Mercy Corps
Portland, Oregon, United States
(on-site)
Posted
10 days ago
Job Type
Full-Time
Salary
$90,000.00 - $120,000.00
Salary - Type
Yearly Salary
Job Function
Other
Description
Mercy CorpsMercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer. Employment selection and related decisions are made without regard to sex, race, age, disability, veteran status, religion, national origin, color or any other protected class.
Position Title: Director of Acquisition and Growth - US base (flexible home base)
Description
Location: US - flexible home base
Position Status: Regular, Full Time, Exempt
Salary Level: Starting salary for this role will be from $90,000 USD up to $120,000 USD annually, commensurate with experience.
Closing date: Please submit application including CV and cover letter by February 26
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.
The Team
The Philanthropic Growth & Engagement (PG&E) department works to advance Mercy Corps strategic goals and support our worldwide team by raising flexible funds, profile and influence. The PG&E team encompasses several dozen dynamic professionals who possess a wide range of skills. We are gift officers, direct response fundraisers, web developers, marketers and media relations strategists. We are database managers, digital specialists, creative designers, storytellers and teachers. Most of all, we are passionate about Mercy Corps mission and believe a better world is possible.
The Position
The Director of Acquisitionand Growthis responsible forbuilding and scaling Mercy Corps mass market donor acquisitionprogramacrossallchannels. This role existstosolveacore problem: replacing andgrowing the donor file.It leads acquisition strategy for a large, multi-million-dollar mass market fundraising program with significant growthrunway andis central to Mercy Corps long-term growth strategy.
Reporting to the Senior Director of Mass Market Fundraising, the Director of Acquisition& Growthleads the strategy, performance, and financial management of all mass market acquisition efforts in the U.S. market, including but not limited to digital acquisition, acquisitionmail,new-to-Mercy Corpsand
emergingchannels (e.g., face-to-face), and performance-driven awareness marketing. This role is accountable for significantly expandingacquisitioninvestment over time and ensuring that growth translates into high-quality donors whoretain, upgrade, and deliver long-term value.
A central priority of this position is to design and scale a monthly donor acquisition programthat moves beyond conversion-only approaches and supportsMercy Corps long-term goal oftransitioningthe donor file to a majority monthly base over the next5-10 years.This includes strong alignment between acquisition and retention strategies resulting in improved file health and long-term growth, and building a diversified acquisition portfolio that reduces reliance on any single channel.
The Director of Acquisition& Growthserves as the businessleadformass marketacquisition investments, with responsibility for strategy, expense and revenue budgets, forecasting, and performance management. The role works in close partnership with the Director of Retention & Loyalty to ensure acquisition strategies support retention, lifetime value, and file health.
Essential Responsibilities
ACQUISITION STRATEGY & GROWTH LEADERSHIP
- Own and lead Mercy Corps mass market acquisition strategy across online and offline channels, including but not limited to digital acquisition, direct mail acquisition, performance media, emerging channels, and future models such as face-to-face fundraising.
- Digital acquisition is expected to be a primary opportunity driver of future growth, while continuing to grow and integrate with offline acquisition channels.
- Design, launch, and scale a monthly donor acquisition program that drives sustained growth and long-term value, not just short-term volume.
- Identify and develop new acquisition channels and approaches that diversify risk, expand reach, and support long-term file growth.
- Lead performance-driven awareness efforts in partnership with Brand Marketing, ensuring awareness investments are directly tied to donor acquisition outcomes.
- Co-develop integrated acquisition and retention strategies with the Director of Retention & Loyalty, aligning donor quality, targeting, and long-term value metrics.
- Translate organizational growth goals into clear acquisition plans, investment strategies, and performance expectations.
PERFORMANCE, ANALYTICS & FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
- Serve as the business manager for mass market acquisition, with leadership of acquisition expense and revenue budgets, including annual planning, forecasting, and reforecasting.
- Lead investment decision-making with a focus on cost to acquire, first-year value, long-term ROI, and lifetime value.
