Work At IDSA
Join our team
For over fifty years, IDSA has advanced the practice of industrial design through education, information, community and advocacy. Our roots stretch to the beginning of the profession and our members are, and have been, some the most celebrated industrial designers of all time. Being a team member on IDSA’s staff means you will be directly involved in supporting this cause while striving each day to improve the experience our community has with our organization. We have big plans for the future and are looking for the very best talent to help us make our ideas into reality.
IDSA offers a remote/distributed work environment and a highly collaborative team culture. All members of our internal team possess great interpersonal skills with the ability to work cross functionally; bringing internal resources and information from various sources together to execute and achieve our goals. The work we do at IDSA requires an agile mindset and a comfort with making adjustments quickly when required. The ability to maintain flexibility in thought and approach, while thinking creatively through challenges, is a centerpiece of how we successfuly manage multiple annual programs that share many overlapping interdependencies.
Listed below are our current open positions. Email your cover letter, resume, and applicable samples of your work to [email protected] for consideration. Please state your name and the position you are applying for in the subject line of your message.
CURRENT OPENINGS
Executive Director
POSTED NOVEMBER 7, 2022
The Executive Director serves as the chief executive officer (CEO) of both IDSA, a non-profit 501c(6) membership organization, and of Design Foundation, IDSA’s non-profit 501c(3) charitable arm. This individual is responsible for providing strategic leadership across all aspects of IDSA and Design Foundation programming, service offerings, and operational processes to ensure that both organizations serve the needs and interests of our community, pursuant to their core purpose, mission statement and bylaws. The successful candidate has the opportunity to lead and transform a professional organization focused on membership experience, learning, innovation, and the vitality of design for our future. The Executive Director will ensure that IDSA is a leader in advocating for industrial design, that it maintains relevancy in a rapidly evolving world, and that it attracts, engages, and retains members and sponsors with high quality services, content, experiences and programs.
The Executive Director will engage with the Board of Directors to develop, evaluate, and implement strategies for membership, financial growth, and overall organizational health. He/She/They will have the ability to discover new approaches to leverage current IDSA programming to support, energize, and ensure relevancy of this US-based organization with an international footprint, for our wide community that includes multiple city-based Chapters and issue-focused Sections. Under the leadership of a courageous Executive Director, we can advance the value of industrial design as a professional practice and solidify our legacy through the positive impact industrial design can have for millions of people around the world. The Executive Director reports to the Chair of IDSA’s Board of Directors and is present for all Board meetings, but is not a voting Board member. Learn more about IDSA.
Knowledge & Experience
Experience in both strategic planning and tactical implementation.
Successful track record with fundraising and strategic partnerships.
The capacity to advocate for design professionals and knowledge of the history, the current state, and the future of design.
A strong business acumen with a proven record of business innovation and successful revenue generation.
Original thinking and the ability to conceptualize visionary solutions.
Collaborative and creative problem-solving acumen.
Experience in managing, motivating, and bringing out the best in a 10 – 15 person multidisciplinary team working in a distributed/remote setting.
Responsible for budgets in excess of $2MM.
Ability to manage professional and program engagement both in-person and virtually.
Strong technology acumen.
Adaptability and flexibility. Can-do attitude, ability to wear many hats as needed to achieve goals.
Essential Responsibilities
Develop and curate the Strategic Vision, and generate the business plan that drives the supporting marketing, financial planning and resourcing activities.
Provide leadership in planning, tracking and implementing key initiatives that support the Strategic Vision.
Guide the Board of Directors and Committees to work within proper governance and administration guidelines.
Manage the IDSA headquarters staff; foster a positive and collaborative team culture; empower team members to achieve their best.
Ensure Society compliance with all applicable laws and legal requirements.
Build and maintain strong partnerships with other business and design-related organizations that can support IDSA’s mission.
Increase membership growth, retention, and engagement.
Increase relevance of IDSA within the local and global design community.
Ensure success of all core annual programming, including Deep Dives, International Design Conference, Education Symposium, International Design Excellence Awards, Student Merit Awards, IDSA Awards, National Industrial Design Day, Membership, Chapters, Sections.
Ensure success of all core publications and content distribution, including INNOVATION magazine, email campaigns and outreach, social media, and website content.
Timely & meaningful communication with membership, design community, business community, sponsors, etc.
Ensure coherence with BOD through timely communications, collaboration, and information sharing.
Maintain and improve organizational health.
Build public awareness and advocacy for industrial design and IDSA in the design, academic, and business community.
Oversee annual fundraising campaign for Design Foundation.
The ideal candidate for this role:
Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Business/Association Management with experience, background, or personal interest in design; or Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in a design discipline with experience or background in business/management.
Master’s Degree a plus.
Experience managing, leading, and inspiring a geographically distributed staff.
Experience in/with design: as a profession, as a critical component in the innovation process, and/or as an element to business success.
Experience with non-profit leadership and governance.
Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation a plus.