Join the Housing Studies Association as Our New Membership Officer

The Housing Studies Association is seeking a new Membership Officer to join our dynamic and supportive Board in a co-opted role for an initial 12-month term. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of the UK’s leading community for housing researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.

The Housing Studies Association is dedicated to supporting the housing research community, fostering inclusive dialogue, and promoting interdisciplinary work. As our Membership Officer, you will play a key role in ensuring our membership offer remains engaging, diverse, and valuable — while also driving forward strategies to grow and retain our membership.

About the Role

The Membership Officer is responsible for:

• Actively promoting membership of the Association.
• Ensuring the membership offer remains valuable and engaging.
• Devising and leading strategies and campaigns to grow and maintain membership.
• Expanding and diversifying membership, especially among:
  • Housing practitioners.
  • Non-academic research centres.
  • Early-career academics from UK and international housing research communities.

You will work closely with other Officers on recruitment and retention campaigns and contribute to broader engagement initiatives, including our annual conference and new member networks.

Key tasks

• Keep the Membership Strategy up-to-date and provide reports to the Housing Studies Association board on progress against agreed objectives. 
• Manage the membership database, including processing new applications, renewals, and cancellations. 
• Develop and implement strategies to grow and retain membership, with a focus on expanding membership among housing practitioners, non-academic research centres, and early-career researchers. 
• Respond to membership queries and concerns, ensuring a positive experience for all members. 
• Run membership campaigns, particularly around key events such as the annual conference. 
• Work with the Partnership and Outreach officer to develop and promote corporate membership opportunities. 
• Collaborate with the Communications and Social Media Officer to promote membership benefits and engagement opportunities. 
• Work with the other Officers to deliver membership strategies.

Estimated time commitment: 1 hour per week (with increasing workload around major events, such as the Annual Conference)

This role is voluntary, and there is no financial remuneration for this role. To be eligible for this role, you must be a member of the Association or commit to joining the Association as a member. Reasonable travel expenses to board meetings within the UK are covered by the Association. 

Person Specification

We are looking for someone who is:

• Organised and proactive, with strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Committed to inclusion, accessibility, and the growth of a diverse housing studies community.
• Passionate about membership engagement, with creative ideas for attracting and retaining members.
• Familiar with the housing studies field, including academic, policy, or practitioner environments.
• Comfortable using digital platforms (e.g., Excel, CRM tools) or willing to learn.
• Willing to work flexibly and collaboratively with other Board members.

We particularly welcome applicants from underrepresented backgrounds, early-career researchers, and those based outside of academia.

Expectations of Housing Studies Association Officers

All Officers are expected to:

• Attend four Board meetings per year (including two in-person away-days and two online meetings)
• Attend and support key Association events, including the Annual Conference and Autumn Lecture.
• Work collaboratively with the rest of the Board to deliver the Association’s strategic priorities.

How to Apply

To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter (max 2 pages) to Dr Tom Simcock, Chair at [email protected] by Friday 30th May 2025.

Your cover letter should:

• Outline how you meet the role description and person specification.
• Describe what you hope to bring to the role.

If you would like an informal conversation before applying, feel free to contact Tom using the email above.

Be part of the Housing Studies Association

Joining the Association's Officer team is a chance to make a real difference — helping to shape the direction of housing research, grow an inclusive community, and support the next generation of scholars and practitioners. We look forward to hearing from you!