The Association for association professionals in Chicagoland

About Us:  

Grounded Solutions Network is a national affordable housing focused nonprofit dedicated to shaping communities to be equitable, inclusive and filled with opportunity for all. Where we live matters. Housing determines what opportunities we have and how our kids grow up. Everyone should be able to live in a place that offers opportunity: access to jobs, parks, public transit, quality schools and stable homes. Strong and inclusive communities provide the foundation that people and families need to thrive, both in the present and for future generations. 

As a national membership organization, we support nonprofit and government practitioners, community resident leaders, advocates, elected officials, and other housing professionals with the tools, resources and knowledge they need for success. We promote the creation and preservation of quality housing that remains affordable for generations. Our work specifically targets creating and expanding housing with lasting affordability, using a racial equity lens. 

Grounded Solutions Network is committed to fostering an organizational culture rooted in critical thinking and consciousness about race and class. We seek candidates who are dedicated to achieving racial equity as both a process and outcome. We are committed to building a staff team that is as racially and culturally diverse as the communities that we serve. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. 

About the Position: 

The Senior Specialist – Membership and Events is a key member of the Membership & Network Development team, responsible for coordinating and executing the organization’s membership experience, training programs, and events. This role supports member engagement and retention, contributes to the adoption of learning and membership platforms, and helps ensure a high-quality, seamless experience across all member touchpoints. 

The Senior Specialist plays an important role in strengthening and scaling Grounded Solutions Network’s membership infrastructure to better serve our network and the broader affordable housing ecosystem. They coordinate trainings, webinars, conferences, and member meetings, while supporting marketing efforts, platform engagement, and content delivery through the Resource Library and digital channels. 

This position requires a highly organized, detail-oriented professional who can manage complex logistics, coordinate across teams, and contribute to improving systems and processes. Success in this role requires the ability to manage multiple priorities, maintain strong attention to detail, and follow through on tasks independently. The ideal candidate brings sound judgment, initiative, and the ability to work effectively with internal stakeholders and external vendors. 

Key Responsibilities  

Under general supervision and with support from teammates:  

Events, Trainings & Member Meetings (35%) 

• Coordinate and execute trainings, webinars, conferences, and member meetings, including scheduling, registration, and participant communications 

• Manage end-to-end logistics for in-person events, including vendor coordination, run-of-show execution, and on-site support 

• Provide high-quality participant and speaker support, including resolving registration, payment, and technical issues 

• Collaborate with Marketing & Communications to support event promotion and participation 

• With support from colleagues, coordinate with internal and external subject matter experts and speakers from planning through post-event follow-up 

• Support budget tracking and vendor coordination for events and conference activities 

• Implement sponsorship deliverables and visibility within events and trainings 

• Track event and training data and summarize evaluation results to support ongoing program improvement 

Learning & Member Platform Experience (30%) 

• Administer and maintain multiple membership and learning platforms that Grounded Solutions has recently implemented (e.g., YourMembership, PathLMS, Sengii), including user management, troubleshooting, and data quality 

• Support efforts to increase platform adoption and engagement among members 

• Track and report on platform engagement metrics (e.g., logins, resource usage, event registration behavior) 

• With Senior Principal, coordinate the organization, publishing, and maintenance of the Resource Library 

• Improve resource organization and accessibility through tagging, categorization, and promotion 

• Support alignment between platform structure and the organization’s membership and learning offerings 

Membership Engagement & Marketing (25%) 

• Support day-to-day member experience by providing responsive, high-quality service and addressing member and participant inquiries 

• Track member engagement and retention indicators (e.g., renewals, participation, platform usage) and share insights with the team 

• Execute marketing campaigns to support membership engagement, event participation, and member acquisition 

• Update and maintain website content to clearly communicate membership benefits and offerings 

• Track and report on campaign and engagement performance (e.g., inquiries, registrations, conversions) 

• Coordinate cross-functional workflows with Tech/Ops, Communications, and Finance to support a seamless member experience 

• Support promotion of member and stakeholder achievements to reinforce the value of membership 

Strategic & Administrative Support (10%) 

• Participate in department work planning, including contributing to the training calendar and program priorities 

• Support board election processes, member meetings, and related administrative activities 

• Contribute to efforts to incorporate racial equity into training content and program infrastructure 

Qualifications for Entry into this Position  

Grounded Solutions believes that our team should reflect, respect, and understand the diversity of backgrounds, identities, and experiences of the communities that we serve. We strongly encourage people of color, people of all gender identities, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ candidates to apply. Not sure if you meet the qualifications below? That is okay; if you are truly excited by this position, we encourage you to apply anyway! Studies have shown that men apply for jobs when they only meet 60% of the qualifications, but women only apply if they meet 100% of them.  

• Commitment to racial equity and advancing racial justice through housing 

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in roles requiring strong project coordination, organization, and execution, including 2+ years supporting or managing trainings, events, or programs for diverse audiences 

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple, concurrent projects with competing deadlines, using sound judgment to prioritize tasks and adjust as needed 

• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to anticipate challenges and implement practical solutions 

• Strong customer service skills with a service-oriented mindset, and the ability to effectively interact with diverse groups of people across all levels. Possesses a genuine enthusiasm for delivering excellent customer experiences. 

• Experience using feedback, data, or evaluation results to improve programs, processes, or user experience 

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and with external partners 

• Strong technical experience working across multiple technologies and systems; experience with tools such as AMS and CRM platforms (e.g., YourMembership, Salesforce), LMS platforms, Zoom, project management tools (e.g., Asana), and content management systems (e.g., WordPress) preferred 

• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage logistics while maintaining a focus on overall goals and user experience 

Travel required 

Approximately 2-4 trips per year of domestic out-of-state, as needed, to attend conferences, regional convenings, and company meetings. 

Location 

This is a hybrid role based out of our Washington, DC office. We are also open to remote candidates located anywhere in the contiguous United States, provided they have reliable access to a major airport. Currently, the organization is employing a mix of 100% remote and hybrid office policies. All staff are expected to demonstrate the ability to work remotely while maintaining high levels of efficiency and productivity and communicating effectively with their direct supervisor and colleagues. 

About Grounded Solutions Network

Grounded Solutions Network supports strong communities from the ground up. We work nationally, connecting local experts with the networks, knowledge, and support they need. We help promote housing solutions that will stay affordable for generations.

Connections working at Grounded Solutions Network