The Individual Giving Officer will be accountable for significantly enhancing the impact of Mercy Ships Canada’s (MSCA) revenue-generating initiatives related to individuals and families. The role will lead MSCA’s comprehensive initiative to grow our philanthropic support in all regions of Canada, a crucial aspect of our mission, and ensure that individual donors experience high-quality interactions with the organization that foster long-term engagement and investment in our work.

The role involves ensuring all Mercy Ships Canada (MSCA) current and new supporters are engaged, stewarded, retained, uplifted, and encouraged to deepen their commitment. Using a multi-channel approach, the main goal of this role is to develop, implement, and monitor the effectiveness of individual giving and planned and legacy initiatives that not only deliver income growth but also offer significant opportunities for increasing donor engagement. The role reports to the Philanthropy & Engagement Director.

As part of an ambitious new strategy, the role will lead the entire scope of the Individual Giving program, both post and digital, ensuring organized scheduling of all communications as effectively as possible. They will also be responsible for all MSC’s supporter journeys across channels, market segments, and organizational relationships. The individual will be experienced in applying their professional education and experience to improve the performance of the individual giving program, always keeping in mind the values of Mercy Ships and the impact of donor acquisition cost (DAC) payback period and return on investment (ROI) considerations.

Success in the role offers the opportunity to significantly impact Mercy Ships Canada's mission and the lives of those we serve. It requires close collaboration with the Philanthropy and Engagement Director, MSCA staff, Mercy Ships International colleagues, and partners in a proactive manner that fosters an attitude of continuous learning and improvement. The individual will model professional behaviour that motivates and encourages others to adopt a growth mindset.

Mercy Ships provides free surgeries and medical training in Africa using hospital ships. Over 1,200 volunteers worldwide join Mercy Ships each year to donate their time and skills. Mercy Ships has worked in more than 56 nations, providing services and treatment to more than 2.68 million individuals. Mercy Ships follows the model of Jesus and seeks to love and serve people in great need, be people of integrity, and be people of excellence in all we say and do.  MSCA supports surgical training projects that align with the global organization’s core values and goals. We also support Canadian volunteers who donate their time and skills to the organization’s international work.

Planning, Monitoring & Evaluations

•  Contributes to creating, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the key performance indicators to assess and enhance individual giving fundraising performance.

• Evaluate the stewardship process and provide recommendations on new initiatives for market-level, mid-level, major donors, estate planning, and legacy gift initiatives.

•  Analyzes relevant data to evaluate and inform the development and fundraising plans of MSCA for individual donors.

• Conducts market research and utilizes professional development opportunities so MSCA is aware of and adapts to the latest trends and developments in marketing fundraising.

• Uses technology and data analytics to manage and monitor donor information and produce data-driven measurement and reporting of the progress of fundraising goals. Acts as fundraising and development database super-user, taking courses and professional training as needed to deliver high accuracy, analysis, and reports from the CRM.

• Ensures that project milestones are met and adhering to approved budgets.

Fundraising

•  Creates and oversees the timely implementation of an approved calendar of activities for individual donors. Helps coordinate the implementation of the fundraising initiatives in annual, quarterly, and monthly marketing calendars.

•  Manage the implementation of successful market-level, mid-level, and major new individual donor and stewardship campaigns using a variety of marketing channels and fundraising tactics, in the context of Mercy Ship's branding policies and the goals of increasing and retaining the donor base.

•  Provides operational leadership in the planning, development, implementation, and ongoing review of effective and efficient fundraising campaign plans. Works with various internal and external team members to drive campaign implementation and ensure coordination of engagement opportunities to cultivate existing and prospective partners.

Business Development Relationship Management

• Provide advice and strategic counsel to the Philanthropy and Engagement Director on identifying and securing major gifts from individuals.

• Proactively instills and nurtures positive, collegial, collaborative relations with MSCA team members and external stakeholders to discover and understand their personal objectives and their potential connections with Mercy Ships. In consultation with the senior MSCA leaders, brings together partners and coordinates actions to ensure that key individuals are approached in a coordinated manner.

Communications

• Identifies opportunities to actively build Mercy Ships' presence and reputation through networking at conferences, stakeholder and community events, etc., emphasizing individual donors.

• Reviews and updates content and communications for individuals, including thank you letters, official donation receipts, condolence letters, etc., to ensure they remain current and utilize best practices and ethical standards in accordance with Mercy Ships brand directives.

•  Contributes to writing, editing, and content development for annual reports, program materials, direct mail, articles, newsletters, and press releases.

• Collaborate with internal team members, the Mercy Ships Global Branding team, and external colleagues to ensure alignment in the execution of initiatives. Leverage the insights, success, and resources of the Mercy Ships network of national offices and Global Branding for use in the English—and French-speaking Canadian markets.

• Proven big-picture, strategic, and analytical thinking skills, with the ability to coordinate and execute projects or campaigns on time and within budget.

• Set goals, prioritize tasks, and carry out responsibilities to achieve quality results.

• Consistently collaborate with team members, sharing thoughts and differences openly.

• Take action to avoid or solve problems and create opportunities for positive change.

•  Demonstrate respect, consideration, and acceptance of others' opinions while expressing their expertise, effectively utilizing relevant resources and specialists, and contributing to ongoing personal and professional development.

• Ability to negotiate commercial relationships and maintain confidential information.

• Be receptive to new ideas and adapt to change as necessary.

•  Superior written and oral communications skills, with a flair for finding the tone, voice, image, and content to fit diverse audiences and reflect the mission, vision, and values of Mercy Ships Canada. Experience using and/or knowledge of the StoryBrand approach to marketing is a strong asset.

•  A minimum of five years of progressive experience in business development, sales, fundraising and communications. 

• Excellent project coordination and interpersonal skills, demonstrated ability to deliver on quick turn-around requests and structure and relay information creatively and sensitively to internal and external stakeholders.

•  Proven ability to identify, establish relations and foster relationships, close, and retain donors at the mid and major levels.

•  Experience in the use of data analysis and CRM software. (Knowledge of Donor Perfect Online is an asset).  

•  Proficient in programs such as Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, database management, Adobe Creative Suite, and web-based interfaces.

•  Interest in (or experience with) using Artificial Intelligence in marketing and/or fundraising is an asset.

• Strongly supportive of the mission and vision of Mercy Ships and a deep commitment to its core values and organizational culture.

• High level of professionalism, motivation, and initiative.  Superior ability to engage key stakeholders, prospects, and donors.

• A minimum of a bachelor’s in business administration, Commerce, Marketing, and/or Communications, or a relevant field. Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) certification is preferred.

• Fluent in English. Proficient in French through completing an immersion program (or equivalent) is considered a strong asset.

• Clean criminal record check.

•  The position will be in the Mercy Ships Canada Victoria, B.C. office.

•  40-hour work week; 8-hour shifts Monday to Friday with some flexibility to organize work schedule around the office hours of 8:00 and 4:00 pm PST. 

•  After completing a probationary period and achieving and maintaining a “Successful Performer” standard in all areas of your work, Mercy Ships Canada offers the possibility of a hybrid work arrangement for certain months of the year, except for December. The hybrid work arrangement would typically involve working remotely two days per week.

•  The role requires some business travel.

Mercy Ships Canada's working conditions align with the provincial Employment Standards Act.