POSITION TITLE:  Director of Retention

DEPARTMENT: Integrated Marketing

REPORTS TO: Vice President of Integrated Marketing

SITE: Headquarters, Washington DC

SALARY: Up to $103,000

FLSA: Exempt

LAST REVISED: July 2020

APPLICATION: http://www.defenders.org/jobs

We are an industry leader focused on broadening the constituency and support for wildlife and habitat conservation. The Director of Retention is responsible for developing strategies to cultivate, retain and upgrade Defenders’ supporters. The Director will oversee a team and take an active role in developing the short and long-term plans to retain and upgrade donors while meeting the revenue and advocacy goals of our direct mail, email, telemarketing and mobile channels. The Director will be an individual who embraces continuous process improvement and innovation, is detail-oriented, and is data-driven. The Director will manage XX full-time employees.

·        Partner with the Vice President of Integrated Marketing, Director of Acquisition and various 3rd party partners to develop and influence department fundraising strategies.

·        Develop short- and long-range operating objectives, establish key performance indicators, and create and execute testing plans to continuously improve donor retention and grow revenue.

·        Manage Defenders of Wildlife’s fundraising, advocacy, eCommerce and outreach campaigns via direct mail, telemarketing, email campaigns, campaign landing pages and mobile messaging. Responsibilities include:

o  Developing and meeting an annual budget for revenue growth across channels

o  Setting messaging priorities, balancing funding goals and program needs

o  Identifying key audiences and stewarding them appropriately across channels

o  Accepting accountability for the quality and accuracy of all outbound content

o  Evaluating campaign performance against the performance benchmarks established

·        Coordinate with the Director of Acquisition and Director of Marketing Operations to retain and upgrade donors and prospects via direct mail, telemarketing, email and mobile.

·        Partner with Development to support Defenders’ mid-level giving program including developing a budget and direct fundraising strategies to meet that budget.

·        Liaise with Defenders’ field offices, Government Relations and Communications and on appropriate content and messaging strategy and timing.

·        Lead member stewardship across all channels. Work with the Integrated Marketing team to proactively address membership needs and expectations, coordinate welcome and acknowledgement processes online and offline, ensure the fulfillment of back-end premiums and help craft talking points and responses when crises arise.

·        Promote and implement Defenders’ diversity, equity, inclusion and justice values as an intrinsic part of the programmatic and outreach work.

·        Perform all other related duties as assigned.

This role does not require regular travel.

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field;

8+ years experience working fundraising campaigns; 5+ years supervisory experience

·        Ability and willingness to model the tenets of Defenders’ Commitment Statement: Mission, Transparency, Respect & Trust, Appreciation, Empowerment & Accountability, Professional Growth, Fairness, Diversity, Safety, Work/Life Balance, and Pride. 

·        Demonstrates a willingness and ability to productively engage and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives.  

·        Ability to approach work in a collaborative and inclusive style, with a track record of working in a solutions-oriented manner. Ability to effectively address and manage conflict. 

·        Ability to work independently as needed, problem solve, and exercise sound decision-making skills in fluid environments to meet job expectations and achieve goals in an accurate and timely manner. Ability to effectively navigate through change and maintain flexibility. 

·        Ability to represent Defenders to external entities and the public in a professional manner while exercising tact, diplomacy, and discretion.  

·        Demonstrates a willingness and ability to productively engage and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives. 

·        Ability to effectively navigate through change and maintain flexibility  

·        Ability to effectively address and manage conflict 

·        Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and general computer literacy

·        Ability to accurately maintain electronic and physical records and handle sensitive and confidential matters with discretion

·        Strategic thinker with the ability to create high-level strategy, identify organizational-level impact, and translate strategy into relatable points and action steps.

·        Personal interest and commitment to conservation 

General office working conditions, the noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use a computer and communicate with others while doing so. This role may require occasional travel.

All employees are required to satisfactorily perform the essential duties and responsibilities of their positions. The essential duties and responsibilities listed above are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions of the job.

Defenders of Wildlife embraces the values of fairness and equity in society – including our workplace and our movement. We are committed to providing a professional, fair and safe workplace free of harassment and discrimination. We believe that the conservation of biological diversity is best advanced by the contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, experiences, beliefs and cultures. We strive toward a collective goal of including all people in the conservation of our Nation’s wildlife and wild places. More than co-workers, we are teammates and partners in our mutual goal of respecting our planet and all who live on it.

Visit Our Values and Diversity page to learn more about who we are and how we operate.

Interested applicants please apply with a cover letter through our careers portal at http://www.defenders.org/jobs