Smithbucklin is an employee-owned professional services company with over 600 team members and more than 75 years of success serving the association market.  We are looking for a Head of Association Performance & Operations to join our Chicago or Washington, D.C. office. The Head of Association Performance & Operations is responsible for implementing standard operating procedures, assessing association health, identifying areas for improvement, and leading projects to drive growth and innovation across our association management client base.    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. This role might be a great fit if…  You are an association guru You believe that associations are a key enabler in today’s business world  You are data-driven and performance-focused You live for finding better and faster ways to do things You thrive on driving growth and improvement You enjoy having a wide array of working relationships  In this role, you can expect to…  The Head of Association Performance & Operations is responsible for: (1) Implementing tools, templates, and standard operating procedures for association management, (2) Running Smithbucklin’s Association Excellence Program (AXP), a client satisfaction, self-assessment, and benchmarking tool for association management clients, and (3) Providing proactive and reactive support for special projects on association management clients.  The Head of Association Performance & Operations has one direct report, who is a shared support resource.   Implementing Tools, Templates, & SOPs Lead the development of tools, templates, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the association management unit.   Ongoing owner and curator of SOPs, including implementation, training, and adoption.   Create new, update, refine, and improve SOPs and tools as needed.   Assess adoption as part of overall client health, support implementation where needed, and analyze ROI of efficiencies.   Association Excellence Program Lead all aspects of Smithbucklin’s proprietary Association Excellence Program, including: Annual review cycle for 70+ association management clients Health scan type approach to identify areas of success and improvement Meet with internal teams and external clients to review and discuss results Educate Smithbucklin team members and external clients on the process Recommend specific action plans to improve results Develop and evolve the AXP model, including updating benchmarks, refining evaluative framework, and optimizing question strategy.   Oversee ongoing development and continuous improvement of underlying survey and reporting technologies Stay apprised of and incorporate latest trends in association performance management Aggregate and analyze AXP and external data to understand trends in Smithbucklin’s client base Client Support Work directly with internal client teams to develop plans for: Areas for growth & development, to maximize potential Problem areas, to shore up underperformance and mitigate risk Coach Smithbucklin client leaders on how to address issues and capitalize on opportunities Work on new business pitches and client retention efforts Identify special projects that will drive better performance Analyze data, develop data sources and visualizations that create insights Be a catalyst for growth, change, and innovation  Required Experience  10+ years of experience in the association industry 5+ years of experience in a senior leadership role Experience in different types of associations: trade, professional, healthcare, chapters, SIGs, etc.  Desired Experience  Active Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation Experience in the professional services industry Consulting experience for association industry Experience as a Business Analyst  More About Smithbucklin  Our hybrid environment offers you the option of working from home two days per week. All team members come to the office on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and have the flexibility to work elsewhere on Wednesday and Friday. The salary for this role will be based on the candidate’s skills, qualifications, and relevant experience. The expected pay for this role is $160,000 - $215,000.  Employment is contingent upon successful completion of reference and background investigation based on position.   Smithbucklin will not sponsor applicants for work visas and as a precondition of employment, you must be authorized to work in the United States without limitation.    Equal Employment Opportunity  At Smithbucklin, Equal Employment Opportunity is our commitment and goal. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, or any other protected status designated by federal, state or local law. Applicants are encouraged to confidentially self-identify when applying. Smithbucklin will not sponsor applicants for work visas and as a precondition of employment, you must be authorized to work in the United States permanently.