Director of Communications & Member Experience - Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA)

Full-Time • Arlington, VA • Closes April 20

Snapshot Summary

In this position you lead all of ARA’s communications efforts with members, industry, allies and the public. You’re someone who has a firm grasp of both digital and print communications. You have a passion for making sure that every touchpoint of a member’s experience with us is the best that it can be, whether it’s involvement in committees, attendance at meetings, information they receive from ARA or assistance with requests. You can analyze member engagement and communications metrics to understand what’s driving them and work with the staff team to implement plans for continuous improvement.

You are the leader of the communications, branding and marketing efforts for ARA with shared supervisory responsibilities for a Manager of Member Services & Administration who has some communications responsibilities.

You will have a chance to grow into other responsibilities consistent with your skills and interests. In a small-staff environment like ARA, everybody gets involved in big projects together.

Work Environment

ARA’s modern office is in the vibrant Ballston neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, one block from the Ballston Metro station. The office is shared with two aligned organizations, CropLife America and The Fertilizer Institute, and a few other affiliated groups. Co-locating with these organizations allows us to share equipment and meeting facilities and facilitates collaboration and professional friendships among staff of these groups.

ARA’s small staff complement of 7 people means that everyone’s individual performance is vital to team success. Each person on the team has areas for which they are responsible, and then we join together to execute team projects ranging from communications to board meetings and the annual ARA Conference & Expo.

ARA offers assistance with commuting in the form of Metro stipends or parking allowances. The “center of gravity” where everything comes together is the office and this position is an in-office position. However, once onboarding is complete ARA may provide telework options for team members who prefer a mix of remote and office work. Details of this policy and other personnel policies will be provided on request to candidates selected for interview. All of ARA’s information technology resources are cloud-based for maximum flexibility.

Organization

ARA is a national trade association representing agricultural retailers – companies who provide products and services to crop farmers. These companies can be small or large in size; private family companies, cooperatives, or publicly traded corporations; and there are member facilities in all of the 48 contiguous United States. ARA’s national staff includes 7 full-time employees.

Qualifications and Essential Skills

• Bachelor’s degree required; degree in agricultural communications or other communications-related field

• Strong preference for agricultural experience or background

• Three to five years of related work experience

• Social media proficiency

• Excellent organizational and planning skills with an ability to prioritize and meet deadlines

• Strong oral and written communication skills

• Ability to work as a team player in a fast-paced but intimate small-office environment

• Commitment to exceptional customer/member experience and getting the job done right, on time, and on budget

• Ability to travel at least three times per year for multiple days

• Ability to complete tasks with minimal supervision, and to manage multiple tasks simultaneously

• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office programs

Preferred attributes

• Experience using Drupal (or other website content platform) and communications platforms like Marketing Cloud

• Experience with Salesforce, NimbleUser or other CRM software

Primary Duties

Communications (60%)

• Create and distribute ARA’s biweekly Retailer Facts e-newsletter

• Social Media content and posting

• Website content, appearance and maintenance

• Create and distribute Member Alerts & Press Releases as needed

• Communications metrics & analysis and recommendations

• Layout and distribution of twice yearly ARAPAC newsletter

• Provide publicity for ARA hosted webinars and events

• Provide content for The Scoop official magazine and serve as the primary liaison with its parent company Farm Journal.

• Media relations including directing incoming interview requests

• Design, produce and distribute ARA’s Annual Report

• Annual Conference

  • Conference publicity design – printed program, promotional materials

  • Design and produce the Exhibitor & Sponsor prospectus

  • Direct production of Conference video materials with a video contractor

  • Conference Signage - plan, design and produce

• Establish and maintain relationships with other ag communicators and professional organizations

• ARA logo use and branding, stationery and presentation templates

• Brand management: Proud Logo program, maintaining ARA document templates, etc.

Member Experience (20%)

• Build event registration platforms for ARA conferences, board meetings and other events

• New member onboarding in conjunction with the Sr. Vice President for Member Services and Corporate Relations

• Work with other staff members to maintain Membership renewal communication templates, workflows & forms in the Association Management Software (AMS)

Services & Other (20%)

• Direct ARA’s Rising Stars program

• Design and Prepare materials to communicate ARA’s progress against its Strategic Plan

• Oversee ResponsibleAg communications contractor

• Supervise Manager of Member Services & Administration

• Other duties as assigned

Compensation

Compensation for the position includes a competitive salary and benefits package commensurate with experience as provided in ARA’s Personnel Policy. The starting salary range for this position is $110,000 - $140,000 depending on skills and experience. Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed as provided in the Personnel Policy, and travel dates will be provided as far in advance as possible. This is an office-based position. ARA leadership believes in the value of team relationships and collaborations that arise from being together in the office, but ARA may offer at its sole discretion a partial telework option for those who prefer a mix of remote and office work.

Application

To be considered for the position, applicants should provide the following items in electronic format (PDF preferred) by the Deadline date listed below:

• Cover letter

• Resume

• At least two references with contact information

Materials should be sent to dcoppock@aradc.org in PDF format with the subject “Director of Communications & Member Experience.”

Post date: March 27, 2025

Submission Deadline: April 20, 2025

Interviews will be scheduled for late April or early May and a hiring decision is expected by May 16, 2025.