Job description
Direct Marketing Officer
Place of work:
47-49 Durham Street, London, SE11 5JD
Pay band:
E
Salary:
£26,868 - £27,777 pa with excellent benefits
Reports to:
Senior Direct Marketing Officer
Manages:
Volunteers as appropriate
Budget responsibility:
None
Travel:
None
Team description
The Supporter Development and Retention team (SD&R) sits within the Supporter
Development Department and has responsibility for maximising the financial and
non-financial value and loyalty of 300,000+ individual supporters, through direct
marketing activity, to support long-term programme growth for WaterAid. The team is
responsible for maximising commitment and deepening engagement of individual
supporters utilising a diverse portfolio of channels and products including; regular
1
giving, upgrade and cash appeals, stewardship, alternative gifts, legacies, in
memoriam, high-value supporter engagement and gift aid.
The Direct Marketing Officer will be responsible for the plans, delivery, income and
expenditure of key elements of the supporter development and retention programme
both on and offline; whilst working closely with colleagues within the SD&R Team
and key internal and external stakeholders to ensure the effective roll out of the
overall development and retention programme to deliver against team key
performance indicators and income targets.
Job purpose
To manage and deliver key elements of the supporter development and retention
programme, contributing to and ensuring the SD&R team meets agreed objectives;
income targets and other key performance indicators as agreed with the Director of
Communications & Fundraising, within agreed timeframes and budgets.
Accountabilities
1. Play a key project management role in the day-to-day development; management
and delivery of a number of fundraising activities central to the SD&R
programme, including telemarketing campaigns; direct marketing activity, and
online campaigns to generate cash; regular giving; trading and Gift Aid income.
2. Prepare and agree campaign strategies to meet specific objectives within the
Supporter Development and Retention annual plan, taking project management
responsibility for specified campaigns as directed by the SD&R Team Manager
3. Prepare and agree all briefs and supporting documentation required for specified
campaigns, taking responsibility for liaising with all internal and external
stakeholders to support this and ensuring these stakeholders are provided with
all required information for the successful delivery of the campaign
4. To manage relationships with external agencies and suppliers, from account
handlers to Managing Directors to ensure the effective and timely delivery of
campaigns, where appropriate leading on the selection of agency / supplier
through a pitch or tender process and ensuring purchase orders are raised,
quotes obtained and suppliers briefed according to procurement procedures
5. To take an active role in the preparation of annual plans and budgets, utilising
experience and past results to inform recommendations and the preparation and
creation of budgets and detailed activity plans
2
6. To manage specific elements of an expenditure budget of over £1m and income
budget in excess of £28m. To help monitor monthly management accounts and
key performance indicators and to undertake reforecast as required. Ensuring
purchase orders are raised, quotes obtained and suppliers briefed according to
procurement procedures.
7. To regularly monitor, evaluate and analyse campaigns, providing regular results
and recommendations for strategy development based on data-driven insight
8. To oversee the delivery of any campaigns from initial brief through to post
campaign analysis, including acting as first point of contact for external partners,
taking responsibility for resolving queries, trafficking all stages of the project and
escalation of potential problems outside of decision making authority
9. Work closely with the Supporter Services and Database and Analysis Teams to
set up campaigns correctly, with specific regard to coding and fulfilment so that
results reporting can be conducted effectively and accurately
10. Set up effective results monitoring and evaluation reporting for project managed
campaigns, to ensure campaign effectiveness can be analysed and reported on,
utilising this data to make recommendations to maximise income
11. Liaise with team leaders and project managers in other departments to identify
and implement new cross-working opportunities utilising specialist knowledge
and experience in direct marketing
12. To remain up-to-date about developments in the external market-place and
assess the suitability of new, innovative approaches for supporter development
and retention to remain competitive
13. Take responsibility for ensuring that all supporter communications are consistent
with the WaterAid brand, working closely with the International, Policy and
Campaigns, and Communications departments to develop coordinated and
effective messages about WaterAid’s work
14. To manage volunteers as appropriate
15. To deputise as appropriate for the Senior Marketing Officer.
3
Person specification
Essential

















Proven experience of working in a similar fundraising and/or customer
marketing role with expenditure budget of at least £0.5 million.
Successful track record of working in a direct marketing role / team, including
proven and significant experience of planning and executing multi-faceted
supporter development campaigns.
Experience of telemarketing and call handling
Experience of digital direct marketing
Project management experience including identifying opportunities and
managing all aspects of campaign development
Experience in monitoring, evaluating and analysing complex data against a
range of key performance indicators
Strong Excel skills
Ability to work flexibly and independently, to manage varying competing
priorities and meet strict deadlines with often changing priorities
The ability to work as part of a team and to prioritise work accordingly
Excellent written and numeracy skills with attention to detail and the ability to
use spreadsheets to formulate and analyse complex and substantial budgets
and make informed decisions
Ability to make judgements, and recognise when required decision is outside
scope of responsibility
Degree-standard or equivalent professional qualification
Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrable experience of sourcing,
managing, negotiating and liaising with suppliers
Experience of presenting to internal and external stakeholders
A good understanding of fundraising principles
A good understanding of legislation related to direct marketing/data protection
issues
Commitment to WaterAid’s values (Accountable, Always learning,
Collaborative, Courageous, Inclusive, Inspiring) and a working style that
reflects these.
Desirable





A recognised Direct Marketing qualification
Proven track-record of delivering digital direct marketing campaigns
Experience of working in the voluntary/ fundraising sector
An empathy with overseas development issues
‘Hands-on’ experience of using a fundraising or similar database, preferably
Raiser’s Edge
4