- Establish and manage performance frameworks that prioritize donor quality, retention outcomes, and long-term file health alongside volume and efficiency.
- Partner closely with Development Operations, analytics teams, and agencies to improve segmentation, targeting, testing, and performance measurement over time.
- Use data, testing, and insight to guide scaling decisions, manage risk, and continuously improve acquisition effectiveness.
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP & INFLUENCE
- Partner closely with Brand Marketing to develop the website fundraising funnel and ensure digital experiences support acquisition and conversion goals.
- Work collaboratively across PG&E functions to align acquisition efforts with organizational priorities.
- Manage and direct agency and vendor partners, setting clear performance expectations and holding partners accountable to results.
- Represent Mass Market Fundraising in cross-functional planning and investment discussions related to growth, awareness, and acquisition.
TEAM & FUNCTION BUILDING
- Serve as the architect of Mercy Corps future acquisition function,working with the Senior Director toidentifywhen and whereadditionalroles are needed to support scale.
- Hire and manage acquisition-focused staff over time, beginning with roles designed to support expanded acquisition investment and complexity.
- Build a culture of performance, testing, accountability, and learning within the acquisition function.
SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES
- Actively learns about safeguarding and integrates it into their work, including safeguarding risks and mitigations related to their area of work.
- Practices the values of Mercy Corps including respecting the dignity and well-being of participants and fellow team members.
- Encourages openness and communication in their team; encourages team members to submit reports if they have any concerns using reporting mechanisms e.g., Integrity Hotline and other options.
Supervisory Responsibility
None.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Senior Director, Mass Market Fundraising
Works Directly With: Director of Retention & Loyalty; Brand Marketing;Communications; Development Operations;analyticspartners; external agencies and vendors
Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders
Mecry Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
- Bachelors degree (or equivalent) and 6+ years of experience in mass market fundraising
- Significant experienceleading donor acquisition or performance-driven fundraising programs at scale, with clear accountability for growth and investment decisions.
- Deepexpertisein digital acquisition and performance marketing, withdemonstratedsuccess scaling programs over time.
- Experience overseeing multi-channel acquisition efforts, including online and offline channels; familiarity with emerging channels such as face-to-face fundraising is a plus.
- Proventrack recordof building and scaling monthly donor acquisition programs.
- Strong financial and analytical skills, including experience managing large budgets, forecasting, and performance reporting.
- Experience working withinanevolvingmarketingtech stackand dataenvironment, and partnering with technical teams to improve segmentation, automation, and measurement over time.
- Demonstrated ability tooperatecross-functionally and partner effectively across marketing, fundraising, and operations teams.
- Commitment to humanitarian mission-driven work and comfortoperatingin complex, growth-oriented organizations.
- Prior people management experience.
Success Factors
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
This position can be based remotely or hybrid in one of our headquarters locations Portland, Oregon or Washington, D.C. Travel may be required up to 25% of the time for donor meetings, conferences, or in person workshops and retreats.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
TeamEngagement and Effectiveness
Achieving our mission starts with how we build our team and collaborate. By bringing together individuals with a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives, we strengthen our ability to solve complex challenges and drive innovation. We foster a culture of trust and respect, where every team member is valued for their contributions, empowered to reach their full potential, and motivated to do their best work. We recognize that building a strong and effective team is an ongoing process, and we remain committed to learning, improving, and growing together.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under applicable law.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
As an applicant, if you witness or experience any form of sexual misconduct during the recruitment process, please report this to Mercy Corps Integrity Hotline (integrityhotline@mercycorps.org).
As a safeguarding measure, Mercy Corps screens all potential US-Based employees.This is done following the conclusion of recruitment and prior to assuming full employment. Our screening process is designed to be transparent and completed in partnership with new Team Members. You will have the opportunity todiscloseany prior convictions at the conclusion of the recruitment process before the check isinitiated.
We ask that you do notdiscloseany prior convictions in your application materials or during the recruitment process.
PI282387618
Job ID: 82543693