Director, Loyalty & Lifecycle Marketing

CAVA; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Unlimited PTO

401k enrollment

Free CAVA food

Casual work environment

Job summary

CAVA in Washington, DC is seeking a Director of Loyalty & Lifecycle Marketing to lead strategy, execution, and optimization of our guest loyalty program across owned channels. You’ll build and mentor a team, align cross‑functional partners, and drive retention, frequency and lifetime value with data‑informed decisions.

You’ll partner with Product, Marketing, Digital and Analytics to evolve loyalty mechanics, design evergreen initiatives, and scale loyalty features nationwide while maintaining a

Qualifications

• 8–10 years of experience in loyalty strategy, customer marketing, CRM, or consumer engagement in a multi-unit or omnichannel environment.
• Experience designing or optimizing scalable loyalty programs (e.g. tiered, gamified, points-based, or behavior-driven).
• Strong cross-functional collaborator with experience working alongside Product, Marketing, Digital, and Analytics teams.
• Experience with enterprise loyalty platforms and enterprise email/CRM marketing platforms. Experience with Braze and/or Talon.one preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the long-term loyalty growth strategy, with a focus on retention, frequency, and increasing share of wallet.
• Own the performance, evolution, and roadmap of the loyalty program — balancing business goals with guest needs.
• Design and oversee evergreen loyalty initiatives (e.g., tiers, bonus rewards, surprise & delight moments, referral programs).
• Partner with Product, Marketing, and Digital teams to evolve loyalty mechanics, functionality, and user experience.
• Develop and optimize CRM lifecycle journeys that drive ongoing participation and maximize lifetime value.
• Guide segmentation strategy for loyalty and CRM messaging based on behavior, recency, frequency, and preferences.
• Collaborate with Data & Analytics to track loyalty KPIs and uncover insights to guide strategy and improvements.
• Build and manage strategic partnerships to enhance loyalty rewards, experiences, or brand relevance.
• Work cross-functionally with Finance, Culinary, and Ops to validate and scale loyalty features in test markets and nationwide.
• Serve as a key voice in prioritizing loyalty-related product enhancements and platform needs.

Skills

Loyalty strategy

CRM marketing

Cross-functional collaboration

Data analysis

Braze

Talon.One

Guest engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree

MBA or advanced degree preferred

Tools

Braze

Talon.One

Job description

At CAVA we make it deliciously simple to eat well and feel good every day. We are guided by a Mediterranean heritage that’s been perfecting how to eat and live for four thousand years. We prioritize authenticity, curiosity and the pursuit of excellence in everything we do. We are working towards something big, together.

We foster a culture built on five core values:

• Generosity First, Always: We lead with kindness. Our best work happens when we act in service of others.
• Constant Curiosity: We are eager to learn, grow, and explore beyond the obvious.
• Act with Agility: We welcome change; it’s the only constant. We embrace, adjust, adapt.
• Passion for Positivity: We greet each day with warmth and possibility.
• Collective Ambition: We have high aspirations that are achieved when we work together with a shared purpose.

Director, Loyalty & Lifecycle Marketing

As Director, Loyalty & Lifecycle Marketing at CAVA, you will lead the strategy, execution, and optimization of our guest loyalty program and lifecycle marketing efforts. You'll lead a team responsible for loyalty strategy, CRM, lifecycle marketing, email, push, SMS, personalization, and guest engagement across owned channels. This role is ideal for a strategic, data-informed leader who thrives at the intersection of loyalty, lifecycle marketing, guest behavior, and marketing technology to drive retention, frequency, customer lifetime value, and long-term brand affinity.

Success at CAVA:

At CAVA, Directors align teams, foster cross-functional collaboration, and translate strategy into action. We look for leaders who develop talent, challenge the status quo, and stay grounded in guest and team member service, inclusion, and long-term impact.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead the long-term loyalty growth strategy, with a focus on retention, frequency, and increasing share of wallet.
• Own the performance, evolution, and roadmap of the loyalty program — balancing business goals with guest needs.
• Design and oversee evergreen loyalty initiatives (e.g., tiers, bonus rewards, surprise & delight moments, referral programs).
• Partner with Product, Marketing, and Digital teams to evolve loyalty mechanics, functionality, and user experience.
• Develop and optimize CRM lifecycle journeys that drive ongoing participation and maximize lifetime value.
• Guide segmentation strategy for loyalty and CRM messaging based on behavior, recency, frequency, and preferences.
• Collaborate with Data & Analytics to track loyalty KPIs and uncover insights to guide strategy and improvements.
• Build and manage strategic partnerships to enhance loyalty rewards, experiences, or brand relevance.
• Work cross-functionally with Finance, Culinary, and Ops to validate and scale loyalty features in test markets and nationwide.
• Serve as a key voice in prioritizing loyalty-related product enhancements and platform needs.

The Qualifications:

• 8–10 years of experience in loyalty strategy, customer marketing, CRM, or consumer engagement in a multi-unit or omnichannel environment.
• Experience designing or optimizing scalable loyalty programs (e.g. tiered, gamified, points-based, or behavior-driven).
• Proven success growing customer retention, frequency, and LTV through evergreen engagement strategies.
• Strong cross-functional collaborator with experience working alongside Product, Marketing, Digital, and Analytics teams.
• Experience with enterprise loyalty platforms and enterprise email/CRM marketing platforms. Experience with Braze and/or Talon.one preferred.
• Strong analytical acumen — able to translate data into insights, and insights into growth strategies.
• Passion for food, hospitality, and building long‑term guest relationships.
• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to maintain stationary position to be able to operate a computer and other office equipment
• Must be able to identify, analyze and assess details
• For certain positions, must be able to occasionally move or transport items up to 50 pounds
• Ability to communicate with others and exchange information accurately and effectively
• Constantly positions self and move about to support ordinary restaurant or food production support or office operations, as applicable
• Ability to work in a constant state of alertness and in a safe manner

What we offer:

• Competitive salary, plus bonus and long-term incentives*
• Early Wage Access!
• Unlimited PTO, paid parental leave, plus paid opportunities to give back to the community
• 401k enrollment with CAVA contribution
• Company-paid STD, LTD, Life and AD&D coverage for salaried positions*
• Free CAVA food
• Casual work environment
• The opportunity to be on the ground floor of a rapidly growing brand
• All exempt and non exempt employees are eligible for benefits. Benefits are effective the 1st of the month following 30 days of service and you have until the day before the effective date to enroll. A new hire can enroll in our benefit program by selecting a link that is emailed directly to the new hire at their personal email address once hired.
• Please note that visa sponsorship is not available.
• The posting range is an all cash range.

This job description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all the duties and responsibilities of the position, and such duties and responsibilities may change without notice.

*Indicates qualifying eligible positions only

CAVA – Joining “A culture, not a concept”

As an equal opportunity employer, CAVA considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, height, weight, marital status, sexual orientation, familial status, genetic information or any other characteristic or protected classes as defined by federal, state, or local law.

California applicants: Please visit our Notice at Collection and Privacy Policy to learn about our information practices in the job application and employment context.