World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, seeks a Manager, Donor Communications & Stewardship

Major Function

The Donor Communications & Stewardship (DCS) Manager is an integral member of the Donor Communications and Stewardship team. Reporting to the Director of Stewardship Communications, the manager plays a lead role in designing, implementing, and executing a comprehensive donor stewardship and recognition strategy that promotes engagement and connection with donors at all levels to support fundraising goals. The DCS Manager will think strategically and creatively about donor communications, stewardship, and recognition, providing creative solutions to develop and enhance donor relationships, and will help to establish stewardship and recognition standards across WWF to advance a pervasive and enthusiastic culture of philanthropy.

Stewardship + Recognition

• Manage stewardship and recognition efforts broadly, in collaboration with the Director, and devise strategies for effective messaging and engagement with donors at all levels.
• Coordinate and contribute to annual stewardship and recognition activities, including WWF’s Annual Report.
• Refine and further develop recently launched major donor stewardship and recognition program, and serve as the DCS lead on program ideation and implementation, with input from Donor Communications and Stewardship leadership and the Regional Philanthropy team.
• Collaborate with the Director of Stewardship Communications and others to review existing donor recognition societies and associated benefits annually to maximize impact and effectiveness. As part of this, review and update stewardship matrix twice annually, and socialize with giving teams to get buy-in as needed.
• Partner with giving teams to identify top stewardship prospects and collaborate to create annual and multi-year stewardship plans for those individuals.
• Identify opportunities to recognize donors through flagship publications, including WWF’s magazine, annual report, and digital properties like WWF’s website and Nature Breaking podcast.
• Oversee regular updates to acknowledgement letter templates and thank you letters from senior leadership to ensure they are on message and follow best practices, and review high-touch letters weekly for quality control purposes.
• Work closely with the Events team and gift officers in support of cultivating customized donor event experiences and creating unique stewardship events.
• In collaboration with the Director of Development Systems, build systems to track metrics that allow for evaluation of existing stewardship and recognition efforts in Blackbaud CRM to measure and inform areas of expansion and opportunity.
• Stay apprised of industry best practices for donor stewardship and recognition, engaging in professional content through webinars, conferences, articles, and other sources of information to inform and refine strategies.
• Manage portions of the DCS expense budget, tracking related expenses and annual expense projections.

Donor Communications

• Work closely with the Director of Stewardship Communications and others to develop and execute a planned, robust stewardship communications strategy, including digital (web, social, and email) and print streams. Serve as a key contributor to the development of an annual Stewardship and Communications content calendar.
• Lead the production of recurring and bespoke donor communications and recognition products, including holiday cards, special reports, and calendars; and oversee mailing/distribution of communications materials.
• Assist with digital content creation, including conceptualizing and writing content for regular email updates to donors, social media, web stories, and more.
• Leverage a broad awareness of institutional communications priorities to develop a robust donor communications calendar and to keep gift officers informed, as needed, for direct donor outreach.
• Liaise regularly with communicators across WWF to devise donor communications strategies that reflect institutional conservation priorities.
• Address donor questions and concerns related to WWF conservation projects and priorities, and other information related to organizational transparency and accountability.
• In collaboration with the Director of Stewardship Communications, review and evaluate sources of donor feedback, including donor survey responses, direct conversations via Development gift officers, and other means of input that provide insight into donor interests and inform donor communication strategies.
• Perform other duties and take on other responsibilities as required according to organizational needs.

• Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent) A Master’s degree may substitute for up to 2 years of work experience.
• MUST have 6+ years of experience in a non-profit stewardship role
  • including demonstrated success in nonprofit fundraising and donor stewardship and communications.
  • Working in a CRM database (strong preference)
  • Advanced understanding of nonprofit sector and principles of stewardship, donor communications, and fundraising.
  • Successful track record of developing and executing innovative donor stewardship and recognition strategies guided by industry best practices.
  • Demonstrated skills in analysis and problem-solving, as well as strategic goal setting, planning, and successful implementation of new programs or services.
  • Effective strategic planning experience with the ability to quantify measurable short- and long-range goals and other metrics.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including copyediting and content generation for digital and print channels.
• Must be detail-oriented, highly organized, and proactive with an entrepreneurial spirit and passion for WWF’s Mission.
• Proven ability to manage systems, set priorities, and work independently and within deadlines in a fast-paced work environment.
• Position may evolve to include management of one position. Previous experience managing and mentoring a team desired but not required.
• Exceptional customer service and project management skills, and the ability to display tact and professionalism in all communications with colleagues and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Knowledge of Blackbaud CRM software, or other experience in large databases, and/or Adobe Creative Suite desired but not required.
• Ability to be adaptable, flexible, and responsive.
• Ability to maintain the highest degree of confidentiality regarding donor information.
• Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion within and across teams.
• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values:
  • COURAGE – We demonstrate courage through our actions, we work for change where it’s needed, and we inspire people and institutions to tackle the greatest threats to nature and the future of the planet, which is our home.
  • INTEGRITY – We live the principles we call on others to meet. We act with integrity, accountability and transparency, and we rely on facts and science to guide us and to ensure that we learn and evolve.
  • RESPECT – We honor the voices and knowledge of people and communities that we serve, and we work to secure their rights to a sustainable future.
  • COLLABORATION – We deliver impact at the scale of the challenges we face through the power of collective action and innovation.

WWF is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and requires all US-based staff to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. WWF will consider requests for accommodation from the vaccine requirement based on disability, medical contraindication, sincerely held religious belief, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

To Apply:

• Submit cover letter and resume through our Careers Page, Requisition #24085
• Due to the high volume of applications we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone

As an EOE/AA employer, WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status. WWF values diversity and inclusion and welcomes diverse candidates to apply.