Deputy Executive Director

Posted on by Shira Lotzar Posted in Closed Positions

Society for American Archaeology

ABOUT SAA

The Society for American Archaeology (SAA) is the preeminent organization for the archaeology of the Americas. SAA members work for national, state, Tribal, and local governments; consulting firms; built environment companies like power companies and large engineering practices; museums; and colleges and universities. These diverse and committed professionals share in common an enthusiasm to protect the archaeological record, improve the practice of archaeology, and advance their careers.

SAA represents ~6800 members worldwide, stewards a $2+M budget and currently has eight (8) highly engaged staff with expected growth to 10 staff including this new Deputy Executive Director position.

THE ROLE

In this #2 position, you will drive vital enhancements for finance and membership operations systems and become a trusted thought partner for the Executive Director and staff. In the short-term, your goals will include optimizing member recruitment processes, streamlining financial workflows, overseeing an AMS upgrade, facilitating internal policy development, and managing the transition to a fully remote staff in July 2025.

Your long-term opportunities will include managing, coaching and mentoring membership staff, ensuring organizational fiscal stewardship either through hands-on accounting or overseeing outsourced support, driving membership recruitment and volunteer engagement best practices, and functioning in an interim capacity in the Executive Director’s periodic absence.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Finance

  • Share budget development and administration with Executive Director, and support creation of financial forecasting model
  • Generate directly, or oversee through outsourced vendor, monthly draft financials (e.g. statements of financial position, activities, and trial balances)
  • Conduct daily and monthly reconciliations and accounts payable and receivable
  • Design and implement operationally efficient and member-friendly processes to streamline dues payment processing
  • Insource and manage charitable registration annual reporting for 36 states
  • Oversee or generate document gathering for outsourced annual financial audit

Operations

  • Engage as operational thought partner to Executive Director and generate ideas for ongoing operational and membership operations enhancements
  • Serve in dotted line capacity for (non-membership) staff to handle questions related to operational efficiency and effectiveness 
  • Oversee operational transition to fully remote office in July 2025 including considerations for mailing procedures and document storage
  • Function as interim Executive Director in ED’s periodic absence
  • Identify ongoing opportunities to offload operational responsibilities from Executive Director to allow her to engage in strategic decision-making and fundraising activities

Database Enhancement

  • Oversee upgrading and optimization of iMIS to the cloud, scheduled to be completed in December 2024
  • Streamline functionality of iMIS and ensure staff is trained and competent in usage of relevant modules (eg. fundraising, meetings, and membership)
  • Establish processes for ensuring data integrity
  • Develop system for capturing and utilizing member demographics

Membership

  • Supervise and mentor membership staff (one associate and soon-to-be hired coordinator)
  • Curate and implement best practices for membership recruitment, retention, and engagement
  • Improve customer service by streamlining the triaging of routine requests, and reducing errors
  • Enhance calls for submission process
  • Develop system for aggregating prospects into member recruitment pipeline
  • Align member communications with needs of member segments

Board / Committee Engagement

  • Participate in board of directors meetings as a trusted thought partner to Executive Director
  • Streamline policy development procedures to facilitate more timely decision-making of committees and task forces
  • In partnership with Associate, Member Engagement,
    • enhance new member orientation procedures and develop resources for new committee chairs;
    • develop volunteer engagement tools to facilitate recruitment, succession planning, and committee diversification
  • Support the board in designing inclusive ways to incorporate DEI practices into policies and procedures

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Minimum 10 years progressively responsible experience in either operations or membership roles in an association environment. Background in scientific, scholarly or professional societies is helpful.
  • Outstanding ability to streamline operations and improve financial processes
  • Demonstrated experience with an AMS migration (preferably iMIS) and knowledge of data management best practices
  • Experience enhancing membership recruitment and volunteer engagement best practices
  • Experience serving as thought partner and trusted advisor to executive leadership
  • Excellent project leader, team builder, and collaborative partner to staff
  • Inclusive leadership style with a warm, diplomatic approach to communication

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Target Compensation: $150,000

Benefits:

  • 100% paid health and dental benefits for single coverage
  • 3% contribution to a TIAA retirement account
  • Flexible spending accounts
  • Learn more about the full benefits package.

LOCATION:

While it would be ideal to reside in the Washington, DC metro area to make periodic office visits to the downtown DC location before the full remote transition in July 2025, we are comfortable with candidates who reside outside the DMV.

FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION:

This is a retained search. Please email cover letter and resume to our recruiter, Shira Lotzar, Purposeful Hire at shira@purposefulhire.com. Initial screening interviews with the recruiter are likely to extend into mid-June followed by interviews with SAA staff. Anticipated hire in early – mid July.