Senior Manager, Society Relations, AMER

About the team

CFA Societies are central to the history and future of CFA Institute. Locally led by investment professionals, they build strong professional communities, respond to the needs of their markets and bring our shared mission to life. 

The Society Relations team partners with society boards, staff and volunteer leaders to help this diverse network thrive. We are expanding our regional model so that every society has a clear relationship contact, support tailored to its context and stronger connections to CFA Institute resources and expertise. Together, we help societies strengthen their organizations, translate plans into action and create greater value for members and local markets. 

About the role

The Senior Manager, Society Relations is the lead relationship manager and trusted adviser for a portfolio of larger, more complex or professionally staffed societies. You will help boards and executive leaders strengthen governance, business planning, member value and alignment with CFA Institute strategy, and you will help societies move from discussion to execution.

You will work with a high degree of independence, act as a natural point of escalation and expertise within the team and share your judgement with colleagues as the regional model grows. This is a senior individual contributor role.

What you'll do

• Lead relationships for an assigned portfolio of Americas societies, including those with greater scale, complexity or organisational risk.

• Build trusted relationships with boards, executive directors, staff and key volunteer leaders.

• Provide advanced consultation on governance, business planning, organisational effectiveness, strategic growth and membership value.

• Help societies align local priorities with CFA Institute strategy, the Society Operating Model and service standards.

• Review business plans, year-end reports, funding requests and performance data to assess alignment, risk and impact, and build practical improvement plans.

• Escalate significant governance, financial, stakeholder or reputational risks with analysis and recommended next steps.

• Work with societies on project design and funding proposals and track funded initiatives and their impact.

• Act as an expert and point of escalation for colleagues, share effective practices and contribute to onboarding and team processes.

• Partner with Membership, Education, Advocacy, Marketing, Institutional Solutions, Communications and Society Operations to coordinate support.

• Periodically lead consultation and planning engagements for societies outside your portfolio and contribute portfolio insights to regional planning.

• Travel will be approximately 15–20% of the time, including regional and occasional global travel.

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What you'll bring

• A bachelor's degree; an advanced degree is preferred.

• 8-10 years of progressive experience in association management, professional membership organisations, stakeholder relations, partnership management, financial services, nonprofit management or a comparable field.

• Demonstrated experience managing complex stakeholder relationships and advising senior volunteers, boards, executives or member-led organisations.

• Experience consulting on governance, strategy, business planning, organisational effectiveness, member engagement or volunteer leadership.

• Sound judgement on sensitive governance, leadership, financial or reputational issues, shown through real examples.

• The resilience and positivity to turn sceptical stakeholders into supporters.

• Strong strategic and analytical thinking, and the ability to prepare executive-ready recommendations.

• The ability to influence outcomes across functions without direct authority, and to collaborate in a global, matrixed organization.

• Spanish fluency is strongly preferred; a Certified Association Executive designation, governance credential or equivalent association leadership experience is also preferred.

• The CFA Institute Investment Foundations Certificate, or a willingness to complete it after joining, and the ability to travel freely.

Why join us

• Mission and impact: Help society volunteers advance the CFA Institute mission and support the investment profession.

• A distinctive model: Work within a hybrid federated society model that is global in scale and highly aligned.

• Investment in the network: Join at a time of board support for significant investment in strengthening and enabling societies.

• Senior influence: Help shape how the Americas team works and grows as the relationship management model expands.

• Global exposure: Gain exposure to a global team and organisation, with societies that may span the US, Canada, the Caribbean and South America.

• Flexibility and autonomy: Work remote-first, with flexibility around volunteers' schedules and the independence to lead complex relationships.

This position may be based in eligible jurisdictions in the United States.

At CFA Institute, we are committed to transparency and equity in our hiring process. In compliance with wage transparency laws in many of the jurisdictions in which we recruit, we provide the following information regarding compensation for this position: Expected salary range: $110,000 - $120,000 per year. All salary ranges are subject to adjustment based on experience, education, and other factors relevant to the position including location. Additional benefits include eligibility for an annual incentive bonus, a 12% employer contribution to a 401(k) or pension plan, and a comprehensive medical benefits package.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees, including health coverage, generous time off, competitive retirement plans, flexible work options, and wellbeing and development programs. You can learn more on our careers site: Working at CFA Institute | Comprehensive Benefits

About CFA Institute

CFA Institute is the global leader in investment excellence and ethics. With nearly 200,000 charterholders across 160 markets, we promote professional growth, uphold ethical standards, and help advance better financial markets. Join a global organization committed to putting investors first.

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Important Message: Your application must clearly demonstrate how you meet the requirements as CFA Institute cannot make assumptions about your education, experience, or location. We thank all those who apply.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. CFA Institute prohibits both discrimination and harassment with regard to all identifying characteristics: any individual employee, group of employees, or prospective employee on the basis of race, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, religion, creed or belief, age, marital or partnership status, marital or family status, care giver status, pregnancy and maternity, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, physical abilities/qualities, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, predisposing genetic characteristic, military or veteran status, status as a victim or witness of domestic violence or sex offense or stalking, unemployment status, infectious disease carrier status, migrant worker status, educational background, socio-economic status, geographic location and culture or any other basis protected by applicable law. This policy impacts all aspects of employment, including but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, compensation, training, development, promotion, demotion, layoff, recall, furlough, transfer, leave of absence, and dismissal. This is a global policy that applies to all CFA Institute employees, regardless of location.

If, due to a disability or current medical condition, you need an accommodation or assistance to complete a job application, you can request one at any stage of the recruitment process. Please send an email to [email protected] noting the accommodations or assistance you are requesting. Please do not include any medical or health information in this email. We will review your request and contact you to discuss the possible options and arrangements. We will try our best to provide you with an accommodation or assistance that meets your needs and respects your preferences.