Mission Statement

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church.  Its message is based on the Bible.  Its ministry is motivated by the love of God.  Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

Position Summary

The Donor Services Director (DSD) is responsible for promoting The Salvation Army (TSA) programs and services and soliciting gift responses via direct marketing mail appeals and related channels and for collecting, processing, recording, analyzing, reporting and acknowledging all gifts and information about donors in the Southern California Division and its constituent units.  The DSD will maintain and grow revenue through multi-channel direct marketing disciplines that include direct mail, email, telemarketing, mobile, digital and other media channels. Oversee development and management of all donor fundraising campaigns and analysis for the purpose of retention and upgrade of donor giving. Works under the direction of the Director of Development.

Supervises: Donor Database Supervisor and Donor Services Manager

Essential Functions

The Donor Services Director will:

Manage the relationship with the direct marketing vendor and other partners to oversee Direct Marketing strategy and implementation for the Southern California Division. Research, analyze and compare strengths of various vendors using market testing and related tools to ensure that the best possible materials and strategies are being utilized. Coordinate with THQ Donor Management (THQ) and Divisional Finance Department (Finance) to provide administrative and development oversight of the donor database, ensuring accuracy of data, systems, and controls in accordance with TSA policy and governing laws. Coordinate with THQ & Finance to ensure the efficient, effective and productive performance of the centralized donor management database systems, associate software, records and files. Be responsible for the effective campaign analysis component of the database. Be the primary liaison to work with corps officers and staff to expand marketing opportunities, which will best fit their local needs. Provide technical leadership and functional guidance of donor management systems and compliance with TSA policies. Provide reports as required by the Development Director, Divisional Finance Director, other disciplines within the Development Department, Program Directors and corps officers related to campaign and other income results and analysis. Coordinate with THQ and Finance for cleanliness of database. Provide supervision, guidance, training and support to the Donor Services Associate. Primary liaison to the Donor Data Operations Center Responsible for comprehensive strategic development of direct response fundraising programs including direct mail, telemarketing, internet-based appeals, mobile and other direct marketing mediums. Coordinate all phases of donor support services. This will include the implementation and management of systems, controls and procedures to ensure timely mailings of donor materials and newsletters. Coordinate, manage and participate in donor mail processing, ensuring the accuracy and efficient processing of the posting/receipting of donations and ongoing maintenance of donor files. Approves all appeal copy through internal review process to ensure all appeals are compelling, on brand, accurate, on schedule, and reflect Salvation Army’s mission. In collaboration with the Divisional Director of Development, develop and implement the Hug Your Hundreds program to cultivate and steward donors giving a first-time gift of $100 or more. In Collaboration with the Divisional Director of Development, develop and implement a program for mid-level donors to increase engagement, retention, and giving with the goal of moving donors to major gifts. This will include the supervision of the Donor Relations Manager. Coordinate with the Donor Services Manager and Donor Relations Coordinator the design and implementation of touch points for selected donors for the purpose of donor retention and donor upgrade. Establish and achieve/exceed departmental income targets and objectives by prioritizing related programs, training and managing use of personnel, delegating tasks, and evaluating progress regularly. Provide direct marketing strategies and income targets to support the overall vision and goals of the Development Department. Supervise the Divisional direct marketing mail appeal initiatives, coordinate the remit processing, donor database maintenance, production of receipts and acknowledgement letters and ensure recording procedures are correctly maintained. Research, develop and maintain tracking system of donor profile information for use as donor cultivation reference material. Coordinate appropriate research as instructed by the Director of Development in conjunction with other development disciplines. This will include the use of Donor Search as well as additional resources. Develop and supervise staff with the responsibility for accurate maintenance of the donor mail files and for providing responses to donor inquiries. Provide leadership, guidance, and council, including answering procedural questions and setting objectives and goals. Work closely with and provide support to corps officers and program directors on the concepts and strategies for an effective direct marketing mail appeal program, issuing reports and analyses of performance to ensure maximum return on investment. Assist corps officers and development professionals with the creation, layout and production of localized mail appeal letters and other initiatives in support of the development department’s integrated marketing efforts. Implement methods to maximize efficiency and production of direct mail operation. Develop policies and procedures to maintain goodwill with donors and potential donors by phone and in writing. Oversee handling of donor questions, problems and complaints. Manage income code generation, create file selections for each appeal, oversee gift acknowledgment, and work in conjunction with other Development staff for special mailings and invitation lists. Maintain campaign management function of database to provide accurate tracking of communications within individual donor records. Coordinate and implement upload files. Make recommendations to the Development Director for improvements to efficiencies in systems and procedures to enhance overall effectiveness, productivity and increased income for the annual fund development discipline. Represent the Southern California Division on all issues pertinent to Donor Management, liaising with Territorial Headquarters as needed. Provide input for database issues and other computer software used in support of the donor management and direct marketing appeal processes. Develop and implement an annual business plan with goals and associate departmental and mail appeal budgets. Research vendors and mail houses to ensure the best available material is used to solicit gifts and ensure invoices are accurate and promptly paid. Work closely with IT and other specialists in developing and maintaining all systems, programs and software to ensure maximum efficiency and reliability of all programs, making recommendations for improvements and upgrades as necessary. Using the various database and reporting programs, develop, manage and utilize complex analytical processes to provide meaningful data for effective business decisions.

PAY RATE: $95-115K/yr

Working Conditions

Must be able to sit, walk, stand, bend, squat, climb, kneel and twist on an intermittent or sometimes continuous basis. Must be able to grasp, push, pull objects such as files, file cabinet drawers, and reach overhead. Must be able to lift up to 25 lbs.

Minimum Qualifications    

BA/BS Degree or equivalent At least 5 years’ experience in direct marketing strategies and practices in fundraising At least 2 years direct mail fundraising experience Experience with non-profit marketing a plus Working knowledge of CRM systems, reporting, processes and procedures. Database management a plus Excellent computer skills Ability to type 45 WPM.

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

Experience managing cross-functional teams and outside agencies Proven ability to develop strong relationships and marketing programs to enhance awareness and image of the organization and its mission. Proven ability to develop and lead a team Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Creative and highly detailed thinker Strong editing and proofreading skills Ability to set priorities, manage production schedules and meet deadlines Must be team oriented