Assistant Vice President, Direct Mail

UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND•Washington, DC

69d•$160,000 - $165,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Assistant Vice President assists in executing the tactics that emanate from the strategic direction for the organization’s Direct Mail program maintaining alignment with the organization’s broader strategic goals. This leader oversees execution, performance, and long‑term growth of a high‑performing fundraising portfolio that generates approximately $9-10 million in net income annually through direct mail, email, and digital campaigns. The AVP is responsible for assisting in expanding and sustaining a broad-based donor pipeline by: Driving acquisition of new donors and strengthening stewardship and retention of existing donors Executing on multi-channel fundraising and marketing strategies across direct mail, email, and digital. Managing the stewardship program for donors which includes the automated acknowledgement program, donor services, manual acknowledgement of certain donors, e.g. stock, IRA and DAF Enhancing program performance, increasing donor participation, and ensuring long-term revenue sustainability in support of HBCUs

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred.
8–10 years of experience in fundraising, with a strong emphasis on direct response or grassroots fundraising.
3–5 years of management experience
Proven success managing multi-channel fundraising campaigns and driving revenue growth
Experience working with external vendors and campaign production processes
Demonstrated strong multitasking and prioritization skills; ability to drive up to six daily projects from planning to delivery without delays.
Demonstrated strong verbal and written communication skills
Demonstrated creative writing skills
Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making skills
Deep understanding of donor behavior and direct mail performance drivers
Experience with CRM (Raisers’ Edge, Luminate Online) systems and donor databases
Ability to manage multiple campaigns and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
Strong communication and leadership skills

Nice To Haves

master’s degree preferred

Responsibilities

Lead the execution of comprehensive direct mail strategies to drive donor acquisition, retention, reactivation, and upgrades
Oversee the planning and execution of integrated multi-channel campaigns (direct mail, email, digital, SMS)
Develop and refine annual campaign premium offers, segmentation strategies, and test plans to optimize performance
Manage direct mail revenue and net income goals, ensuring consistent and increasing performance against targets
Evaluate and interpret campaign performances, donor trends, and key metrics (response rates, ROI, retention) to inform strategy
Drive testing methodologies and continuous improvement practices to increase donor engagement and lifetime value
Design and manage donor journeys from first gift through sustained engagement
Develop strategies to grow one-time, monthly, annual giving and payroll deductions to deepen donor relationships and increase revenues
Ensure consistent, compelling donor messaging aligned with organizational priorities
Design and oversee relationships with external vendors, including agencies, printers, and data partners
Ensure efficient execution of campaigns, including production timelines, budgets, and deliverables
Partner with internal teams to maintain data integrity, segmentation accuracy, and reporting consistency
Develop and develop and manage budgets for direct mail including forecasting and expense tracking
Monitor and report on revenue performance and provide regular reporting and insights to VP, Direct Response
Ensure accurate tracking and recording of contributions in partnership with internal teams
Assist in working collaboratively with marketing, communications, and other development teams to align messaging and campaign execution as assigned by VP, Direct Response
Partner with VP, Direct Response and senior leadership to support strategic priorities and program growth
Perform other duties as assigned (Work with staff of Workplace Initiatives. Prospect Research & Donor Services subdivisions as assigned to learn and understand their processes.)