Director of Strategic Initiatives

ABOUT US

Headquartered in Lexington, KY, Associations International (AI) is an award-winning, client-focused association management company serving both domestic and international associations. We partner with volunteer leaders to build extraordinary communities and bring our clients’ missions to life. 

ABOUT THE ROLE 

Associations International is seeking a strategic leader to serve as Director of Strategic Initiatives for the International Spa Association (ISPA). This role will serve as a key leader, responsible for advancing cross-functional priorities that strengthen ISPA’s member experience, operational effectiveness and organizational impact. This position leads strategic initiatives across educational content and curriculum development, technology systems and partner coordination, survey strategy and select conference-related functions. The role partners closely with executive leadership to identify opportunities, improve processes, guide implementation and ensure important initiatives are executed thoughtfully and effectively. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker who can connect big-picture goals to practical action, build strong relationships and lead complex projects across multiple areas of the organization.

FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist ISPA executive leadership with the implementation of strategic and operational initiatives and help foster an efficient, collaborative team environment.
• Lead cross-functional strategic initiatives that support ISPA’s goals, ensuring priorities, timelines, communication and deliverables remain on track.
• Oversee the development, organization and continuous improvement of ISPA educational content, curriculum, and related learning resources.
• Partner with internal stakeholders, subject matter experts and external contributors to identify educational needs and develop programming that is relevant, practical and aligned with organizational priorities.
• Help oversee database-focused and technology-related initiatives, including Salesforce, JotForms, Fonteva and related systems.
• Identify inefficiencies, updates and enhancement opportunities related to ISPA’s systems and processes and help guide solutions that keep ISPA’s CRM structure relevant, efficient and user-friendly.
• Oversee ISPA CRM data practices by collaborating with team and partners to ensure strong data integrity measures are in place.
• Serve as the lead for identifying survey priorities and topics and directing the development of survey instruments, including the monthly member Snapshot Survey, member satisfaction surveys, event feedback surveys and nonmember surveys, using findings to inform strategic planning, improve member experience and evaluate program effectiveness.
• Oversee the speaker selection process for the annual ISPA Conference. Manage the topic lineup for the sessions to ensure member needs are being met.
• Oversee the ISPA Innovate and ISPA Expo Awards application and judging processes. 
• Provide leadership for corporate headquarters meetings and related stakeholder experiences held in conjunction with the annual ISPA Conference.
• Serve as the lead for ISPA budget development and tracking for assigned areas, collaborating with team members to keep timelines on track and budget decisions thoughtfully evaluated throughout the year.
• Provide information for ISPA Board materials related to applicable areas of responsibility.

•  An undergraduate degree
• At least five years of experience in strategic project management, operations, education/program development, technology coordination, association management or a related field
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives and managing multiple priorities simultaneously
• Strong written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Qualifications Desired

• Experience working with a membership-based organization, trade association or nonprofit organization
• Experience developing educational content, curriculum or professional development programming
• Experience overseeing CRM, database or business systems projects, including Salesforce or similar platforms
• Experience managing third-party technology vendors and contracted resources
• Experience supporting conference operations, registration planning or related event functions
• Experience with survey development, data collection and insight-driven planning

Additional Information

• Work Flexibility: Hybrid or in-office work settings available. 
• Work Environment: Associations International has been recognized as a Best Place to Work in Kentucky since 2012. 
• Compensation: Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. 
• Impact: This role supports an organization focused on advancing the spa industry. 

Associations International is an equal opportunity employer. If you require assistance with the application process, please contact HR at 859-226-4221.