Manager, Direct Response Fundraising

Job Description

About Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We are the only organization that combines on-the-ground field conservation programs in more than 55 countries with the world’s largest network of urban wildlife parks – including the world-renowned Bronx Zoo. WCS has a long track record of achieving innovative, impactful results at scale. Our scientists, veterinarians, and conservation experts have helped recover bison, tigers, gorillas, whales, coral reefs, and more. In the past century, we have helped governments create more than 360 protected areas around the world on land and sea, and we currently work with national governments and local communities to manage and monitor several hundred protected areas. WCS’s New York City wildlife parks, led by our flagship Bronx Zoo, have educated and inspired over 425 million visitors since 1899. Each year, WCS attracts about 3.5 million visitors to the Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, and Queens Zoo—inspiring people to advocate for wildlife while setting the world standard in animal care and well-being.

Position: Manager, Direct Response Fundraising
Reports to: Director, Annual Fund
Position Managed: N/A
Location: Bronx, NY/Hybrid
Department: Global Resources
Scope: Site
Position Type: Full Time

Job Summary:
You are an energetic and ambitious fundraising or marketing professional who is passionate about the mission of WCS and eager to grow our donor base and share our story.

Playing a critical role in the growth of the Annual Fund program, you will help to effectively acquire, retain, and upgrade donors giving up to $1500. You’ll be part of the Annual Fund team reporting to the Director, Annual Fund and working closely with our Midlevel Giving Manager. Managing the cross-channel communication plan for mass fundraising and engagement, you have the unique ability to make our conservation work come to life in channels such as direct mail and email and help explore additional channels for growth. You’ll also support the Director in the management of our vendors and work cross-functionally with a multitude of teams and departments to maximize WCS supporter engagement and drive revenue for the organization.
If you are a creative and ambitious self-starter who thrives in large, fast-paced organizations, we’d love to meet you.


Major Responsibilities: (10 main responsibilities)

Drive growth and upgrades for the Annual Fund through planning, developing, testing, and analyzing campaigns across channels. Responsibilities include:

• Drive Annual Fund omni-channel campaign initiatives, ensuring a cohesive donor strategy that tells our story with a donor-centric, not channel-specific, approach.
• Develop compelling mass market fundraising and engagement content across channels, including direct mail and email, with option to expand to additional channels, to support donor acquisition, retention, reactivation, and upgrade efforts, working closely across teams and departments to source and repurpose content.
• With the support of the Director, manage the relationship with our direct mail and digital agencies to drive donor growth, ensuring strategies are mission-aligned, cost-effective, and optimized for long-term retention.
• With the Director and other internal stakeholders, develop short- and long-term goals for donor acquisition, upgrades, and retention, determining key performance indicators that you report out on regularly.
• Work closely with agencies on fundraising campaigns: developing content, audience segmentation strategy and calendar, and reviewing final assets before deployment.
• Collaborate with Midlevel Giving Manager to develop upgrade strategies for Annual Fund donors into Midlevel Giving program ($1500+), determining prospecting criteria and testing compelling content that moves donors.
• Other projects as needed.

#LI-SC1

Qualification Requirements

Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or Communications preferred
• 5+ years’ relevant work experience in direct response fundraising or content marketing
• Excellent copywriting skills and the ability to create new and engaging donor-facing material from a variety of sources
• Attention to detail is required
• Experience managing vendors preferred
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage complex projects with multiple stakeholders simultaneously.
• Comfortable with fast-paced work environment, and demonstrated ability to solve problems, ability to meet tight deadlines, multi-task, and manage resources effectively
• Knowledge of CRM and CMS platforms desired (we use Salesforce)
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Must be a team player with a positive attitude. Ability to work collaboratively and effectively across departments.
• Professional proficiency in MS Office suite
• A passion for fundraising and for the mission of the organization

Physical Demands: Physical Demand ItemFrequency RatingUse of Keyboard, Sporadic 10-KeyConstantUse of Mouse (or alternative input device)ConstantFinger Manipulation (continuous 10-Key, Handwriting)ConstantWrist Turning (Locking/Unlocking, Door Knob)OccasionalTelephone UseOccasionalNeck Motion (Left/Right, Up/Down)FrequentSitting (can stand at will)ConstantStanding (static, working at counter)Occasional WalkingOccasionalStair ClimbingOccasionalDrivingNeverLifting and carrying 0-10 lbs.Occasional Lifting and carrying 11-20 lbs.NeverLifting and carrying 21-35 lbs.NeverLifting and carrying 36-50 lbs.Never

Workplace Conditions and Environment:
4020ConstantFrequency RatingConstantConstant Work Closely with OthersFrequentWork AloneOccasionalUse of Mouse (or alternative input device)Occasional

Salary Range

80,000.00 to 100,000.00