The Role

Reporting to the Supporter Relationships Manager, The Supporter Relationships Officer has a strong focus on donor retention, providing customer service through phone, email, mail, SMS and other communication channels to deepen donor engagement. This includes both responsive customer care in responding to inbound enquiries, and proactive outbound donor engagement initiatives such as writing personalised notes, making phone calls to deepen donor relationships, and skillfully communicating about Black Dog Institute’s mental health impact to inspire new donors and re-inspire existing donors.

This role is responsible for processing donations received by mail and via electronic funds transfer in a timely and accurate way, including ensuring correct database coding of funds and accurate and timely receipting to ensure a seamless donor experience. This role is also responsible for administrative activities related to mail and EFT donation processing to support regular financial reconciliation. This is a highly valued role in the team which provides general administrative, fundraising and customer service-based support for the wider Funding and Partnerships team.

Duties & Responsibilities

Donations Processing and Administration

• Ensure that the Black Dog Institute fundraising post office box is checked, emptied and actioned at least twice per week and more frequently during appeal and campaign periods.

• Process and receipt all mail donations in a timely and accurate manner.

• On a weekly basis, check the F&P safe and process any cheques or correspondence received.

• Download EFT report daily, enter all EFT donations into Raisers Edge, and proactively follow up with appropriate team members for required information to ensure correct processing.

• Process return to sender mail on a weekly basis, and more frequently during peak campaign and appeal periods.

• Relocate donations to correct coding in the database, when requested.

• Liaise with all F&P teams to ensure that all receipt templates are kept up to date in both Raisers Edge and Raisely platforms and ensure that the appropriate receipts are generated for the correct campaigns.

• Ensure that donation receipts are produced and sent to the donor within agreed service level timeframes.

• On a regular basis, liaise with Black Dog Institute’s finance team to ensure that cheques and cash are deposited into the Donations Bank Account at NAB

• Process refunds of donations, with approval by the Senior Manager, Supporter Engagement as directed.

• Create donation invoices for team members as requested.

• Fulfil outbound mail communications to Black Dog Institute's regular donors as directed.

Supporter Relationships

• Update supporter information, including contact details and process supporter requests, including updating of regular giving records.

• Promptly triaging and managing all inbound donor enquiries received by email, mail, phone and SMS to reduce escalations beyond the Supporter Relationships team and ensure a positive donor experience.

• Assist the wider F&P team with proactive supporter engagement activities, such as making regular outbound calls to welcome, thank and inspire donors, and issuing donor correspondence by mail.

• Ensure that appropriate resolution is provided to all donor queries regarding donations and receipts.

• Inspire existing donors to retain or increase their financial support of Black Dog Institute using a range of telemarketing techniques, to meet financial targets.

• Inspire new donors to support Black Dog Institute through regular donations, community events, gifts in wills, corporate support, volunteering and other opportunities.

• Administrate SMS communications such as return to sender mail follow-up and timely donor engagement updates.

• Complete administrative duties associated with appeals and donor care, handwriting thank you notes, inclusion of “with compliments" slips, or other activities.

• Triaging complaints and requests for mental health referrals and escalating these requests where necessary.

• Identify opportunities for improving the quality of donor relationships or building efficiency in donor communications through day-to-day interactions with supporters.

Database Administration

• Perform accurate and complete entry of supporter information and updating of records.

• Ensure process documents are kept accurate and up to date and identify improvements to database procedures to ensure the entirety of donor interactions are captured.

• Comply with data protocols, privacy policy, and data collection and storage procedures.

• Build a strong working knowledge of the database.

• Regularly support the finance team to achieve monthly financial reconciliation of donation-related bank accounts.

General Duties

• Provide high levels of customer service to both internal and external stakeholders.

• Ensure that all Supporter Relationships team procedures are documented, up-to-date and available to collaborators.

• Support Black Dog's overarching Funding and Partnerships strategy.

• Continue building on your fundraising knowledge to support best practice delivery of giving programs, optimising donor retention and lifetime value.

Skills & Experience Required 

1. Previous experience working in a donor services, member care or customer service environment, preferably in the NFP sector.

2. Demonstrated experience in accurate and timely data entry and processing (preferably with Raisers Edge/NXT database.)

3. Demonstrated experience with accurately processing financial transactions such as credit cards, direct debits, EFT transactions, as well as cash and cheques.

4. Keen eye for detail and accuracy, coupled with strong administrative skills.

5. Ability to build strong working relationships within a team, but equally able and ready to use own initiative.

6. Demonstrated high computer literacy, including Microsoft Office and Excel.

7. Outstanding interpersonal skills, with a warm and persuasive telephone manner.

8. Experience resolving customer enquiries, complaints and feedback in a timely and professional manner.

9. Demonstrated strong problem-solving ability and time management. Able to juggle competing deadlines without compromising quality.

EOO Statement
Black Dog Institute is committed to achieving a diverse workforce that reflects our wider community. We ensure equal opportunity for all, regardless of age, culture, appearance, sexual orientation, lived experience, gender identity, disability and/or family status.

How to Apply

To become a part of the Black Dog Institute team, follow the link to ELMO to apply and submit your most up to date resume. If you are shortlisted for the role, we will call you and let you know you are successful. Please do not respond to any suspicious emails requesting you to upload your ID or personal details. We are a 2022 Circle Back Initiative Employer and commit to respond to every applicant.