New MemberWise Ambassador for Mentoring

We are now pleased to announce that we have appointed a new Ambassador in the area of Mentoring – Introducing Paul Roberts, Director of Membership at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Let’s get to know Paul (and the high profile professional body that he currently works for) who’ll be championing this crucial/developing area of activity…

Tell us about the membership body you currently work for…

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists works to improve women’s healthcare across the world. We’re committed to developing the accessibility and quality of education, training and assessments for doctors wishing to specialise in O&G. Our global membership comprises 17,500 member across over 120 countries.

Tell us about your role…

I lead the Membership and Workforce department at RCOG and work with a fantastic team of 11 responsible for member services, membership engagement, promoting careers in O&G and supporting and celebrating our doctors.

Previous Membership Bodies/membership-related experience and number of years’ experience working ‘within membership’

I’ve worked within the membership sector for 34 years at a variety of associations including the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, the Chartered Institute of Internal Audit and the Royal College of General Practitioners before joining the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Short overview of any recent key membership related achievements

RCOG has seen 15% growth in global membership over the last 4 years. We have 17,500 members across over 120 countries and our retention rate remains high at 96%.

How did you get into membership?

After University I joined the Institute of Personnel Management (before it became the CIPD) as a temp to process exam results. I remember spending a lot of time on the phone answering queries and talking to members. Many things have changed since then –we worked on a VDU, had one word processor for the entire team and of course this was before email or the internet! – but a focus on the member experience has remained a key priority for me.

Involvement with the network in the past

I always enjoy the learning and networking MemberWise events offer and encourage my colleagues to attend the annual Membership Excellence and Digital Excellence events. As a sector we do great things and it’s important to share best practice and learn from others. I’m a registered Mentor with the MemberWise Mentoring scheme which is a great initiative.

What are your current goals/challenges from a membership perspective?

Focussing on the member experience remains a priority. The global profile of our membership requires creative and innovative approaches to providing member services, demonstrating member value and access to benefits for members wherever they are based in the world.

How will you will champion your ambassador subject area?

Everyone should have a mentor! I hope to be able to share how my experience as a mentor and mentee has benefited me in my professional role, provide clarity on what it is (and what it isn’t) and encourage membership organisations to support their staff and members through mentoring support.

If you could recommend one thing to a membership/association professional starting out in a role similar to yours, what would it be?

Seek out a mentor. We are a niche sector with lots of similarity across associations. Sign up to the MemberWise Mentoring scheme as a Mentor or Mentee today!

Something unusual/unique about you…

I completed my first half-marathon this year. My goal is to run a full marathon in Marathon, Greece!