Digital Audience Operations Specialist

American Retirement Association; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Profit Sharing 401(k) Plan

Pension Plan

Flexible Spending Account

Eleven Paid Holidays

Eighteen Days Paid Time Off

Parental Leave

Telework on Mondays and Fridays

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

The American Retirement Association seeks a Digital Audience Operations Specialist to lead our email marketing operations from deployment to analytics. You will collaborate with marketing to ensure precise audience targeting and timely delivery.

You will manage lists, templates, and automated journeys, while monitoring metrics and driving improvements across campaigns and audiences. A 2+ year track record in email marketing is expected.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of hands-on email marketing experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing or communications preferred.
• Familiarity with major ESPs and marketing automation platforms.
• Understanding of audience segmentation and testing best practices.

Responsibilities

• Execute email campaigns from development to deployment.
• Monitor and report on deliverability, open/click rates and conversions.
• Manage lists, tags, and segments to ensure data hygiene.
• Update templates and reusable blocks for brand consistency.
• Support automation and customer journeys within the ESP.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Presentation

Relationship-building

Multitasking

Project management

Planning

Organization

Customer service

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Creativity

Time management

Education

Bachelor's degree in marketing or communications

Tools

Higher Logic

HubSpot

ActiveCampaign

Mailchimp

Marketo

Klaviyo

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Title: Digital Audience Operations Specialist
Organization: American Retirement Association
Location: Hybrid (On-site 3+ days/week, Arlington, VA)
Position Type: Full-Time | Exempt

Reports To: Director of Audience Growth

About Us

At the American Retirement Association (ARA), we are dedicated to empowering retirement professionals to help all Americans achieve a secure retirement. We do this through education, advocacy, and innovation. Join our collaborative, mission-driven team and help shape the future of retirement in America.

Position Summary

We’re looking for a Digital Audience Operations Specialist to bring the association’s email marketing programs to life. Reporting to the Director of Audience Growth, the specialist handles the day-to-day operations, including campaign deployment, audience management, and performance tracking, ensuring that every message reaches the right audience at the right time.

Key Responsibilities

• Campaign Execution & Deployment: Execute the development, testing, and deployment of email campaigns in our email platform, managing the process from proofing through deployment. Partner with marketing teams to align messaging, creative, audience segmentation, and campaign workflows.
• Email Performance Reporting: Monitor and report on key email marketing metrics including deliverability, open rates, click-through rates, conversions, and unsubscribes. Analyze campaign performance and share insights and optimization recommendations with email & marketing leadership.
• List Management: Maintain contact lists, tags, and segments to ensure database accuracy. Support database hygiene, subscription preferences, suppression lists, and audience segmentation.
• Asset Management: Manage, update, and test email templates and reusable content blocks, ensuring consistency with brand standards, accessibility best practices, and campaign requirements.
• Email Automation: Support the development, testing and maintenance of automated email campaigns, customer journeys, and triggered communications within the email marketing platform.

Qualifications

• Skills Requirements: Interpersonal, communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills. Multitasking, project management, planning, organization, and customer service skills. Analytical and problem-solving skills. Creativity. Time management skills.
• Knowledge Requirements: Understanding of email marketing best practices, customer journey automation, audience segmentation, personalization, A/B testing, and digital marketing strategies. Ability to coordinate messaging, timing, and execution across multiple digital channels.
• Technology Requirements: Familiarity with Higher Logic or a comparable email marketing automation platform (e.g., HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, Mailchimp, Marketo, Klaviyo, Salesforce Marketing Cloud). Familiarity with email campaign creation, audience segmentation, automation, reporting, template management, and list management. and Microsoft Office Suite. Knowledge of Association Management Systems (AMS) and Content Management Systems (CMS) is a plus.
• Experience Requirements: 2+ years of hands-on experience supporting or executing email marketing campaigns, managing email marketing platforms, marketing automation, or digital marketing initiatives.
• Education Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in marketing or communications preferred.
• Supervisory Requirements: None
• Travel Requirements: Local travel via motor vehicle. Domestic overnight travel.
• Physical Requirements: Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer, both in a home and office environment. Ability to use standard office equipment, including computers, keyboards, phones, and printers. Visual acuity to view and analyze information on a computer screen for extended periods.

Why Join Us?

We’re a purpose-driven organization that values innovation, collaboration, and meaningful impact. As the Digital Audience Operations Specialist, your work will directly support our mission and enhance the way we connect with our community.

We offer:

• Competitive salary
• Comprehensive benefits
• Hybrid workplace

Employee Benefits

ARA offers its full-time employees a robust benefits package that includes:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Profit Sharing 401(k) Plan
• Defined Benefit Pension Plan
• Health Savings Account
• Flexible Spending Account
• Eleven Paid Holidays
• Eighteen Days of Paid Time Off
• Two Hours of Personal Leave Per Month
• Parental Leave
• Hybrid Work Arrangement (Telework on Mondays and Fridays)
• Commuting/Telework Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Membership in Experian My Financial Expert
• Membership in Calm App
• Spot Pet Insurance Discount
• Worldwide Travel Assistance Program
• Will Preparation Services

Equal Opportunity Employer

American Retirement Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer. American Retirement Association provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.