Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.
The Department
The Marketing & Communications departmentโs purpose is to amplify and support Mercy Corpsโ mission by raising flexible funds, strengthening supporter partnerships and raising our global profile and influence, and fostering team collaboration and connectivity.
We boldly share Mercy Corpsโ global impact with our audiences, with a focus on building trust, engagement and long-term relationships among our global team members and with our supporters. We inspire financial support and partnership through transparency, inclusivity, creativity and best-in-class storytelling. We work across teams to protect Mercy Corpsโ reputation and safeguard our ability to operate.
The role of the Marketing team is to guide the direction of Mercy Corps global brand and develop and implement strategies to promote brand awareness and drive a sustainable base of unrestricted financial support, particularly among mass-market supporter audiences.
The Position
The Direct Mail Manager is responsible for planning and implementing direct mail acquisition and renewal strategies to connect donors, prospective donors, and other key constituents to Mercy Corps via mail and other offline channels. This position works with the Director of Marketing, multiple internal teams, and our external direct mail fundraising agency partners to develop strategic guidance and program recommendations. They oversee storytelling, messaging, and production for a full suite of fundraising content including direct mail acquisition, donor stewardship and renewal, and mid-level donor communications, and ensure that direct mail fundraising messaging is aligned with Mercy Corpsโ brand goals and accurate across all communications. They are responsible for tracking and reporting on campaign performance, stay informed on the latest industry trends, and will work to increase the effectiveness of direct mail fundraising strategies, helping the Mass Market Direct Marketing team deliver a superior donor experience and drive consistent performance results.
Essential Responsibilities
STRATEGY AND PLANNING
- With the Director of Marketing and Sustainer Manager, develop annual and multi-year direct mail campaign goals and manage direct mail specific reporting and analytics in partnership with agencies and Development Operations, communicating them to relevant RD teams, adjusting and optimizing campaign tactics, and rectifying donor issues as needed.
- 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.
- 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.
CHANNEL MANAGEMENT
- Manage direct mail fundraising agency partnersโ 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 Mercy Corpsโ 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 Direct Marketing Manager and Email Marketing Manager 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 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 Corpsโ 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 Marketing, Managing Director - Marketing, and senior Marketing leadership as requested.
Supervisory Responsibility
None.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Director of Marketing
Works Directly With: Mass Market Direct Marketing, Brand Marketing & Content Strategy, Creative Team, Marketing Operations, Development Operations.
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
- Bachelorโs degree in Marketing, Communications, or other relevant field, or equivalent experience.
- 5+ years of experience in direct response fundraising, marketing, or a related field, 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 communicationsโ style and message for a variety of audiences โ 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 Direct Mail Manager 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.
- Is a creative AND analytical thinker; someone data-driven who can bring the brand to life in ways that emotionally connect with supporters. They are a skilled storyteller who can conceive and execute content that entertains, engages, educates, and prompts the audience to take action.
- 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.
- Is 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.
- Has the ability to own a project from planning through development, implementation, and analysis.
- Is purpose-driven and wants to feel confident theyโre making a positive difference in the world. You embrace the Mercy Corps mission and share our sense of urgency about the global issues central to our work.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in either Portland, OR; Washington, D.C., or Remote US and requires minimal travel.
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.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the worldโs most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
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 a safeguarding measure, Mercy Corps screens all potential US-Based employees. This is done following the conclusion of recruitment and prior to assuming full employment.
Our screening process is designed to be transparent and completed in partnership with new Team Members. You will have the opportunity to disclose any prior convictions at the conclusion of the recruitment process before the check is initiated. We ask that you do not disclose any prior convictions in your application materials or during the recruitment process.
Covid-19 Vaccine Policy for US-Based Employees
Mercy Corps has determined that, in an effort to protect the health, safety, and well-being of all Mercy Corps employees working in the United States, all U.S.-based employees must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, regardless of prior COVID-19 infection status. This policy is necessary to ensure not only the safety of our workforce, but the ongoing functionality of the organization.
This policy will be revised as needed to comply with federal, state, and local requirements, and to respond to changing guidance from public health authorities.
For new employees this requirement goes into effect within 10 business days of employment. Team members that travel are expected to comply with host-country requirements, including vaccinations. Failure to comply may impact your employment. Proof of vaccination or exemption must be provided.