Membership Coordinator

The Adler Planetarium connects people to the universe and each other. Whether introducing a guest to the Ring Nebula, a neighborhood school to a community partner, a research team to a network of citizen scientists, or one staff member to another, the Adler's focus on meaningful connections dates back nearly a century. Today, the museum typically hosts close to 400,000 visitors annually and reaches millions more through youth STEAM programs, neighborhood skywatching events, online citizen science, and other outreach efforts. With the Adler's support, people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities gain the confidence to learn more about science and space discovery, and to explore their universe together under the sky we all share.

About the role

The Adler Planetarium is seeking a Membership Coordinator to join our dynamic team on Chicago's Museum Campus. The Membership Coordinator plays a central role in launching and managing the Adler Planetarium's membership program, ensuring a seamless and engaging experience for members while supporting the institution's broader fundraising and audience development goals. This position is responsible for the day-to-day administration of membership operations, serving as the primary point of contact for member inquiries, and maintaining the integrity and strategic use of membership data within the organization's CRM (Salesforce). Reporting to the Manager of Development Operations, the Coordinator will help drive member acquisition, retention, renewal, and engagement efforts. This role is ideal for a detail-oriented, systems-savvy, and service-oriented professional who understands membership as both a revenue stream and a pipeline to deeper philanthropic engagement.

The Membership Coordinator position is an externally facing role, with responsibility for generating membership revenue to achieve program goals, actively engaging with members and donors, and providing a superior level of stewardship to ensure a best-in-class membership experience. This is a union position with the Adler Planetarium Workers United, AFSCME Council 31.

Responsibilities

• Membership Program Administration (30%)
  • In partnership with the Manager of Development Operations and Vice President of Advancement, develop membership acquisition, retention, and revenue goals and design strategies to achieve and exceed them.
  • Manage day-to-day membership program operations, including processing new memberships, renewals, upgrades, and payments.
  • Oversee the autorenewal program, including communications, cancellations, customer support, and reacquisitions.
  • Generate and distribute member communications including welcome materials, renewal notices, acknowledgments, and receipts.
  • Maintain and document membership policies, procedures, and benefits to ensure consistency and clarity.
  • Monitor membership fulfillment and coordinate internally to ensure timely and accurate delivery of benefits.
• Member Experience & Customer Service (30%)
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for all membership-related inquiries, delivering responsive, professional, and friendly service.
  • Troubleshoot member issues, ensuring a high-quality experience aligned with Adler's mission and brand.
  • Develop and implement high-quality member programs, in collaboration with other key stakeholders.
  • Partner across teams to plan and execute member and donor engagement opportunities, including events and on-site activations as needed.
  • Coordinate with colleagues across the organization to ensure that membership offerings leverage and build on offerings and experiences delivered throughout the Adler.
• Renewal, Retention & Campaign Management (15%)
  • Plan and execute membership renewal and re-engagement strategies, including email, direct mail, and other targeted outreach to meet and exceed membership revenue goals.
  • Design and implement reports from Salesforce and/or Ticketure.
  • Implement and report on digital and direct mail tests.
  • Collaborate with Development and Marketing teams on membership campaigns and promotions.
  • Identify opportunities to improve retention rates and overall member engagement.
• Cross-Department Collaboration and Engagement/Program Development (10%)
  • Ensure relevant staff members from Guest Services, Public Programs, and other teams are properly trained on membership benefits and processes as needed.
  • Work closely with Marketing, Guest Services, and Programs to align membership benefits and messaging.
  • Design and lead integration of membership into public programs, exhibitions, and institutional initiatives.
  • Assist with special projects related to the growth and evolution of the membership program.
• Prospect Identification & Development Support (5%)
  • Analyze membership data to identify high-potential prospects for deeper philanthropic engagement.
  • Support donor pipeline development by ensuring accurate tracking of member-to-donor conversion activity.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree or at least five years of professional work experience.
• One to three years of experience in membership, development, nonprofit administration, or customer service roles.
• One to three years working with CRM systems (Salesforce preferred) and strong data management skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree majoring in Nonprofit Administration, Museum Studies, Communications, and/or Marketing.
• At least two years of experience in membership, development, nonprofit administration, or customer service roles.
• At least two years working with CRM systems (Salesforce preferred) and strong data management skills.
• Interest in museums, science, or informal education is a plus.
• Experience with membership or subscription-based programs.
• Familiarity with donor pipelines and prospect identification.
• Demonstrated experience with data analysis and reporting tools.
• Experience collaborating across teams in a dynamic organization.
• Experience with data entry and reporting with Salesforce or other CRM systems.

Schedule

The typical work schedule for this position is 35 hours per week, from 9 AM to 5 PM, with a telecommuting option—up to 2 days a week telecommuting and a minimum of 3 days on-site at the museum. Additional evening and weekend availability required for member and donor events, meetings, and programs.

Pay

Base Pay: $29.13/hr

Benefits

• Work-Life Balance
  • 35-hour workweek.
  • Eligible to accrue up to 12 vacation days per year to start.
  • 3 sick days as of date of hire (can accrue up to 6.5 days per year).
  • 7 Adler paid holidays.
  • 4 Personal Holidays (Prorated for new hires starting after January 1st).
  • Flexible Work Arrangements.
  • Paid Family Bereavement Leave & Jury Duty.
  • Paid Parental Leave.
• Competitive Health Coverage
  • Medical, Dental, & Vision insurance.
  • Healthcare, Dependent Care & Commuter flexible spending accounts.
  • Adler Paid Short-Term Disability insurance.
• Retirement Savings Plan
  • 403B plan with Adler match.
  • Adler match is 100% vested immediately.
  • Eligible to enroll as of the date of hire.
• Network of Support
  • Resources through our EAP programs to help address emotional, legal, and financial issues.
  • Face-to-face, telephonic, and web-based services.
  • Free subscription to the Calm Premium app.
  • Employee Loan Program.
• Additional Perks
  • Discounted On-site parking program.
  • Free entrance to Chicago area museums and cultural institutions.