Deputy Director of Communications Development - US (flexible US base location)

About the Role

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the lead writer for the Development team, creating a wide range of high-quality, audience-specific materials to engage and steward individual major donors and corporate and foundation partners.
• Develop persuasive and polished donor materials including fact sheets, reports, emails, impact stories, appeals, event talking points, social media copy, blog posts, and other thought leadership content.
• Translate programmatic content into clear, donor-friendly language that highlights impact and aligns with donor interests in areas such as emergency response, food and water security, climate resilience, economic development, and peacebuilding.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to influence, develop and implement multi-channel communications strategies that support donor engagement and increase Mercy Corps' visibility across philanthropic sectors.
• Review and edit materials created by external partners to ensure quality, alignment with messaging, and adherence to Mercy Corps' ethical storytelling standards.
• Manage complex communications projects with multiple stakeholders, timelines, and deliverables.
• Coordinate across departments to source content, maintain brand alignment, and ensure communications reflect Mercy Corps' mission and program impact.
• Lead or support the development of emergency response communications and rapid-turnaround donor engagement materials during crises.
• Track performance and outcomes of communication efforts and suggest improvements for increased engagement and donor retention.
• Balance advancing team objectives and goals with real-time responsiveness and nimbleness.
• Track and analyze the effectiveness of donor communications, using insights to refine strategies and improve outcomes.

Requirements

• Minimum of 7-10 years of experience in communications, with a focus on donor engagement and philanthropic writing.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to adapt voice and tone for diverse audiences and channels.
• Experience managing cross-functional content projects and balancing multiple priorities under tight deadlines.

Nice to Have

• Deep understanding of the philanthropic landscape, particularly donor motivations within the global development and humanitarian sectors.
• Experience developing strategic, donor-centric content for high-net-worth individuals and corporate and foundation partners.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to navigate complexity and ambiguity.
• Ability to build strong relationships across internal teams and external partners.

Qualifications

• Relevant educational background or equivalent experience in communications or related field.

Benefits & Perks

• Position can be based anywhere in the United States with work across global time zones.
• Opportunity to dedicate 5% of time to learning activities that further personal and professional growth.