Director, Mass Audiences

This role is based in the US, with the option to work remotely or be assigned to the Orbis NY office. For those who prefer to work in an office setting, our NYC office has temporary and permanent desk solutions for employees already local to NYC that can accommodate those preferences. Orbis’s current policy requires that all staff visiting or working in the NYC office must be vaccinated against COVID-19.

JOB SUMMARY

The Director, Mass Audiences is responsible for all Mass engagement strategy under the general leadership of the CDO. This is an audience strategy leadership role, responsible for the identification, engagement, growth, and retention of donors under $1,000, including both single gift and sustaining donors to Orbis within a donor-centric fundraising department. The Director of Mass Audiences leads the strategy for all marketing and fundraising campaigns, activities, and donor journeys for this critical audience, including prospecting, cultivation, stewardship, renewal/retention, upgrade, and reactivation efforts across all channels, working in close partnership with the Director of Integrated Channel Strategy and the other Audience Directors. The Director of Mass Audiences serves as a top-level leader of the Development Department, sitting on the Development Management team and collaborating with other Development leaders to drive departmental strategies, policies and systems.

LOCATION

This role is based in the US, with the option to work remotely or be assigned to the Orbis NY office. For those who prefer to work in an office setting, our NYC office has temporary and permanent desk solutions for employees already local to NYC that can accommodate those preferences. Access to other Orbis offices may be provided. Orbis’s current policy requires that all staff visiting or working in the NYC office must be vaccinated against COVID-19.

REPORTING & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

The Director, Mass Audiences reports to the Chief Development Officer and will eventually manage a team of 4: Associate Director, First-Level Giving; Manager, First-Level Cultivation; Manager, First-Level Sustainer Cultivation; Associate, First-level Sustainer Giving.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS / KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Working with the CDO, develop overarching strategies for growing and maintaining both single gift and sustainer giving programs.
• Leads the in-depth, multi-month process to create and implement annual plans for mass market audience engagement, overseeing a significant annual expense budget.
• Works closely with channel experts (e.g. direct mail, digital, telemarketing, events, etc.) to plan and evaluate the effectiveness of all mass-audience programs and activities, including acquisition, renewal, reactivation, and cultivation.
• Plans and ensures the effectiveness of segment-specific donor journeys. Owns the overall donor experiences for both Mass single giving and sustainer donor segments.
• Assists in driving strategy in response to emergent fundraising opportunities and crises, pivoting approaches as needed to ensure that the department conducts effective rapid-response marketing and fundraising.
• Drives innovative approaches in donor acquisition and cultivation, including working with the other teams and external vendors to devise testing strategies to better understand Orbis audiences and steadily grow revenue.
• Works with the Research and Analytics team to solicit and interpret market research in order to forecast future audience needs. Turns intensive research into actionable, multi-year strategies
• Builds strategies based on data insights and file health KPIs.
• Collaborates with the CDO to shape Orbis’s positioning on international fundraising policies, guidelines, and decisions.
• Works with counterparts in other Orbis sections to share information and provide guidance on individual giving practices and deliverables. Spearheads Orbis participation in international benchmarking and information sharing regarding mass audiences.
• Directly supervises staff and supports them in managing their direct reports. Delegates authority, consults with and guides staff to achieve departmental and individual goals. Provides ongoing feedback in a context of mutual respect, holding staff accountable to achieving their annual work plans and goals
  

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 7 years of fundraising experience, ideally in a non-profit organization, including development fundraising activities from strategy through implementation.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in staff and vendor management.
• Proven and current track record of successfully growing the US mass audience fundraising program, with up-to-date knowledge and experience with current trends and US fundraising landscape, including knowledge and practical experience of donor behavior and preferences.
• Proven track record in successfully managing high-dollar revenue and expense budgets (including revenue targets of $30m+).

Preferred

• Diverse fundraising experience working with both mass and other audiences, and a strong understanding of both one-to-many and high-touch fundraising approaches.
• Experience working directly on or collaborating regularly with channel programs, such as face-to-face, telemarketing, direct mail, and digital channels.

SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Superior senior-level strategist with experience providing strategic direction and tactical feedback to audience managers, implementation staff, and vendors.

• Strong manager, facilitator, and collaborator with expert negotiation abilities.

• Excellent oral and written communication and organizational skills and attention to detail.

• Ability to analyze and synthesize complex and sensitive material and use it to develop strategic plans, crafting appropriate, well-informed message strategies for donors.

• Ability to handle a large volume of work and multiple projects under pressure with rapid deadlines.

• Personality driven by creative thinking and innovation.

• Facility with quantitative, data-driven approaches, including comfort with in-depth fundraising data, reporting, budgets, and forecasting.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, judgment, and diplomacy.

• Genuine interest in and commitment to the humanitarian principles of Orbis and its commitment to transparency to its donors and employees.

• A deep, demonstrable commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Orbis is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

As a global organization, we welcome qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and marginalized communities who are underrepresented in the international NGO sector who reflect the five Orbis values of Accountability, Commitment, Innovation, Integrity, and Equity.