Direct response fundraising manager

Job Details:

Job Location: Operation Smile HQ - VIRGINIA BEACH, VA

Position Type: Full Time

Salary Range: $67890.00 - $84863.00 Salary/year

Travel Percentage: Negligible

Job Shift: Day

Job Category: Information Technology

General Description:

The Manager, Direct Response Fundraising supports the growth and long-term value of Operation Smile’s mass-market donor file through multichannel campaigns. Reporting to the Director of Multichannel Fundraising, this role manages day-to-day execution of donor acquisition across DRTV, direct mail, face-to-face fundraising, telemarketing, select digital channels, and cultivation efforts for English-speaking core single-gift donors. The Manager serves as a key liaison with fundraising agencies and internal partners, coordinating campaign schedules, creative reviews, meetings, reporting, invoicing, and other deliverables. The position may also support the review and coordination of Spanish-language fundraising materials in partnership with internal stakeholders and external agencies.

Essential Functions:

• Manage the day-to-day execution of multichannel donor acquisition campaigns across direct mail, DRTV, telemarketing, face-to-face fundraising and select digital channels.
• Serve as a primary day-to-day liaison with fundraising agencies, vendors, and internal partners, ensuring projects remain on schedule, within budget, and aligned with approved strategies.
• Maintain integrated campaign calendars, project plans, status reports, meeting notes, and other documentation needed to keep campaigns and stakeholders organized.
• Participate in agency status meetings, track decisions and action items, and follow up with responsible parties to ensure timely completion.
• Coordinate the routing, review, and approval of concept presentations, campaign copy, creative, scripts, production files, proofs and quality control.
• Review campaign materials for accuracy, brand alignment, donor focus, offer consistency, and adherence to approved strategy.
• Support the review and coordination of Spanish-language fundraising materials in partnership with bilingual internal stakeholders, translators, and agency partners.
• Work with the Data and Analytics team to support audience selection, segmentation, campaign coding, source-code setup, data requests, and quality-control.
• Develop presentations, campaign recaps, business reviews and annual plans.
• Monitor campaign performance and prepare clear summaries of results, trends, risks, and opportunities for internal stakeholders, helping translate findings into recommendations for future campaigns.
• Collaborate with Global Marketing & Communications, Donor Care and Data and Analytics to support integrated donor experiences.
• Maintain organized campaign files, historical results, samples, standard operating procedures, and other shared resources.
• Stay informed about direct response fundraising trends, emerging channels, agency capabilities, and nonprofit industry best practices.
• Support peak fundraising periods and special projects as assigned to increase revenue, improve donor engagement, and strengthen team efficiency.
• Support SMS and MMS fundraising campaigns, reviewing audience selection, copy and URLs.
• Support the planning and execution of test tactics and upper-funnel audience-growth initiatives, including brand collaborations, partnerships, events, and activations designed to increase awareness, engagement, and future donor acquisition.
• Track campaign budgets, expenses, invoices, and forecasts in coordination with agency partners, Finance, and Procurement, identifying potential variances or issues for escalation.

Qualifications:

• Strong project management, organizational, and communication skills, with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple campaigns, deadlines, agencies, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to review creative, copy, proofs, data, and campaign documentation for accuracy and translate performance results into clear summaries, presentations, and recommendations.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint, and familiarity with project management tools and donor databases.
• Working knowledge of donor acquisition, cultivation, retention and reactivation.
• Self-starter who can work effectively and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with Blackbaud CRM, Luminate Online, and Tatango, or comparable fundraising platforms is preferred.
• Spanish-language proficiency and prior fundraising or marketing agency experience are preferred.
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically up to four times per year for agency meetings, conferences, or other organizational needs.