The MemberWise Network is unique as being the only Network led by association and membership professionals. A core part of our team are the MemberWise Ambassadors; a group of practising membership professionals specialising in a specific area that we consider core and crucial to the world of membership such as engagement, recruitment and value.
In recent years, we have branched out into complementary areas such as governance, leadership, AI, communications and PR, and people/volunteer management in order to show how the membership role requires broader business insight and experience.
We are now pleased to announce that we have appointed a new Ambassador in the area of Mentoring: Victoria Withy, Head of Membership, Marketing and Communications at the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE).
Let’s get to know Victoria (and the high profile membership body she currently works for) who’ll be championing this crucial/developing area of activity…
About the ESE….
ESE supports the endocrine community to improve hormone health across Europe and beyond, through our memberships, education and training opportunities, and a wide range of clinical resources and publications. Our core operational activities focus on outreach, research, grants and endorsements and awards.
We offer membership for individuals and organisations who would like to be part of our European endocrine community. Individual membership is open to all those in clinical and basic science roles, nurses and allied health professionals who work with patients with endocrine conditions (around 5000 individual members). Organisational membership is for national (European) endocrine societies, specialist societies in related disciplines, international societies, patient advocacy groups and industry partners (around 100)
About Victoria’s role…
As part of the ESE Leadership Team I have responsibility for managing the memberships of the Society and ensuring all our Members – both individual and organisational – get the most of their membership of ESE. Additionally, my role is to ensure that all ESE’s marketing and communications activities are cohesive and focused as well as support and enhance the Society’s mission, objectives and activities for both our members and stakeholders as well as the overall area of endocrinology. I also look after ESE’s publishing activities (two (about to be four)) academic journals and two member magazines, as well as key communities (early career and women in endocrinology). I also mange European Hormone Day – a dedicated awareness day to promote better hormone (endocrine) health.
I have a team of four (three direct reports) – two in the marketing team and two in the membership team.
We are ESE’s direct member and public facing team!
About Victoria’s Career…
I have a wealth of experience (25+years) in the area of charity, association and life sciences conferences and marketing (Chartered Marketer – MCIM), communications and PR, along with marketing experience in FMCG, venues and marketing agencies through a variety of management roles. Along with a Marketing and PR degree from the Auckland University of Technology, I also hold a BSc (Hons) in Psychology from the Open University. I am a New Zealand national, based in Scotland.
Some of Victoria’s recent achievements…
Last year I ran our Digital Transformation project – managing the set up and launch of a new CRM to run the Society including membership, marketing, awards, grants, finance and committees) and the launch of our new website. The second phase of the Digital Transformation project saw us bringing these services in house from an out sourced model in December/January 2023/2024
Killer Question – How did you get into ‘Membership’?
I ‘fell’ into it – I have been involved in associations for a very long time – and over the last four years at ECE running the sales and marketing function. It somehow was a ‘natural’ extension of my role to take on the membership function – including the CRM project (which was very challenging as this was something new to me and I am not a spreadsheet/logic person!)
Victoria’s recent involvement with the network…
I have been a member for the last four years and found the information provided and the forums invaluable. I have tried to attend the Membership Excellence conference the last two years but have been foiled by travel issues (from NE Scotland) but plan to attend this year. I have been a mentor for the last year and we have also used the recruitment services. It is my ‘go to’ information source, a safe place to seek information and ask questions with like minded colleagues.
Victoria’s Current Goals and Challenges…
My current goal is to improve the retention and to introduce direct debit (and rolling renewals) for our 2025 membership year – after running our membership in house for only six month we are now closer to our members than we have ever been and everyday is a learning day for us in our journey towards one source of truth and data lead decision making.
How Victoria will Champion Mentoring…
I find mentoring hugely satisfying and rewarding – listening to the mentee, hearing what they want to work on, exploring ways to approach it and seeing them succeed or overcome is wonderful. Helping someone in a small way move on their journey is a great privilege. I have benefited from having a mentor and I hope I have helped people who I have mentored.
If you could recommend one thing to a membership/association professional starting out in a role similar to yours, what would it be?
Be curious! Ask questions, seek information – don’t be afraid to appear knowledgeable. It is only by asking and seeking that we can learn.
And finally, we asked Victoria something we might be surprised to hear about her…
I once spent three wonderful months as a reindeer herder!
You can find out more about our growing cohort of MemberWise Ambassadors here…
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