Membership & Operations Coordinator

About the National Waterways Conference

The National Waterways Conference (NWC) is a 501(c)(6) trade association that has served as the leading national voice for the nation’s water resources infrastructure for more than 65 years. Our members include port authorities, navigation industries, shippers, agricultural interests, flood control and levee districts, water supply, hydropower producers, water resource agencies, and the engineering and consulting firms that support the nation’s water and waterways resource infrastructure.

Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, NWC works directly with Congress, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Administration, and other federal agencies, on the policies, programs, and funding decisions that shape the nation’s water resources infrastructure, including navigation, flood risk management, water supply, hydropower, ecosystem restoration, recreation, and broader water resource development.

Our two flagship convenings, the Legislative Summit in Washington, DC in the spring, and the Annual Meeting hosted in water resource communities across the country, give members direct access to federal decision-makers and a national platform for shaping policy.

Position Summary

NWC is hiring a Membership & Operations Coordinator to support and strengthen the day-to-day operations that keep our members engaged and our programs running. This newly defined role is part of NWC’s broader investment in operational infrastructure and will be central to the organization’s ability to deliver on its policy mission.

Reporting to the President & Chief Executive Officer, working day to day with the Fractional Chief Operating Officer, the Coordinator will help manage the systems and processes that touch every member, including dues administration, database management, event registration and logistics, sponsorship invoicing and tracking, and member support. The Coordinator will play a key role in NWC’s two annual conferences and will serve as a reliable point of contact members rely on throughout the year.

This is an excellent opportunity for an early-career association professional who wants meaningful responsibility, exposure to federal policy work, and the chance to help build the operational foundation of a small, mission-driven organization.

Why This Role Matters

NWC is a small organization with an outsized national footprint. The quality of every member’s experience, from how renewal invoices arrive to how on-site registration runs at the Legislative Summit, is shaped by this position. The Coordinator helps ensure that NWC’s federal access, policy intelligence, and convening power are supported by reliable systems and processes members can count on. As NWC continues to grow its membership and expand its programming, this role will be essential to scaling that work while preserving the personal, responsive service members value.

Key Responsibilities

Membership Administration

• Support and manage the full membership lifecycle, including new member onboarding, dues invoicing, renewals, payment processing, and lapsed-member follow-up.
• Maintain accurate and current member records in iMIS, NWC’s association management system, ensuring data integrity across contacts, organizations, and membership tiers.
• Generate routine membership reports for the CEO, COO, Executive Committee, and Board, including monthly membership reports and ad hoc data pulls.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for member inquiries by phone and email, providing prompt, professional, and solutions-oriented service.
• Support implementation of the new tiered dues structure and the transition to a January 1 annual renewal cycle effective January 1, 2027, including member tier confirmations, invoicing communications, and coordination of member questions, issue tracking, and escalation as needed.

Event Operations & Logistics

• Coordinate registration for NWC’s two annual events: the Legislative Summit in Washington, DC, and the Annual Meeting hosted in a different water resource community each year.
• Set up and manage event registration in iMIS, including pricing tiers, member and non-member rates, registration confirmations, and attendee data tracking.
• Support pre-event logistics including hotel room blocks and rooming list support, attendee communications, name badges, signage coordination with vendors, and materials preparation.
• Provide on-site event support, including registration desk management, attendee assistance, AV and signage troubleshooting, other event needs, and post-event wrap-up.
• Assist with planning and execution of additional virtual programming such as webinars, member briefings, and committee meetings.
• Travel to both annual events is required; additional limited travel may be needed for site visits or member engagement.

Sponsorship Coordination

• Manage sponsorship invoicing, payment tracking, and fulfillment in coordination with the COO.
• Track sponsor commitments, deliverables, and recognition obligations across both annual events and year-round programs.
• Coordinate sponsor communications, logistics, and on-site recognition, working with NWC’s designer on signage and recognition materials.
• Maintain accurate sponsorship records and contribute to the development of annual sponsorship reports and renewal outreach.

Communications & Website Support

• Make routine updates to the NWC website, including event pages, news posts, and membership content.
• Support distribution of routine member communications, including renewal notices, event announcements, and the Federal Spotlight newsletter.
• Assist with maintaining mailing lists, email distribution segments, and contact accuracy across communication platforms.

Administrative & Operational Support

• Support the COO and CEO with administrative tasks, including document preparation, and follow-up tracking.
• Help maintain and improve standard operating procedures (SOPs) for recurring workflows.
• Coordinate with NWC’s bookkeeper, marketing consultant, policy coordinator and other contractors or employees as needed for cross-functional work.
• Coordinate incoming dues, sponsorship, and registration payments with NWC’s accounting firm including monthly reconciliation of association management system records against financial records.
• Provide light support for governance activities, including Board and committee meeting logistics.

Qualifications

Required

• One to three years of experience in an association or similar, nonprofit, professional services, or similar member- or client-facing environment.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and follow established processes accurately and consistently.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to represent NWC professionally to members, sponsors, and external partners.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and Teams.
• Preferable experience with a CRM or association management system (AMS), with strong attention to data accuracy and reporting.
• Comfort working independently in a remote environment while collaborating effectively with a small team and external partners.
• Willingness and ability to travel to NWC’s annual events (typically spring in Washington, DC, and fall for the Annual Meeting location).

Preferred

• Experience with iMIS (highly preferred) or comparable AMS platforms.
• Prior experience with membership operations, event registration, or sponsorship administration in a trade association or 501(c)(6) environment.
• Familiarity with QuickBooks or cloud-based accounting or bookkeeping platforms, particularly the integration of membership and sponsorship invoicing with financial records.
• Exposure to federal policy, advocacy, or government relations work, particularly in infrastructure, transportation, water resources, or related sectors.
• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Core Competencies

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and process-focused.
• Service-minded and responsive, with a genuine interest in supporting members and building relationships.
• Collaborative and adaptable, with the ability to work effectively with staff, contractors, and external partners.
• Proactive and self-directed, with the ability to recognize when to act independently and when to escalate.
• Discreet and professional, with a high level of confidentiality and sound judgment around sensitive member, sponsor, and governance information.

Work Environment & Location

Location: Remote, within the United States.

Schedule: Full-time, exempt. Standard business hours with flexibility required around event cycles and major program deadlines.

Travel: Travel is required for the Legislative Summit (Washington, DC, typically March) and the Annual Meeting (rotating location, typically September/October), plus occasional additional travel for site visits or member engagement. Estimated total travel: 5-10%.

Physical Requirements: Ability to lift event materials and shipping boxes up to 30 pounds and stand for extended periods during on-site event registration, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Compensation & Benefits

The salary for this position is up to $60,000, commensurate with experience. NWC offers a competitive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement contributions (5% match), generous vacation and sick time, generous holiday time off, and professional development support.

The National Waterways Conference is an equal opportunity employer. NWC is committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the communities and members we serve and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

This position description describes the general nature and level of work performed and is not an exhaustive list of all duties or responsibilities. NWC may modify the role as organizational needs change. The description does not constitute an employment contract, and employment with NWC is at will.

To Apply

Interested candidates should submit a resume and a brief cover letter to natalie@waterways.org.