Direct Response Specialist

The American Legion; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The American Legion is seeking a Direct Response Specialist to coordinate campaign execution with external agencies, ensure internal alignment, and monitor messaging to support fundraising and membership priorities. You will serve as the primary liaison, ensuring campaign quality, timeliness, and visibility while managing reporting based on agency data.

You will collaborate with Marketing, Finance, and senior leadership, review creative for brand consistency, and help translate fundraising goals

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, business, or related field.
• 3-5 years of direct response marketing, fundraising support, or agency-facing experience.
• Experience working with external agencies or vendors.
• Exposure to fundraising or membership-based organizations.
• Strong organizational and coordination skills with the ability to manage multiple timelines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to review messaging and provide actionable feedback.
• Proficiency in Excel or reporting tools.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with the external direct response agency and internal stakeholders.
• Review agency recommendations and facilitate internal feedback and approvals.
• Ensure agency deliverables align with organizational expectations and timelines.
• Review campaign messaging for brand consistency and audience alignment.
• Analyze agency performance reports and prepare executive summaries.
• Maintain historical campaign records and present results to leadership.
• Assist in tracking campaign expenses and coordinating invoices.

Skills

Organizational skills

Coordination skills

Communication

Agency experience

Fundraising knowledge

Excel/reporting tools

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or related field

Job description

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The Direct Response Specialist coordinates campaign execution with external agencies, ensures internal alignment, and oversees messaging to support fundraising and membership priorities. Serving as the primary liaison, this role maintains campaign quality, timeliness, and visibility while managing reporting based on agency data.

Agency Coordination & Oversight

• Serve as the primary point of contact for the external direct response agency
• Communicate fundraising priorities to the agency, including guidance on emphasis (e.g., donor file growth vs. revenue generation)
• Review agency recommendations and facilitate internal feedback and approval processes
• Ensure agency deliverables align with organizational expectations and timelines

Campaign Governance & Messaging Review

• Review campaign creative and messaging to ensure alignment with organizational values, brand standards, and constituent expectations
• Review campaign messaging for alignment with organizational priorities, brand standards, and audience expectations, providing recommendations for refinement when appropriate.
• Provide feedback to the agency to refine messaging where appropriate
• Ensure appropriate internal stakeholders have visibility into campaign content prior to deployment

Internal Coordination

• Coordinate with Marketing, Media & Communications, finance and other impacted divisions to ensure awareness and alignment of campaign activity
• Manage campaign calendars and ensure timing aligns with fundraising priorities and organizational initiatives
• Facilitate communication between the agency and internal stakeholders, including senior leadership as needed.

Reporting & Internal Communication

• Analyze agency performance reports and prepare executive summaries highlighting campaign performance, trends, and recommendations.
• Maintain historical campaign records for internal reference and continuity
• Present summarized campaign results to leadership, focusing on clarity and relevance

Budget & Administrative Support

• Assist in tracking campaign-related expenses against approved budgets
• Coordinate invoice processing with Finance and maintain supporting documentation
• Maintain organized records of campaign materials, approvals, and reporting
• Other duties as assigned

REPORTING directly to the Manager of Development and Fundraising

Education/Technical Knowledge:

Bachelor’s degree in marketing, Communications, Business, or related field

Additional Skills Needed:

• Strong organizational and coordination skills with the ability to manage multiple timelines
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in reviewing messaging and content
• Experience working with external agencies or vendors
• Exposure to fundraising or membership-based organizations
• Basic proficiency in Excel or reporting tools
• Organizational awareness and sound judgment
• Cross-functional coordination
• Attention to detail and process discipline
• Communication and stakeholder management
• Ability to synthesize and present information clearly
• Timeliness and effectiveness of campaign coordination
• Quality and clarity of internal reporting
• Responsiveness and effectiveness in agency communication
• Accuracy and completeness of campaign documentation
• Effectiveness in identifying and addressing messaging concerns

Experience:

3-5 years of experience in direct response marketing, fundraising support, or agency-facing roles

Supervision of Others:

This position involves no responsibility of authority for the direction of others.

Problem Solving:

Involves the evaluation, refining and improving of concepts and practices or the trying out of developments and ideas of others.

Impact of Decisions:

Work involves opportunities for errors in the soundness and timing of judgements that would have a serious short-term effect on overall operations and budgets.

Internal and Public Contacts:

Outside organization which could affect the prestige of the organization and would involve influencing various citizens and the community.

Physical Factors and Working Conditions:

The employee is regularly required to talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus, either corrected or uncorrected. Works in a well-lighted, air-conditioned office environment. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Position requires the incumbent to travel extensively. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the physical demands of the job.