How to apply for Membership Manager, Education Writers Association

About Education Writers Association

The Education Writers Association is the national professional organization for journalists who cover education. It has worked for nearly 80 years to help journalists get education stories right. The role is remote and tied to a 2026–2029 strategic plan.

About the role

This Membership Manager role leads EWA's work to grow, engage, and retain its membership community. You will implement membership priorities under the 2026–2029 Strategic Plan, manage membership systems and data, and run outreach and communications that increase use of EWA programs and benefits. The role reports to the Development Director and has no supervisory duties.

A typical day

A typical day may include reviewing membership data, coordinating outreach to prospective members, and working on communications about EWA programs and benefits. You may also plan member programming or networking opportunities and report progress to the Development Director. The exact daily routine is not described in the job details, so ask about team workflows and weekly priorities in an interview.

Who Education Writers Association is looking for

• Has experience growing and retaining membership or community in a nonprofit, association, or media organization.
• Can manage membership data and systems, including CRM or AMS tools, and use data to guide decisions.
• Has run outreach and communications campaigns to journalists, editors, researchers, funders, communications professionals, or students.
• Can plan and deliver programming, networking events, and resources that keep members connected.
• Is comfortable working remotely and reporting to a Development Director without managing staff.

Tips for this application

• Name the 15% membership growth goal by June 2029 in your cover letter and describe how you have hit similar growth targets before.
• Show you understand EWA's audience: journalists, editors, funders, researchers, communications professionals, and students in education.
• Describe specific membership systems or data tools you have used, such as a CRM or association management system.
• Reference EWA's 2026–2029 Strategic Plan and explain how you would implement membership priorities under it.
• Note that the start date is December 1, 2026, and that the role is remote in the US, so confirm your availability.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your track record growing membership or community by a measurable percentage, ideally close to 15%.', 'Your experience with membership systems, data, and reporting.', 'Your ability to run communications and outreach that increase awareness and use of programs and benefits.', 'Your knowledge of education journalism or membership organizations serving media professionals.']

Research before applying

• Read EWA's 2026–2029 Strategic Plan and note the membership-related priorities.
• Review EWA's current membership benefits, programs, and resources on its website.
• Look at EWA's recent communications and events to see how it engages members now.
• Check who leads EWA and how the Development Director role fits into the organization.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you approach the goal of increasing EWA membership by 15% by June 2029?
• Which membership systems or CRM tools have you managed, and how have you used data to improve retention?
• How would you build a connected member community through programming, resources, and networking?
• How would you reach editors, journalists, funders, researchers, communications professionals, and students?
• How would you work with the Development Director and implement priorities under the 2026–2029 Strategic Plan?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Do not ignore the 15% growth target by June 2029; address it directly with past results.
• Do not treat this as a generic marketing role; it is membership management with systems, data, and retention duties.
• Do not overlook the December 1, 2026 start date or the remote US location.