Senior Manager Direct Marketing - US base (flexible home base) in Portland, Oregon at Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer. Employment selection and related decisions are made without regard to sex, race, age, disability, veteran status, religion, national origin, color or any other protected class.
Position Title: Senior Manager Direct Marketing - US base (flexible home base)

Description

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Department Summary

The Philanthropic Growth & Engagement (PG&E) department works to advance Mercy Corps strategic goals and support our worldwide team by raising flexible funds, profile and influence. The PG&E team encompasses several dozen dynamic professionals who possess a wide range of skills. We are gift officers, direct response fundraisers, web developers, marketers and media relations strategists. We are database managers, digital specialists, creative designers, storytellers and teachers. Most of all, we are passionate about Mercy Corps mission and believe a better world is possible.

Position Summary

The Senior Manager of Direct Marketing is responsible for planning and implementing Mercy Corps (MC) mass market (under $10,000) direct marketing channels/programs with a focus on renewal, reactivation, and upgrading of the MC mass market donor file. This person works with the Director of Direct Marketing, Mass Market Fundraising team members, and multiple internal teams and external direct marketing fundraising agency partner(s) to create and manage direct response messaging, storytelling and production for full suite of fundraising content ensuring that the messaging is aligned with MC brand goals and accurate across all communications.

This role works closely with our Development Operations team and our fundraising agency partner(s) to implement monthly campaigns for offline channels such as direct mail and telemarketing and various other channels to support our Sustainer program. This includes the development of campaign / source coding that drives accurate donation processing and campaign performance tracking. The Senior Manager maintains campaign schedules and works closely with other Mass Market Fundraising team members for campaign integration across all key donor segments and channels. The manager with our agency partners utilizes project management process flows to ensure deadline for the timely launch of campaigns.

Essential Responsibilities

STRATEGY & PLANNING

With the Director of Direct Marketing, develops annual campaign goals aligned with our MC integrated mass market fundraising (MMF) strategy, which includes direct mail email, monthly giving renewals, telemarketing, and SMS texting toward a current gross annual goal of more than $20 million+, in the process enhancing the mass market donor file through donor diversity, channel growth, and improved net revenue.

Manage direct mail segmentation and list selection processes.

Manage direct mail testing strategies.

Track testing results and adjustments to strategy.

Support the development and tracking of direct mail budgets, including campaign expenses and revenue goals.

Look for opportunities to create cross-channel experiences and align online and offline direct marketing programs to create audience-focused experiences.

Contribute to the development of the content strategy calendar, representing the MMF strategy and goals.

Research and identify current and emerging trends in direct mail programs, offline marketing, fundraising, and user behavior, and bring new ideas to the team.

Stay up-to-date on new technologies and industry best practices and share with other MMF team members.

CHANNEL MANAGEMENT

Manage direct mail fundraising agency partners' adaptation of strategies into specific documented plans that include timelines, content strategy, offers, ask strings, segmentation, testing, and projected response rates and revenue.

Assist in developing and maintaining content direction in support of multi-channel mass market direct marketing strategies, leveraging audience insights, production realities, and MC' content strategy and brand messaging to drive audiences toward a desired action.

Regularly evaluate direct mail systems and processes to ensure maximum efficiency and revenue.

Collaborate with MMF team to ensure cross-channel alignment in our user experience.

Look for opportunities to co-target or create moments of content alignment.

With the Director of Direct Marketing, support the development of annual budgets, revenue and new donor acquisition goals.

Maintain the projection, tracking, and approval of expenses.

Work with Director of Direct Marketing and Development Operations team members to assess and implement improvements to existing back-end processes and procedures, including invoice reconciliation and payment options with vendors.

PRODUCTION SUPPORT

In coordination with agency partners, lead the day-to-day production of mass market content, including for direct mail acquisition and renewal, receipts, mid-level communications, and donation pages, including fact-checking and proofreading agency-produced content.

Support editorial oversight to ensure Mercy Corps' voice and values come to life consistently in all written communications.

Maintain fundraising guidelines/standards and offer compliance.

Ensure that all copy and content is clear, compelling, and consistent, and is completed on time and according to strategy.

Ensure excellent program quality by regularly monitoring, troubleshooting issues, and reviewing all content elements for accuracy and function.

Other responsibilities as assigned.

ANALYTICS AND REPORTING

Analyze and report on progress to goals and effectiveness of specific channels, campaigns, platforms, tactics, and vendor performance.

Adapt plans based on analysis.

Regularly provide fundraising analytics reporting to Director of Direct Marketing, Managing Director - Marketing, and senior Marketing leadership as requested.

SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES

Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.

Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.

Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director of Direct Marketing

Works Directly With: MMF team, Brand Marketing & Content Strategy, Creative Team, Marketing Operations, Development Operations and Finance.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualifications & Transferable Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, or other relevant field, or equivalent experience.
• 6+ years of experience in direct response fundraising marketing, that demonstrates progressive levels of responsibility and expertise, preferably with experience in nonprofit fundraising including a thorough understanding of fundraising practices and ethics.
• Proven success with translating fundraising strategies and goals into effective campaigns across multiple channels and communication formats.
• Track record of using purposeful storytelling to drive organizational impact and business results in a nonprofit, foundation, or NGO setting.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt communications' style and message for a variety of audiences; portfolio of writing samples required.
• Experience with leveraging data and performance results to shape strategy and creative concepts.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to think strategically.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Experience managing relationships with outside vendors and consultants.
• Experience working in cross-functional teams.

Success Factors

The successful Senior Manager - Direct Marketing is an eternally curious, creative, and ambitious marketer and fundraiser who can partner with other strategists and subject-matter experts to deliver compelling content and drive fundraising results. The ideal candidate is a creative AND analytical thinker; someone data-driven who can bring the brand to life in ways that emotionally connect with supporters. They can conceive and execute content that entertains, engages, educates, and prompts the audience to take action. The Senior Manager has well-honed strategic-thinking skills, using appropriate data to drive decisions, strong verbal and written communication skills, excellent attention to detail, and the ability to prioritize, and manage multiple deadlines. They are strongly detail oriented and a self-starter, a resourceful, flexible, and practical individual who can solve immediate problems while staying on strategy and on schedule. They must have the ability to own a project from planning through development, implementation, and analysis. This candidate will be a strong fit if they are purpose-driven, embrace mission-driven work, want to make a positive difference in the world, and share our sense of urgency about the global issues central to our work.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

This position can be based remotely or hybrid in one of our headquarters locations Portland, Oregon or Washington, D.C. Travel may be required up to 25% of the time for donor meetings, conferences, or in person workshops and retreats.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Team Engagement and Effectiveness

Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work. We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline (integrityhotline@mercycorps.org).