Donor Retention & Cultivation Specialist

Why join our team?

With a mission that spans the globe, the USO provides a rewarding and fulfilling work environment. Our team is exceptional, and we offer generous paid time off, including volunteer days and military leave. We have a remarkable 401k match, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for training and education reimbursement. Our team members are passionate about putting the mission first, and we have a lot of fun while doing it. Working for the USO isn't just a job – it's a calling, and we believe in doing what you love and loving what you do.

Don’t take our word for it. The external “Great Place To Work” survey found that:

• The USO is a Certified Great Place to Work 2023-2024
• 93% feel good about the ways we contribute to the community.
• 93% are proud to tell others they work here.
• 88% feel their work has special meaning: this is not "just a job."
• 89% feel that when you join the company, you are made to feel welcome.
• 91% feel people here are treated fairly regardless of their race.
• 87% feel people here are treated fairly regardless of their gender.

The Donor Retention & Cultivation Specialist assists in developing and implementing omnichannel strategies that retain and cultivate while providing donors with a consistent experience; leads day-to-day program management and ensures program adheres to direct marketing growth and ROI objectives.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities (*Essential Duties)

Program Creation and Execution:

• Assists director in partnering with Development leaders to establish goals and plans for direct response efforts and contributes to their execution. *
• Leads strategy documentation including campaign matrices and brief development for direct mail and email/online; researching and documenting historical campaign performance and testing strategies; internal package approval and quality check processes; recommends enhancements to internal processes. *
• Collaborates with peers on the creation, of the direct response production calendar which includes identifying optimal in-home dates in order to create a predictable cash flow. Is responsible for optimizing the mail production calendar by working with the direct response mail production vendor to find scheduling efficiencies. *
• Collaborates with internal colleagues to conceive and recommend content for use across all direct response channels; maintains the direct mail style guide and communicates changes to internal and external partners*

Vendor Management:

• Helps manage campaigns and serve as primary day-to-day point of contact (POC) to vendors to lead campaign strategy development. *
• Collaborates with vendors to ensure excellence in execution of creative and content strategies and production for direct mail programs.
• Ensures production vendors, artists and copywriters’ quality and service levels meet expectations to ensure layout, personalization and printing accuracy and advise director on assessment.*
• Oversees inventory management of mail components and premiums and makes timing and ordering recommendations to director. *

Budget Management:

• Assists in annual revenue and expense planning, budgeting and reforecasting efforts for offline and online programs. *
• Assists director in tracking invoices and adhering to the annual budget, includes maintaining and updating reports such as cost summaries and business vs. actuals. *
• Works with direct response mail production vendors to identify opportunities for efficiencies and/or cost savings. *

Reporting & Analysis:

• Assists with benchmarking and reporting on direct mail package and email/digital campaign performance. Makes recommendations where appropriate. *
• Helps analyze the USO direct response file health and optimize tactics based on results. *
• Other duties as assigned.

Job Specifications

• Bachelor’s Degree, in Marketing, Communications or related field preferred.
• 3 - 5 years of work experience in a development or fundraising role within a direct mail or email program in the commercial or charitable sectors.
• Campaign planning experience including retention and cultivations strategies, loyalty programs and segmentation planning.
• Knowledge of regulatory standards governing direct mail, email, solicitation operations.
• Experience working with strategic vendors, print houses, and caging facilities preferred.
• Strong interpersonal, problem-solving and organization skills. Ability to interact with different departments, the general public and military audiences at a variety of levels with integrity and p