Membership Operations & Education Associate

Smithbucklin, a 650-person, employee-owned professional services company with more than 70 years of success serving the association market, with primary offices in Chicago and Washington, D.C., is looking for an Operations & Education Associate to join our Association Management team in our Chicago office.

The Operations & Education Associate plays an integral role in supporting the operations, education, membership, and financial activities of two international healthcare associations. This role serves as a key point of contact for members and volunteers while providing operational and project support across membership services, educational programming, financial administration, and meetings.

At Smithbucklin, we embody a culture driven by optimism, ambition, expertise, and thoughtfulness, where every team member is empowered to exceed expectations and deliver exceptional results for our clients. Join us in shaping the future of association management, where our values serve as the cornerstone of our success.

What You Will Do

• Provide administrative and project support for membership, operations, education, and volunteer engagement initiatives.
• Build and sustain strong relationships with members and volunteers by providing exceptional customer service and timely support.
• Manage member and volunteer inquiries through shared inboxes and other communication channels.
• Manage webinars and other virtual educational programs, including speaker communications, logistics, and post-program reporting.

• Support planning and execution of conferences, meetings, and educational events, including registration, speaker and data management, and on-site logistics.

• Maintain membership databases, reports, dashboards, and surveys to support organizational decision making.
• Process membership transactions, registrations, invoices, and other financial activities while maintaining accurate records.
• Assist with accounts payable and accounts receivable activities, including payment tracking and reconciliations.
• Assist with marketing communications, website updates, and educational promotions as needed.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and contribute to operational efficiencies across the team.

This Role Might Be for You If...

• You enjoy providing outstanding customer service and building positive relationships.
• You are highly organized and comfortable balancing multiple priorities simultaneously.
• You have exceptional attention to detail and enjoy working with data and operational processes.
• You communicate timely and professionally with both internal and external stakeholders.
• You are comfortable learning new technology platforms and business systems.
• You enjoy both independent work and collaborating across multiple teams.
• You thrive in a fast-paced environment where priorities evolve throughout the year.
• You think critically and enjoy identifying opportunities for improvement to processes or programs that benefit members. 

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree.
• 0–2 years of relevant professional experience in customer service, operations, administration, nonprofit, association management, or event support.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational, project management, and time management skills.
• Ability to travel approximately 5% of the time. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in an association management, nonprofit, or professional services environment.
• Experience with membership databases or CRM systems.
• Experience supporting webinars, meetings, conferences, or educational programming.
• Experience with financial processes such as invoicing, accounts payable, accounts receivable, or budgeting.
• Experience working with volunteers or member-driven organizations.