Donor Relations Representative – Resource Development

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Mercy Corps helps people turn the crises they confront into the opportunities they deserve. Driven by local needs, our programs provide communities in the world’s toughest places – places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Haiti – with the tools and support they need to transform their own lives.

Resource Development (RD) staff work in three main areas: 1) raising private funds and cultivating and maintaining relationships with private donors; 2) defining the agency’s brand, raising our public profile and sharing stories about our work by engaging with the media, the public, and our supporters and producing a wide range of online and offline communications; and 3) teaching visitors to our Portland Action Center about issues of global poverty and engaging them in efforts to end it.

The RD team includes several dozen dynamic professionals who possess a wide range of skills. We are database managers, web developers, internet marketers and public relations experts. We are writers, designers, photographers and teachers. We are fundraisers with expertise in direct response, online, community, major gift and corporate giving. We are specialists in fundraising analysis, stewardship, prospecting and customer service. Most of all, we are passionate about Mercy Corps’ mission and dedicated to supporting our worldwide team that’s improving the lives of 19 million people in 36 countries.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Donor Relations Representative provides compassionate, personal and timely customer service to Mercy Corps donors, promoting donor loyalty and generating fundraising revenue. This position responds to donor inquiries over the phone, via email and in writing, including assisting monthly donors with their account. S/he provides back up for gift data entry as needed.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

In cooperation with other Donor Relations Representative(s):

• Represent Mercy Corps by clear, accurate and gracious communication with donors, donor prospects and the public in person, over the phone and in written correspondence, including all email.
• Respond to donor inquiries, requests and complaints within established time deadlines. Report promptly to Director of Development Operations when volume exceeds capacity to respond in a timely manner.
• Provide coverage for donor services phones; back-up for other staff when not the primary phone coverage; respond to and manage all incoming emails from all public email addresses.
• Create and maintain a positive and productive donor and customer experience including during complaints or difficult interactions.
• Maintain current knowledge about and demonstrate understanding of Mercy Corps’ programs. Perform research as necessary to provide accurate information to donors.
• Provide assistance and supervision to temporary employees and volunteers during high-volume periods.
• Act as liaison with the Pax World Fund and provide service to Pax World Global Citizen program participants.
• Cross train with and back up gift data entry team as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Organizational Learning

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve - we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

None

ACCOUNTABILITY:

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Director of Development Operations

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Donor Relations Representative, Development Operations team, Director of Development Operations, RD Team Leaders, other Mercy Corps team members

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent in a related field.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite in general.
• At least 1 year experience with customer service, hospitality or inbound/outbound call centers.
• At least 1 year experience responding to customer complaints.
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills, including grammar and spelling.
• 50 wpm minimum; high accuracy.
• Good at prioritizing tasks.
• Preference for prior experience in a non-profit.

SUCCESS FACTORS:

A successful candidate will be a strong, compassionate communicator with the proven ability to respond to many urgent phone calls, emails and written requests from donors and the public in a calm, personal and timely manner. S/he will have a demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with people from many walks of life. An even temperament, kindness under pressure, and a good sense of humor will be important assets in this position. A proven ability to learn quickly, take initiative and be accountable for results is important. S/he will be curious about Mercy Corps’ work and its mission and have an awareness of and sensitivity to multi-cultural international development work.

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

Position is based in Portland, Oregon at Mercy Corps Headquarters.

Submitting a resume online at a job site could cause valuable screening information to be missed.

Please apply directly at http://mercycorps.silkroad.com/epostings/submit.cfm?fuseaction=app.dspjo...

Mercy Corps is an AA/EOE.