Under the direction of the Chief Philanthropy Officer, the Director of Digital & Direct Response conceives, leads and oversees the planning, development, coordinating and implementation of strategies related to American Forests’ digital and direct-response fundraising efforts. The Director of Digital & Direct Response is responsible for the growth, engagement, and retention of American Forests’ annual and sustaining donors to optimize our donor base and increase unrestricted donations.

This role is responsible for understanding the demographics and trends of donors and building compelling donor-centered campaigns to substantially increase the impact of American Forests’ Digital & Direct Response program. The Director of Digital & Direct Response works collaboratively with American Forests’ Marketing & Communications team and vendors to deliver impactful, efficient, and effective multi-channel marketing that drive coordinated donor engagement.

Responsibilities:

Campaign Management and Content Development (65%)

• Translate the strategies created by the Chief of Philanthropy and the head of Marketing into projects, action plans, and tactics to grow unrestricted revenue.
• Responsible for all marketing and communications related to growing and retaining digital and direct response donors and donations incorporating innovative multi-channel strategies and novel creative approaches.
• Leads the operational management of all digital and direct response programs – including the budget, program expenses and interacting with and guiding vendors who implement the program’s efforts.
• Works closely with Philanthropy and Marketing & Communications teams to drive a coordinated donor engagement and advocacy strategy to improve targeting and drive campaign effectiveness.
• Collaborates with Marketing & Communications to ensure American Forests’ brand is consistent across all digital & direct response campaigns and coordinates closely with program staff to ensure donor communications reflect organizational priorities and updates.
• Responsible for transforming and continuously evolving American Forests’ sustainer program to increase donor affinity and engagement.
• Implements best practices in digital and direct response to optimize response rates, donor retention, and overall campaign effectiveness.
• Creates scalable processes to foster efficient growth.

Data Analytics and Database Management (30%)

• Utilizes data-driven insights to identify target audiences and tailor messaging for maximum impact and donor response.
• Tracks campaign performance and conducts post-campaign analysis to identify areas for improvement and informs future strategies.
• Researches and analyzes American Forests’ digital and direct response donor population to identify trends, opportunities, and audiences. Actions these insights to make recommendations on strategies, campaigns, and appeals.
• Tracks, analyzes, and reports on key performance indicators, using them to drive decision making and resource allocation.
• Coordinates with Philanthropy Operations to maintain seamless data management.
• Manages state registration for Federated Campaigns for CFC through EarthShare; supports reporting on income.
• Assists with the creation of donation forms and webpages.
• Maintains accurate records of expenses, tracks budget adherence, and provides regular updates.
• Creates a culture of collaboration, best practices and evaluation.

Other Duties (5%)

• Support Philanthropy and Marketing & Communications teams with other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

• 5+ years of relevant experience, including 3 years in a nonprofit setting driving digital and direct response strategies, production and management
• Bachelor’s degree desired; equivalent experience accepted in lieu of
• Solid grasp of the fundamentals of digital and direct response marketing and fundraising, engagement campaigns, platforms and website/database integration, creative development and workflow.
• Demonstrated ability to build consensus and project manage effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including agency partners and other vendors.
• Excellent verbal and written communication; skilled at translating complex technical lingo and processes into simple terms.
• High-energy herder of cats; positive upbeat attitude; thrives in a nimble, get-it-done environment while maintaining strict attention to detail.
• Metrics-driven marketing mind with eye for creativity.
• Proficient in data analysis, capable of clear and accessible reporting; experience using data to inform decisions and drive strategies.
• Strong project, time, and resource management with effective problem-solving skills.
• Monitors for and applies trends and best practices in digital and direct response marketing and fundraising.
• Fluency in CRM/eCRM systems (Raiser’s Edge/Luminate) and Adobe Creative Suite
• Passion and commitment to the mission, vision and culture of American Forests.
• A genuine and proven commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility and to the principals of community-centric fundraising.

Salary Range: $80,000.00 To 100,000.00 Annually