Membership Engagement Officer

Royal Society of Edinburgh

Hours
35 hours per week

Length of contract
12 month

About the Organisation

Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) is Scotland’s National Academy. Through the expertise of our Fellowship and the work of our staff, we bring together knowledge, ideas, and people to help address the most important issues facing Scotland and the wider world. Our Fellowship of over 1,800 individuals spans academia, business, public service, the arts, and civil society. Alongside this, the RSE delivers a wide-ranging programme of research support, policy advice, public engagement, and international collaboration.

We are a collaborative, purpose-driven organisation with a strong commitment to supporting our people and promoting a positive and inclusive working culture. Our small team is about to become a wee bit bigger. You may spot several roles advertised across the RSE this summer. These opportunities reflect investment in our people and future priorities as we grow our ambition to make knowledge useful.

About the role

We are seeking an experienced membership engagement professional to plan and deliver a dynamic programme of activities for our Fellowship. Informed by insight gathered through a recent Fellows’ survey, you’ll help shape a more connected and active membership, ensuring activities align with the RSE’s mission of knowledge made useful. Working closely with Fellows and colleagues across the organisation, the Membership Engagement Officer will plan and deliver a varied programme of events, networking, and engagement opportunities.

You will also collaborate with the Communications team to develop targeted, meaningful content that strengthens relationships and encourages participation. This is a new and exciting role focused on building a culture of active engagement. You’ll convene and support an advisory group, evaluate the impact of activities, and continuously refine the programme using data and feedback.

Responsibilities

Role Responsibilities:

• Plan and deliver a pilot programme of events and activities within budget.
• Convene and provide secretarial support to a newly established Fellowship engagement advisory group to input into engagement strategy, programme, and priorities.
• Support the Fellowship Officer with the delivery of statutory events, for example, the Annual Statutory Meeting.
• Work closely across all Programme teams to facilitate and identify engagement opportunities for Fellows.
• Support the Fellowship Officer to maximise participation in the Fellowship election process. For example, encouraging Fellows to be involved in our ‘Search Groups’, which identify diverse new candidates for Fellowship nomination. 
• Work with the Communications team and Fellowship Manager to plan and deliver personalised or segmented communications for Fellows.
• Support continuous improvement across Fellowship engagement by working with the Fellowship team to evaluate data and feedback.
• Occasional travel around Scotland may be required when organising events outside of Edinburgh.
• Undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the level and purpose of the role

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

Essential:

• Minimum 3-5 years’ experience managing and delivering events in a relevant context
• Familiarity with event delivery logistics, including booking venues, procuring speakers, managing registration (using Eventbrite), performing relevant risk assessments, and undertaking impact evaluation
• Experience of strategically planning engagement in response to insight. 
• Experience of using a CRM system to manage member records and track engagement
• Experience of working across teams to ensure alignment and collaboration, for example, when planning ‘member journeys’
• Experience working and communicating with internal and external stakeholders at all levels
• Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities set against challenging and evolving timelines
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Proactive, with the ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision, as well as part of a team
• Willingness and ability to travel across
• Scotland for regional events, including overnight stays where necessary

Desirable:

• Experience of working in a membership organisation
• Experience in developing segmentation and audience mapping.
• Experience in designing and implementing member journeys
• Experience of working with in-person and online audiences
• Demonstrated project management skills

Compensation & Benefits

• Benefits

Conditions of employment

• Please note that the RSE does not sponsor work or student visas. Pre-employment screening will include the necessary right to work in the UK checks as well as reference checks.

Working locations

• Hybrid model, working in the Edinburgh office and remotely

How to apply

• To apply, please complete the online application via BreatheHR. At the document upload stage, please ensure you provide both required documents:
  • A CV (maximum two A4 pages) outlining your relevant skills and experience
  • A cover letter (maximum one A4 page) setting out your suitability for the role and your interest in working at the RSE
• If you have any questions about the role or any difficulty accessing the online form, please contact [email protected].
• Applications must be submitted by 23.59 Wednesday, 24th June 2026.

Interviews

• Interviews for this role will take place on Monday, 7th or Tuesday, 8th July 2026 at the RSE in Edinburgh.

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