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- Tasks: Lead direct marketing campaigns to engage and retain supporters for a leading animal charity.
- Company: Join Blue Cross, a top animal welfare charity making a real difference in people's lives.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid work, 38 days holiday, pension scheme, and wellness support.
- Why this job: Make an impact while working in a creative, supportive environment with passionate colleagues.
- Qualifications: Experience in digital marketing or fundraising, strong project management skills, and a strategic mindset required.
- Other info: Opportunity to grow your career while helping pets and people in need.
The predicted salary is between 34000 - 45000 £ per year.
Contract: Fixed term (12 months), full time, 35 hours over 5 days
Location: Burford, (Hybrid – 2 days in the office, 3 days remote)
Salary: £40,000 - £45,000 per annum
Closing Date: Sunday 6 July 2025
Interview Date: w/c 14 July 2025
Are you a passionate and strategic direct marketer? Join Blue Cross, a leading animal welfare charity, and play a vital role in deepening relationships with our supporters to maximise long-term value and impact. Our Individual Giving team raises around £27 million annually, engaging thousands of individuals through cash donations, regular giving, and legacies. As our Direct Marketing Manager (Donor Development), you'll lead our efforts to inspire, engage and retain these valued supporters.
More about the role
Reporting to the Head of Individual Giving, you’ll lead a small, dedicated team to deliver compelling campaigns and stewardship communications across multiple channels – including direct mail, email and phone. You’ll be responsible for managing a wide range of donor development activities. These include planning and delivering cash and raffle appeals, and driving cross-sell initiatives such as converting one-off cash donors into regular givers. Your team will also be key to delivering projects such as Gift Aid stewardship, regular giving upgrades, and reactivation efforts. A central part of the role will be managing the production and distribution of our supporter communications. You’ll collaborate closely with colleagues across the organisation and external agencies to ensure we provide a consistently excellent experience for our supporters, while maximising income and long-term engagement. You’ll bring strategic thinking, creativity and a strong results focus to shape and grow our donor retention and development efforts, ultimately helping us raise more funds to support the pets and people who rely on our services.
Key Responsibilities
- Work with the Head of Individual Giving to develop and deliver a strategic business plan and budget for Donor Development, including milestones, KPIs and income targets.
- Lead a wide portfolio of multichannel campaigns with a focus on cash and raffle appeals, and wider supporter communications (including RG upgrades/conversions and Gift Aid).
- Manage stewardship activities, including ‘thank you’ and update communications.
- Collaborate with your Direct Marketing Manager colleagues in the Individual Giving team to improve supporter engagement and retention, including enhancing regular giving products and materials.
- Ensure all activity aligns with Blue Cross brand guidelines and values.
- Build strong internal and external relationships to deliver effective, insight-driven campaigns.
- Champion continuous improvement by applying best practice to campaign planning, delivery and analysis.
- Line-manage the Donor Development Officer and Assistant, supporting their performance, goals and development.
- Monitor and control income and expenditure, providing regular budget forecasts.
- Work cross-functionally with teams such as Data and Insights, Fulfilment Services and Customer Care to maximise supporter lifetime value.
About you:
You’re an experienced and results-driven direct or digital marketer and/or fundraiser, with a strong understanding of supporter motivations and a passion for delivering excellent supporter experiences. You bring a strategic mindset, a keen eye for detail, and the ability to manage multiple campaigns in a fast-paced environment. You’re confident working to financial targets, optimising budgets, and using insight to drive innovation and continual improvement. A skilled project manager, you’re comfortable juggling priorities and deadlines, while ensuring quality and performance stay high. Your strong communication and interpersonal skills make you a collaborative team player and effective line manager. You build positive relationships across teams and with external partners to deliver ambitious goals.
Essential Qualifications, Skills, and Experience
- Proven experience in Direct or Digital Marketing and/or Fundraising (client or agency side)
- Strong track record in managing agencies and budgets
- Demonstrable success in delivering income growth and supporter engagement
- Excellent project and people management skills
- Good working knowledge of GDPR and fundraising legislation
- Skilled in using CRM databases, with proficiency in Word and Excel
Desirable Qualifications, Skills, and Experience
- Diploma in Direct or Digital Marketing/Fundraising
- Copywriting and content evaluation experience
- Knowledge of lottery, raffle or gaming products
- Experience working with communications or brand teams
- Familiarity with print and production processes
How to apply
Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on Sunday 6 July 2025. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response.
Blue Cross benefits
Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it weren’t for their amazing efforts and commitment, we wouldn’t be able to make the difference that we do today. In return, we want to provide you with the best working environment we can. With a wide range of perks aimed at enhancing your life both inside and outside of work, you'll thrive in a supportive and rewarding environment. Our generous benefits package includes:
- 38 days per year, increasing to 43 with service (including bank holidays). For part-time roles, holiday entitlement is calculated pro-rata.
- Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution
- Life assurance
- Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme
- Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support
- Free access to GP via MetLife
- Recognition scheme
- Annual volunteer days
- Claim for professional fees
- Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers.
We want you to feel valued and supported throughout your career with us. For more details on our benefits and to see how we invest in our team, visit the 'Why Work for Us' page on our website.
Digital Marketing Manager employer: Blue Cross
Contact Detail:
Blue Cross Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Digital Marketing Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Blue Cross's mission and values. Understanding their focus on animal welfare will help you align your responses during interviews, showcasing your passion for the cause.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of Blue Cross. Engaging with them can provide insights into the company culture and expectations, which can be invaluable during your interview.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare specific examples of successful campaigns you've managed in the past. Highlighting your direct marketing experience and results will demonstrate your capability to lead similar initiatives at Blue Cross.
✨Tip Number 4
Stay updated on the latest trends in digital marketing and fundraising. Being knowledgeable about current strategies will allow you to discuss innovative ideas that could benefit Blue Cross during your interview.
We think you need these skills to ace Digital Marketing Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in digital marketing and fundraising. Use keywords from the job description to demonstrate that you meet the essential qualifications and skills.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for animal welfare and your strategic approach to direct marketing. Mention specific campaigns you've led and how they align with the goals of Blue Cross.
Showcase Your Achievements: In both your CV and cover letter, include quantifiable achievements that demonstrate your success in managing budgets and delivering income growth. This will help you stand out as a results-driven candidate.
Proofread and Edit: Before submitting your application, carefully proofread all documents for spelling and grammatical errors. A polished application reflects your attention to detail and professionalism.
How to prepare for a job interview at Blue Cross
✨Know Your Campaigns
Familiarise yourself with Blue Cross's recent campaigns and initiatives. Be ready to discuss how you would approach similar projects, showcasing your strategic thinking and creativity.
✨Demonstrate Your Results Focus
Prepare examples of how you've successfully driven income growth and supporter engagement in previous roles. Use specific metrics to illustrate your achievements and show how you can bring that success to Blue Cross.
✨Showcase Your Team Management Skills
As a potential line manager, be prepared to discuss your management style and how you support team development. Share examples of how you've motivated teams to achieve ambitious goals.
✨Understand the Importance of Compliance
Brush up on GDPR and fundraising legislation relevant to the role. Being knowledgeable about these regulations will demonstrate your professionalism and commitment to ethical marketing practices.
