Director of Donor Support Operations

Heifer International

1d • $125,000 - $152,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.
About Heifer International
In 1944, Heifer International’s founder, Dan West, began outlining a simple but groundbreaking plan to tackle hunger around the world. West, a farmer from the Midwest and Church of the Brethren member, had recently returned from feeding weary refugees during volunteer service in the Spanish Civil War.
He had seen firsthand that giving people food was a short-term solution, whereas providing them with animals offered a steady supply of nutritious food for an entire family. His philosophy still inspires Heifer’s work today. Partnering with farmers across a range of different livestock and crops, we create unique solutions to local challenges.
Today, Heifer International has operations in 19 countries around the world, working alongside local farmers, business owners and their communities, as they mobilize and envision their futures. Together, we build inclusive, resilient economies, so communities can develop effective ways to end global hunger and poverty in a sustainable way.
To date, we have supported more than 42 million farming families across Africa, Asia and the Americas and in the past five years alone. We have worked alongside 2.7 million families to close the living income gap or set them on a path to doing so. Between now and 2030, we will support an additional 10 million people to reach a living income by scaling up our signature programs. To achieve this, Heifer International relies on its passionate, committed, and highly skilled staff.
ROLE FUNCTION
Overview of the role
This role manages the teams responsible for the core pillars of donor support—donation processing (transaction engine), acknowledgment and fulfillment (post-gift execution), and donor support (service center)— with accountability for integrating these functions into a cohesive operating model aligned with strategic fundraising priorities and the end-to-end donor journey.
THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE
Brings strong people leadership, customer service orientation, and operational excellence, with an emphasis on driving cross-functional alignment and continuous improvement. Service-minded, detail-oriented, collaborative, and goal-oriented, with demonstrated accountability, adaptability, and effectiveness in a fast-paced environment. Possesses strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work diplomatically across diverse teams, and leverages data and best practices to inform decisions and enhance performance.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree + 10 or more years of job-related experience.
• Minimum 5 years of managerial experience in areas such as donor operations, customer service operations, call center management, fulfillment, inventory management, or related functions.
• Operational leadership with the ability to integrate multiple functional areas into a cohesive operating model.
• Strong performance management capability, including establishing KPIs, monitoring results, and driving accountability through team leadership.
• Proven ability to lead and develop managers, fostering collaboration and a service-oriented culture.
• Expertise in process and workflow optimization, with the ability to implement scalable operational improvements.
• Technology fluency, with the ability to evaluate, implement, and leverage systems, automation, and emerging tools (e.g., workflow, payment processing, and contact center platforms) to drive efficiency and scale across donor support operations.
• Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making skills, translating insights into action.
• Effective change management and adaptability in evolving, fast-paced environments.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across functions.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and leadership skills, with the ability to engage effectively, think strategically, and navigate complex situations with diplomacy and sound judgment.
• Inclusive and collaborative leadership style, with the ability to build alignment across diverse teams, perspectives, and organizational levels.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop clear, professional reports, presentations, and documentation.
• Service-oriented leadership approach, with the ability to engage, support, and motivate teams while maintaining accountability for results.
• Ability to assess processes, identify gaps, and implement improvements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and maintain strict confidentiality.
• Regular communication across multiple channels, including in-person, phone, and electronic interaction with colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work at a computer for extended periods, including sitting and moving as needed.
• Ability and willingness to work in a hybrid environment, including regular in-office presence as required by business needs.
• Willingness and ability to travel as required.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated experience leading high-volume, multi-channel operations, including transaction processing, fulfillment, and/or contact center environments.
• Proven ability to integrate operational functions and drive process improvement.
• Experience working with CRM or operational systems (e.g., Blackbaud/BBCRM or similar).

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight across donor support functions, including gift processing, acknowledgment and fulfillment, and service center operations.
• Define and implement an integrated operating model that aligns processes, technology, and performance metrics across all functions.
• Align donor support operations with strategic fundraising priorities, campaigns, and the end-to-end donor journey.
• Ensure donor support functions collectively deliver a consistent, high-quality end-to-end donor experience.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration to improve coordination, reduce silos, and ensure a seamless donor experience.
• Contribute to and operationalize fundraising strategy by aligning operational capabilities with organizational growth goals.
• Lead change management efforts to evolve operations, systems, and team structures in response to organizational needs.
• Establish and monitor SLAs and KPIs across all donor support functions to ensure performance, quality, and donor experience standards are consistently met.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability of operations.
• Identify and implement technology solutions—including automation, workflow tools, and self-service capabilities—to streamline processes, reduce manual effort, and improve speed, accuracy, and donor responsiveness.
• Ensure operational readiness and capacity planning to support campaign growth and seasonal volume fluctuations.
• Leverage data, reporting, and analytics to inform decision-making and identify performance improvement opportunities.
• Ensure consistent implementation of quality assurance practices across all functional areas.
• Lead and develop managers across donor support functions, fostering accountability, collaboration, and high performance.
• Establish clear goals, expectations, and performance management practices across teams.
• Promote a service-oriented culture that prioritizes donor experience and operational excellence.
• Ensure a consistent, high-quality end-to-end donor experience across all service channels.
• Monitor donor feedback and service trends to inform improvements in retention and engagement.
• Develop and manage budgets across donor support operations, including processing, fulfillment, and service functions.
• Forecast operational costs and resource needs aligned with fundraising projections.
• Partner with CRM/data teams (e.g., BBCRM) and internal stakeholders to ensure operational alignment with systems, campaigns, and reporting needs.
• Guide evaluation and implementation of tools and technologies that improve efficiency and scalability.
• Ensure cost-effective operations through oversight of vendor strategy, resource allocation, and operational efficiency.

Benefits

• Health and wellness benefits including Flexible Spending Account and/or Health Saving Account
• Employee assistance program
• 403(b) retirement plan (match 1% employee to 2% employer up to a maximum of 4% match +3% employer discretionary contribution regardless of employee contribution)
• 22 vacation days in addition to 12 statutory and discretionary holidays, and 10 sick days per year
• Employer-paid life insurance and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D)
• Professional development and annual merit increase opportunities
• Optional critical illness insurance, legal assistance plan and pet protection

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager