Director of Membership and Culture - The Wolseley Hotel New York

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Location: New York, NY
Reports To: Managing Director
Status: Full-Time, Leadership Role

Position Summary

The Director of Membership will play a central role in building the founding community of The Wolseley Members Club New York, opening Spring 2027.

Beginning in the pre-opening phase, this individual will be responsible for executing the Club’s membership strategy, developing relationships with prospective members, leading the Founding Member and Ambassador programs, and establishing the systems and standards that will support membership from the outset.

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring strong judgment, discretion and a deep understanding of New York. The successful candidate will be a natural relationship builder who is equally comfortable meeting prospective members, developing the membership pipeline, hosting gatherings and working closely with the Club’s leadership team.

Following opening, the Director of Membership will oversee the full member journey, including acquisition, onboarding, engagement and retention.

Key Responsibilities

Membership Strategy & Growth

• Lead the execution of the pre-opening and post-opening membership strategy in partnership with the Managing Director, ownership and executive leadership.
• Build and manage a strong pipeline of prospective Founding Members who are a natural fit for The Wolseley Members Club New York.
• Develop relationships with prospective members across New York’s business, cultural and social communities.
• Lead the Club’s Founding Ambassador program, including Ambassador outreach, communication, referrals and ongoing engagement.
• Develop and manage referral, nomination, sponsorship and invitation strategies that support membership growth while protecting the character of the Club.
• Personally cultivate priority prospects through individual outreach, meetings, introductions, Club events and ongoing follow-up.
• Establish and manage the Membership Committee process, including candidate review and follow-up.
• Set and monitor membership targets and milestones and provide regular reporting on pipeline, applications, conversions and overall membership performance.
• Partner with leadership on membership pricing, categories, policies and growth strategy.

Membership Operations & Member Journey

• Oversee the member journey from initial introduction and application through acceptance, onboarding, engagement and renewal.
• Ensure prospective and existing member information is accurately maintained within the Club’s membership CRM, with consistent processes for outreach, follow-up and reporting.
• Establish membership processes and operating procedures in preparation for opening.
• Work closely with operations and technology partners on the membership platform, application process and member communications.
• Monitor membership performance, engagement and retention and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Manage sensitive member matters with discretion, sound judgment and professionalism.
• Ensure Club policies and membership standards are applied consistently.

Member Engagement & Community

• Develop an engagement strategy that builds a strong sense of community before and after opening.
• Work with the broader team to develop member gatherings, programming, partnerships and experiences that reflect the character of the Club.
• Build strong relationships with members and maintain an understanding of their interests and experiences.
• Identify opportunities to connect members with one another and deepen their relationship with the Club.
• Develop strategies to support long-term member engagement, satisfaction and retention.

Brand & Community Representation

• Serve as a visible representative of The Wolseley Members Club New York both within the Club and across the New York community.
• Build and maintain relationships with relevant cultural leaders, hospitality figures, strategic partners and other community contacts.
• Represent the warmth, discretion, sophistication and service standards associated with The Wolseley.
• Partner with Marketing and Communications on membership messaging, prospective member communications, newsletters, social media and relevant PR initiatives.
• Ensure membership communications and activities remain consistent with the positioning and standards of the Club.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Build, lead and mentor the membership team as the Club moves from pre-opening through launch and ongoing operations.
• Create a culture of proactive relationship management, accountability, discretion and strong service.
• Partner closely with Food & Beverage, Wellness, Events, Marketing, Finance and Operations to maintain a consistently high standard of member experience.
• Participate as an active member of the Club’s senior leadership team and provide insight on membership trends, the New York market and member feedback.
• Develop and manage the annual membership budget in partnership with the Managing Director and Finance team.

Qualifications & Experience

• 7+ years of relevant experience in membership, luxury hospitality, private clubs, high-touch relationship management or a comparable luxury lifestyle environment.
• Demonstrated success building and managing relationships with a sophisticated clientele.
• Strong knowledge of New York and the ability to build relationships across its business, cultural and social communities.
• Proven ability to drive membership or business development through a relationship-led approach.
• Experience building and managing a prospect pipeline, CRM and consistent follow-up process.
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation and communication skills, with the confidence and presence to represent the Club at a senior level.
• Highly organized and commercially minded, with the ability to balance relationship building with targets, reporting and day-to-day execution.
• Strong judgment and discretion when handling confidential member and prospective member information.
• Experience with private club or luxury hospitality openings, founding membership campaigns or Ambassador programs is highly desirable.
• Experience developing events, partnerships or community programming is preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.

Personal Attributes

The ideal candidate will be:

• A natural relationship builder with warmth, confidence and strong instincts.
• Knowledgeable about New York and genuinely interested in the people and communities that shape the city.
• Discreet, polished and comfortable working with a sophisticated membership.
• Commercially minded while understanding that successful membership development is fundamentally relationship-led.
• Highly organized, proactive and disciplined about follow-through.
• Comfortable working in a fast-moving pre-opening environment and willing to be hands-on as the membership operation is built.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary: $[RANGE], commensurate with experience.
• Performance Bonus: Incentive compensation tied to agreed membership growth, conversion, engagement and retention objectives.
• Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package and Club privileges.
• Growth: Opportunity to play a key role in the launch of The Wolseley Members Club New York and grow within the broader organization.

Please keep your profile up to date since the more information you provide, the better, and don´t forget that there are three requirements that you must fulfill to apply for an internal vacancy: 

- At least 1 year of experience in your current position.

- Your last Time For You should be at least a "Well Done".

- Inform your manager that you apply for a specific internal vacancy.