ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW: For nearly 75 years, Olbrich Botanical Gardens has enriched lives and inspired people to live in harmony with the natural world. Located on Madison’s east side, Olbrich features a 10,000-square-foot tropical conservatory and 16 acres of stunning outdoor gardens, welcoming nearly 400,000 visitors annually, including more than 8,500 member households. The outdoor gardens include 10 unique specialty gardens and received the 2022 American Horticultural Society Environmental Award. Indoors, the tropical Bolz Conservatory exhibits an extraordinary collection of exotic plants and orchids complemented by colorful birds and koi. Olbrich is committed to a culture of sustainability and education so that everyone - including future generations - can experience and learn about the fascinating world of plants and gardens.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens is operated through a public/private partnership between the City of Madison and the Olbrich Botanical Society (OBS), the non-profit organization that raises over $4.7 million each year to support the daily operation of the Gardens. Together both entities manage a combined operating budget of $7 million and an additional yearly capital improvement budget. OBS helps lead capital campaigns, including its most recent campaign (2020) that raised $6 million to build new greenhouses and the Frautschi Family Learning Center.
INCLUSION COMMITMENT: In pursuit of our mission to enrich lives and inspire harmony with the natural world, Olbrich Botanical Gardens is committed to creating an inclusive environment where every guest, volunteer, and staff member is valued and feels they belong. With mindful intent and dedication to continuous learning, we will work to remove barriers to inclusion through education, organizational improvements, and collaborative partnerships with our diverse community. Together, we celebrate the importance of plants and foster a sustainable, connected world.
The Organization has reviewed this position description to ensure that essential functions and basic duties have been included. It is intended to provide guidelines for job expectations and the employee's ability to perform the position described. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills and abilities. Please note other duties and responsibilities may be assigned or removed at any time. This document does not represent a contract of employment, and the Organization reserves the right to change this position description and/or assign tasks for the employee to perform, as the Organization may deem appropriate. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
PURPOSE OF POSITION: The Membership Manager leads the strategy, execution, and growth of Olbrich Botanical Society's membership program, a critical component of the organization's fundraising and engagement efforts. The Membership Manager is responsible for acquiring, retaining, and upgrading members; increasing membership revenue; fostering meaningful member experiences; and creating pathways for deeper philanthropic engagement. Working collaboratively with staff across the organization, this position ensures a welcoming and rewarding membership experience that builds loyalty, advances Olbrich's mission, and contributes to the long-term sustainability of the Gardens. The ideal candidate is a creative and data-informed relationship builder who combines strategic thinking, exceptional customer service, and strong project management skills to achieve ambitious membership and revenue goals.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Membership Strategy and Growth (25%)
- Develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive membership program focused on acquisition, renewal, retention, re-engagement, and membership upgrades.
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Lead efforts to grow number of membership households, achieve established retention goals, and generate increases in annual membership revenue annually.
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Partner with the Director of Development to launch and manage a new corporate membership program, including acquisition, renewals, and benefit fulfillment.
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Analyze membership performance data and trends to inform strategy, improve outcomes, and measure progress toward organizational goals.
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Evaluate membership benefits, pricing, services, and policies, recommending enhancements that strengthen engagement, retention, and revenue.
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Monitor emerging trends and best practices in membership and donor engagement.
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Communication and Engagement (25%)
- Develop and manage membership communications across multiple channels, including acquisition campaigns, renewals, appeals, welcome packages, newsletter content, email outreach, website content, social media, and visitor-facing materials.
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Ensure all membership communications reflect Olbrich's mission, brand, and values while clearly communicating the impact and benefits of the membership program.
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Collaborate with Marketing, Guest Experience, Programs & Exhibitions, and Development staff to integrate membership messaging across organizational communications and visitor experiences.
- Work with Development, Programs & Exhibitions, and Guest Experience staff to establish goals, strategies, and evaluation metrics for member-exclusive events and experiences; serve as lead staff liaison and on-site event manager for member-exclusive events as needed.
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Member and Donor Relations (25%)
- Serve as a primary membership ambassador for Olbrich Botanical Gardens, building positive relationships with members, donors, volunteers, visitors, community partners and vendors.
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Deliver exceptional service through timely, professional, and responsive communication across all channels.
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Manage member and donor inquiries, concerns, and special requests with a focus on relationship building and constituent satisfaction.
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Attend member and donor events as needed, fostering meaningful engagement and ensuring positive experiences.
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Support efforts to identify opportunities for membership upgrades and increased philanthropic involvement.
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Operations and Administration (20%)
- Serve as the primary liaison between the Development and Guest Experience teams to ensure staff have the knowledge, training, and materials necessary to support membership growth.
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Partner with Membership & Development Assistant to maintain accurate constituent records in Salesforce and ensure timely fulfillment of membership benefits, acknowledgments, and stewardship activities.
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Prepare monthly membership reports, dashboards, and analyses for leadership and the OBS Board of Directors.
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Develop and manage the annual membership revenue and expense budget in partnership with the Director of Development.
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Provide support for development operations such as gift processing, donor acknowledgments and on-site donor recognition needs during periods of high activity or as assigned.
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Manage relationships with membership-related vendors and service providers, ensuring high-quality service delivery and cost-effective operations.
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Other Duties as Assigned (5%)
- Participate in organization wide events and program.
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This job description describes the general nature and scope of responsibilities for this position. Please note other duties and responsibilities may be assigned or removed at any time.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
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Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, business administration, marketing, communications, public relations, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience is preferred.
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Minimum of three years of experience in membership, fundraising, development, marketing, communications, customer engagement, or a related field.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS (optional/if applicable):
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Experience working with a nonprofit, cultural institution, botanical garden, museum, membership-based organization, or similar environment preferred.
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Experience with CRM databases; Salesforce experience strongly preferred.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
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Experience with email marketing platforms, online membership systems, reporting tools, and digital communication channels.
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Strong analytical and data-management skills, including reporting, segmentation, mail merging and performance measurement.
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Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
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Strong customer service skills and commitment to creating an inclusive and welcoming experience for all.
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Demonstrated ability to build relationships with diverse audiences and communicate effectively with members, donors, volunteers, staff, and vendors.
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Excellent organizational, project-management, and problem-solving skills.
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Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment.
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Sound judgment, initiative, discretion, and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
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Commitment to continuous learning and improvement.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
- Work is generally performed in an office setting that at times may be a shared space.
- Schedule for this position is Monday-Friday with occasional evenings and weekends depending upon the organizational calendar and needs.
COVER LETTER: Please attach a PDF cover letter explaining your interest in this position at Olbrich and what you would bring to the role.
WORK SCHEDULE: Monday-Friday, with occasional evening and weekend hours as needed for special events and meetings.
BENEFITS: OBS offers a competitive full-time employee benefit package including paid vacation, holidays, floating holidays, and personal sick & wellness time; health (OBS pays 100% of employee health premium, 50% for dependents). Dental and vision insurance are optionally paid by employees. Basic life and disability insurance is paid by OBS with option for additional voluntary life, accident, or critical illness insurance paid by employee. Employees also have access to paid parental leave and are eligible to participate in the OBS retirement plan with a generous employer match after 1000 hours and 6 months of service.
JOB TITLE: Membership Manager
DEPARTMENT: Development & Membership
REPORTS TO: Director of Development
FLSA CLASSIFICATION: Full-time Regular - Non-exempt
COMPENSATION: From $24-$29/hr; dependent upon qualifications and experience
LOCATION: Olbrich Botanical Gardens, 3330 Atwood Avenue, Madison, WI
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday August 7, 2026
