other key stakeholders to understand target market needs and increase membership penetration.
4. Collaborate with Branch Executive Directors and leaders, CBA CEO, and membership teams across the country to conduct Pan-Canadian outreach.

Marketing, Sales, & Member Acquisition

1. Design and oversee multi-channel marketing and outreach campaigns in collaboration with the Communications team.
2. Manage acquisition campaigns with third party call centers.
3. Implement targeted digital engagement strategies (Search Engine Optimization (SEO), paid social media, email marketing, webinars, etc.) to reach potential members.
4. Manage and enhance group billing partnerships with law firms and organizations, ensuring long-term retention and expansion.
5. Lead direct sales efforts, including one-on-one outreach to key decision-makers within law firms, corporations, and public sector entities .

Member Experience & Retention

1. Design and implement an onboarding methodology for new members to ensure they maximize their membership benefits.
2. Oversee the design and execution of retention strategies, including early intervention for at-risk members.
3. Manage renewal campaigns with third party call centers.
4. Work with Branches to enhance regional membership engagement efforts and create positive member experiences across Canada with consideration for Branch differences.
5. Utilize surveys, feedback loops, and member Thought Exchanges to understand how to improve the member experience.
6. Leverage data analytics to assess churn rates, identify engagement patterns, and proactively address member concerns.

Team Leadership & Membership Operations

1. Lead and mentor the Shared Services Membership Processing team, ensuring alignment with CBA's strategic priorities and performance metrics.
2. Oversee membership processing systems and data accuracy, ensuring compliance and efficiency in membership operations.
3. Develop an annual budget plan, manage submissions, track spending, and ensure finances are managed as required for membership initiatives.
4. Ensure integration among membership strategies and CBA’s advocacy, professional development, and communications / marketing efforts.
5. Work collaboratively with all members of CBA’s Shared Service organization and all entities in Branches and the national office to deliver membership support to CBA entities.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, communications, or a related field (MBA or equivalent an asset).

Experience

• 8-10 years of leadership experience, including managing teams; planning, managing, and delivering large projects; working with diverse stakeholders; and generally managing complexity and ambiguity in matrixed organizational structures.
• 10+ years of experience in member or client growth, sales, business development, or marketing, preferably within a not-for-profit or association setting.
• Demonstrable expertise and competencies in research and analysis, vision and strategy building, strategic planning, business development and sales, customer / member acquisition and retention, data analytics, and results monitoring, measurement, and reporting.
• Proven ability to design, test, and measure creative approaches to value delivery, member onboarding and retention.
• Experience in account management, direct sales, marketing, and partnerships with professional organizations is a strong asset. Experience working in a federated organization with matrixed reporting and collaboration is a strong asset.
• Knowledge of legal associations, the legal profession, or professional membership organizations is a strong asset.

Skills and Abilities

• 10+ years' experience using Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Email tools, and member / customer / client data and relationship management software. Proven ability to develop and execute member or client growth strategies with measurable success.
• Strong financial acumen and understanding of business planning, revenue generation models, and value and outcomes management.
• Expertise in digital marketing, sales strategies, and CRM/database management (iMIS experience an asset).
• Ability to analyze data and performance metrics to drive decision-making.
• Excellent negotiation and relationship management skills to engage law firms, corporate legal departments, and public sector organizations.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and team development skills with a great attitude and an interest in collaborating and supporting others.
• Strong interpersonal skills to engage with professionals across career stages, including volunteers and industry leaders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both English and French, with the ability to tailor messaging for specific professional audiences, and comfortable advising or presenting to national and branch-level leadership on membership trends, strategic opportunities, and performance metrics.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.

Interested applicants must submit a cover letter and resume.

We sincerely thank all applicants for their interest. However, we will only contact those under consideration. All applicants are encouraged to join the CBA Talent Community which establishes a list that may be considered for similar positions of various tenures.

The CBA is committed to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion in its learning, work environments, and in its operations. We encourage applications from traditionally marginalized groups. We believe in and promote the rights of all persons with disabilities as outlined in the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA 2005) and its related Accessibility Standards Regulations. To meet this obligation, the CBA will make appropriate accommodations available upon request. Please inform the CBA, in advance, of the need for accommodation(s) during the recruitment and selection process to ensure your equal participation. Requests can be made by email to HR (@) cba.org.

No Agency, please.