Associate Director, Councilors Society, Development

Job Location: Atlantic Council Headquarters – Washington, DC
Employment Type: Full-Time
Seniority Level: Associate
Job Category: Staff

Overview

The Associate Director, Councilors Society will partner with the Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships to develop and execute strategic plans to strengthen and grow the Councilors Society.

This role will help organize, manage, and advance the Councilors Society — an entry-level membership program for individuals seeking access to the Atlantic Council’s insights, networks, and convenings. While the program has existed for many years, it is entering a new phase of growth and modernization under an enhanced strategic vision.

The successful candidate will bring an entrepreneurial mindset, global perspective, intellectual curiosity, and strong communication skills, along with a comfort navigating the complexity of building and scaling a dynamic program. Preferred qualifications include experience in paid membership programs, donor relations, project management, event production, and fundraising, demonstrated through professional and academic work.

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of helping build and grow membership or engagement programs and will be eager to bring bold, creative ideas to better serve existing members while attracting new Councilors Society participants.

 
This position is based in our Washington, DC, headquarters, requiring a minimum of 4 days per week in office. The Atlantic Council offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, education, and organizational equity, with offers from $72,000 to $85,000. Applications submitted by March 6,, 2026, will be prioritized for consideration.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all aspects of the Councilors Society membership program, ensuring strategic growth, strong member engagement, and operational excellence.
• Develop and implement comprehensive fundraising strategies to grow philanthropic support from individual members and prospects.
• Strengthen and evolve the Society’s value proposition by enhancing member offerings and fostering a connected, global community.
• Build and execute annual fundraising plans across the full donor lifecycle: acquisition, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Design and execute innovative quarterly programs and events in partnership with the Council’s engagement team, including speaker coordination, invitations, RSVP tracking, agendas, and post-event stewardship.
• Conduct prospect research and develop targeted strategies to recruit, onboard, and orient new members.
• Support donor stewardship efforts, including introductory calls and strategic alignment of donor interests with Council priorities.
• Track individual membership giving, solicitation stages, deliverables, and performance metrics, including pledge reminders, invoices, and follow-up communications.
• Oversee the individual membership program budget; monitor dues and philanthropic revenue; and report on trends and performance to senior leadership and the CFO.
• Research, recommend, and implement policies and initiatives to ensure membership revenue and engagement goals are met.
• Support periodic reviews of membership dues structures and benefits to ensure competitiveness and value.
• Cultivate and target individuals for maturing up the pipeline to become more large scale donors to the Atlantic Council – including the Board.
• Maintain data integrity by updating constituent records, supporting database maintenance, and assisting with data clean-up initiatives.
• Perform additional duties as assigned in support of program growth and organizational priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in relevant subject matter.
• 3-4 years in a membership fundraising and events management environment, or comparable experience.
• Experience planning and executing in person, hybrid, and virtual events.
• Experience with a CRM, Salesforce strongly preferred.
• Experience working with an email marketing system and with mass e-mail membership appeals preferred.
• Demonstrated initiative and ability to work well with a team in a dynamic environment and ability to work independently and proactively.
• Proactive, self-starter that understands the importance of creating positive, working relationships with colleagues and external constituents.
• Highly organized, with ability to work in a fast-paced environment and on multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining a high-level attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills.
• Advanced computer skills using MS Office products, including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and SharePoint, and ability to quickly learn new software and platforms.
• Must be available to work evenings and weekends as required.
• Commitment to the Atlantic Council mission and interest in international affairs.

To produce quality work and to successfully achieve our mission, we recognize the need for our staff to maintain a healthy lifestyle and a work/life balance. Our comprehensive benefits package helps to keep costs low for our staff and their families. Benefits include, but are not limited to comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance, paid time off, 403(b) plan, FSA options, pet insurance, Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility, and wellness benefits.