Description

Risk Level: ☐ Level 3       ☐Level 2 ☐Level 1 

Level 1: Likely to have no contact with participants or sensitive data) 

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 Acquisition and Growth is responsible for building and scaling Mercy Corps’ mass market donor acquisition program across all channels. This role exists to solve a core problem: replacing and growing the donor file. It leads acquisition strategy for a large, multi-million-dollar mass market fundraising program with significant growth runway and is central to Mercy Corps’ long-term growth strategy. 

Reporting to the Senior Director of Mass Market Fundraising, the Director of Acquisition & Growth leads the strategy, performance, and financial management of all mass market acquisition efforts in the U.S. market, including but not limited to digital acquisition, acquisition mail, new-to-Mercy Corps and

emerging channels (e.g., face-to-face), and performance-driven awareness marketing. This role is accountable for significantly expanding acquisition investment over time and ensuring that growth translates into high-quality donors who retain, upgrade, and deliver long-term value. 

A central priority of this position is to design and scale a monthly donor acquisition program that moves beyond conversion-only approaches and supports Mercy Corps’ long-term goal of transitioning the donor file to a majority monthly base over the next 5-10 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 & Growth serves as the business lead for mass market acquisition 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 to identify when and where additional roles 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; analytics partners; 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

●        Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) and 6+ years of experience in mass market fundraising 

●        Significant experience leading donor acquisition or performance-driven fundraising programs at scale, with clear accountability for growth and investment decisions. 

●        Deep expertise in digital acquisition and performance marketing, with demonstrated success 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. 

●        Proven track record of building and scaling monthly donor acquisition programs. 

●        Strong financial and analytical skills, including experience managing large budgets, forecasting, and performance reporting. 

●        Experience working within an evolving marketing tech stack and data environment, and partnering with technical teams to improve segmentation, automation, and measurement over time. 

●        Demonstrated ability to operate cross-functionally and partner effectively across marketing, fundraising, and operations teams. 

●        Commitment to humanitarian mission-driven work and comfort operating in 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

Team Engagement 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 ([email protected]).

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 to disclose any prior convictions at the conclusion of the recruitment process before the check is initiated.  

We ask that you do not disclose any prior convictions in your application materials or during the recruitment process.