Direct Response Manager

The Direct Response Manager is responsible for the strategic management and administration of a national annual giving program, including oversight of direct mail, monthly giving and outbound calling. There is a strong focus on monthly donor conversion, donor renewal, new donor acquisition and donor retention strategies to drive revenue. Source or create donor-centric content and drive timelines to increase giving and stewardship. Oversee progress, deadlines, goals and objectives, and reporting related to the program.

Direct Mail

• Lead and develop a comprehensive annual giving program, focusing on donor renewal, gift upgrade, new donor acquisition, retention, monthly donor conversion and stewardship strategies, in partnership with Director of Donor Engagement
• Lead an integrated, multi-channel, donor-centric approach to fundraising and stewardship, in partnership with Director of Donor Engagement and Digital Fundraising Manager
• Manage the annual solicitation plan for direct mail, monthly giving and outbound call campaigns and oversee multiple appeals annually
• Meet or exceed annual revenue goals across all fundraising programs
• Oversee prospect identification, helping to target prospective donor segments and to move annual donors through the donor pyramid into the next giving level
• Manage donor file segmentation to optimize donor experience and revenue potential
• Oversee and identify opportunities to increase efficiencies and maximize revenue

Monthly Giving

• Lead and develop comprehensive monthly donor conversion, retention and reactivation strategy in partnership with the Director of Donor Engagement and Digital Fundraising Manager
• Manage the monthly giving acquisition, conversion and stewardship campaigns, working in partnership with the Digital Fundraising Manager to meet annual revenue and conversion goals
• Oversee the planning and development of monthly giving resources, stewardship resources, practices and acquisition planning

Outbound Call Campaigns

• Oversee the strategy and evaluate outbound calling as a channel to achieve annual giving goals including monthly donor conversion and acquisition, donor renewal and reactivation
• Strategize with vendor to determine timing, segmentation, scripts and call to action for outbound call campaigns

Stewardship

• Oversee the messaging for thank you letter content for use with national receipting vendor, and throughout The Salvation Army
• Collaborate with the Database Manager to ensure donor data is captured accurately in Raiser’s Edge NXT

Content

• Manage solicitation and stewardship content to ensure messaging is compelling, donor-centric and it meets The Salvation Army messaging guidelines
• Oversee collaboration with the Communications and Marketing team to gather content for fundraising appeals, newsletters and stewardship
• Oversee communication with divisions to arrange interviews, content and photo opportunities
• Active member of the Communications Department Content Committee

Administration

• Manage fundraising activities to ensure they follow Canada Revenue Agency guidelines, and adhere to Imagine Canada standards for the administration, processing, and management of donations and donor privacy
• Manage budget planning and budget variance reporting for direct mail, monthly giving and outbound call campaigns
• Communicate with divisional Development teams for direct mail, monthly giving and outbound call campaigns
• Manage vendors and evaluate the services of contracted suppliers for direct mail, monthly giving and outbound call campaigns
• Oversee contract renewals, search for new suppliers, and in the orientation of new suppliers as required
• Manage coding and processing of all unrestricted, restricted and disaster gifts
• Other duties as assigned

Education/Certifications:

• Post-secondary diploma or degree in Business Administration, Fundraising, Marketing, or equivalent experience
• CFRE or working toward CFRE designation is preferred

Experience:

• 5+ years of experience in Annual Giving managing annual, monthly giving, and outbound call campaign production, donor acquisition and donor segmentation strategies
• Knowledge of fund development best practices and principles
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and planning skills
• Experience in building a team approach to problem solving
• Project management experience, including planning, budgeting, monitoring, and analysis
• Experience managing complex budgets and working with vendors
• Solid understanding of Canadian non-profit regulations

• Strong knowledge of current and developing fundraising strategies and best practices
• Ability to lead projects to meet expected outcomes
• Thorough understanding of Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge NXT, or equivalent CRM
• Comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• A demonstrated understanding of philanthropic trends both nationally and internationally
• Strong communication skills, including writing and editing solicitations and newsletter copy
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks and a variety of demands
• Ability to query, segment and analyze data for reporting, identifying growth potential and trends
• Ensure compliance with all policies, regulations, and laws
• Skilled in preparing written reports and presentations
• Life-long learner who remains current in fundraising and marketing trends, strategies, and best practices