Deputy Director of Communications Development

BrightPlus3; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 76,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global organization is seeking a Deputy Director of Communications to craft compelling narratives and manage donor communications. This role requires a seasoned professional with deep experience in philanthropic writing and strong strategic thinking abilities, aimed at enhancing donor engagement and developing impactful content.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7–10 years of experience in communications.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills.
• Experience managing cross-functional content projects.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the lead writer for the Development team.
• Manage complex communications projects with multiple stakeholders.
• Develop persuasive donor materials and strategies.

Skills

Communication

Storytelling

Project Management

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Location:Portland, OR or Washington, DC, or remote US

Position Status: Full-time, Exempt, Regular

Salary Level: annual salary range for this role is $76,800 upto $ 91,200 - commensurate on professional experience

RiskLevel: Level3: access to sensitive data, and/or high level of accountability.

Closing date: Please submit application by June 22nd

Application details: PleaseAttach 2-3 writing samples targeting philanthropic audience as part of the application.

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 solutionsinto action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.Now, and for the future.

The Program / Department / Team

The Donor Communications and Engagement team exists to strengthen Mercy Corps’ fundraising success by supporting a high-impact donor experience across diverse audiences and global regions through various stages and methods of engagement. As a cross-functional team within the Development department, we align strategy, communications, and project leadership to enhance donor engagement and cultivate strategic partnerships and relationships. We amplify Mercy Corps’ voice and vision, helping drive revenue growth and donor retention.

The Position

Mercy Corps is seeking a Deputy Director of Communications to serve as the lead writer and content strategist supporting the Development department. This position develops compelling communications that steward high-value individual donors and engage corporate and foundation partners in our mission. An exceptional storyteller and strategic thinker, the Deputy Director will translate complex global programmatic work into clear, engaging, and tailored donor communications that drive action and deepen relationships. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in philanthropic and donor communications, especially for major gift donors, alongside a strong understanding of the priorities of corporate and foundation funders. This position works cross-functionally to shape content that advances fundraising objectives and elevates Mercy Corps' voice within the philanthropic and private sectors.

Essential Responsibilities

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS AND CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

• 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.

CROSS TEAM COLLABORATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT

• 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.

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Director of Communications, Development

Works Directly With: Deputy Director of Donor Engagement, Development, Director of Major Gifts, High Impact Philanthropy, Directors of Corporate Partnerships, Directors of Foundation Partnerships, Development Officers

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy 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

•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.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will have a proven track record of developing strategic, donor-centric content for high-net-worth individuals and corporate and foundation partners. They will bring a strong understanding of the philanthropic landscape, particularly donor motivations within the global development and humanitarian sectors. Highly organized and self-motivated, they excel at navigating complexity and ambiguity and are skilled collaborators who build strong relationships across internal teams and with external partners.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position can be based anywhere in the United States and will work across global time zones.

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.

TeamEngagement 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 that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out different backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can becollectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

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 ([e-mail]).