Retention Marketing Manager

W3Global; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

W3Global in San Diego is seeking a Retention Marketing Manager to own the customer lifecycle strategy and drive improvements in acquisition, retention and lifetime value. You will lead roadmap, segmentation, personalization and testing across email, SMS, loyalty and other channels.

In this hands-on role you will manage the CRM tech stack, vendor relationships and cross-functional partnerships with Ecommerce, CX and Marketing to deliver scalable programs and measurable growth.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in retention, lifecycle, CRM or ecommerce marketing.
• Experience owning CRM and lifecycle strategy including email, automation and personalization.
• Strong analytical mindset for translating data into growth opportunities.
• Experience managing technology platforms and vendors.

Responsibilities

• Own retention and CRM strategy to drive acquisition, retention and LTV.
• Develop the retention roadmap and prioritize initiatives by impact.
• Define segmentation and lifecycle strategies for first purchase to loyalty.
• Grow audience and subscribers via cross-functional opportunities.
• Develop winback and welcome journeys to convert prospects.
• Set strategy for automated lifecycle journeys and improvements.
• Own KPIs across CRM, first purchase, repeat purchase and LTV.
• Lead and develop the Lifecycle Marketing and Customer Engagement Coordinators.

Skills

CRM strategy

Lifecycle marketing

Data analytics

Cross-functional leadership

Klaviyo

Tools

Klaviyo

Shopify

Job description

The Retention Marketing Manager leads the strategy and performance of customer lifecycle marketing across boards with a focus on converting prospective customers, increasing repeat purchase, growing customer lifetime value and building long-term loyalty.

This role serves as the business owner of our CRM and broader retention technology ecosystem, using customer data, segmentation, personalization, testing and technology to identify and drive opportunities across the customer lifecycle.

The Retention Marketing Manager leads the Lifecycle Marketing Coordinator and Customer Engagement Coordinator, setting the strategy, priorities and performance goals that guide day-to-day execution.

While the coordinators own recurring channel and program execution, the Manager remains hands‑on with high‑impact testing, optimization and new growth initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Retention Strategy & CRM

• Own retention and CRM strategy to drive customer acquisition, retention and LTV
• Retention Roadmap: Develop the retention roadmap, prioritizing initiatives based on customer needs, performance and business impact.
• Customer Lifecycle: Define segmentation and lifecycle strategies that move customers from first purchase through repeat purchase, high-value/VIP status and winback.
• CRM Audience Growth: Develop new strategies to grow our audience and acquire qualified email and SMS subscribers through cross‑functional opportunities, partnerships and new acquisition initiatives.
• Prospect Conversion: Develop strategies to convert identified prospects and subscribers into first‑time customers, including optimization of Welcome and other pre‑purchase journeys.
• Resale & Repeat Purchase: Optimize and communicate resale and other circular customer initiatives that extend the customer lifecycle, re‑engage customers and create opportunities for their next purchase.
• Lifecycle Automation: Set the strategy and priorities for automated customer journeys, identifying where new flows or significant optimizations can improve performance.
• Growth Opportunities: Identify gaps and emerging opportunities across the customer lifecycle and prioritize new initiatives based on expected business impact.

Retention Technology & Vendor Management

• Serve as the business owner of the retention technology stack.
• Own strategic vendor relationships and regular strategy sessions across email, sms, loyalty, identity resolution, cashback, direct mail and other retention platforms.
• Maximize existing platform capabilities and identify opportunities to improve personalization, automation, segmentation and customer identification.
• Evaluate new technologies and partners based on business need, expected impact and overlap with the existing tech stack.
• Own identity resolution and cashback strategy and optimization.
• Ensure the retention tech stack remains efficient, integrated and scalable as the business grows.

Testing & Personalization

• Build and prioritize a meaningful retention testing roadmap focused on incremental growth and engagement
• Develop tests across creative formats, templates, offers, cadence, segmentation, lifecycle journeys and customer experiences.
• Advance personalization across lifecycle channels using behavioral, transactional and customer data.
• Identify and test new retention channels, programs and customer experiences.

Channel & Customer Program Strategy

• Set the strategic direction for email, SMS, push and direct mail, including channel roles, cadence and audience strategy.
• Set priorities for lifecycle flow optimization and campaign testing.
• Own direct‑mail strategy and vendor relationship, including identifying opportunities beyond current winback programs.
• Set strategy across loyalty, VIP, customer community, GWP and app adoption.
• Identify opportunities to evolve loyalty benefits and experiences to increase engagement and customer value.
• Develop new customer programs and retention initiatives in partnership with Ecommerce, CX and Marketing.
• Performance, Leadership & Cross‑Functional Partnership
• Own Retention KPIs and reporting across customer acquisition into CRM, first‑purchase conversion, repeat purchase, LTV, retention revenue contribution and program engagement.
• Translate performance into clear recommendations, priorities and next steps.
• Manage and develop the Lifecycle Marketing Coordinator and Customer Engagement Coordinator.
• Prioritize team workload across recurring execution, optimization and new growth initiatives.
• Partner closely with Ecommerce, Customer Experience, Marketing, Creative, Merchandising, Retail and Paid Media to create a cohesive customer journey.
• Communicate retention performance, learnings and growth opportunities to Ecommerce and company leadership.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in retention, lifecycle, CRM or ecommerce marketing, preferably within a DTC or consumer brand.
• Experience owning CRM and customer lifecycle strategy, including email, SMS, automation, segmentation and personalization.
• Strong working knowledge of Klaviyo and Shopify, or comparable CRM and ecommerce platforms.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate customer and campaign data into actionable growth opportunities.
• Experience developing testing strategies and driving improvements across acquisition, conversion, repeat purchase and LTV.
• Experience managing technology platforms, vendors and external partners.
• Strong cross‑functional leadership skills with the ability to balance strategic thinking, team development and hands‑on execution.

Bonus Qualifications

• Background in DTC apparel, children's, lifestyle or another consumer‑focused category.
• Familiarity with loyalty, VIP and other customer engagement programs.
• Knowledge of direct mail, winback and omnichannel engagement strategies.
• Familiarity with app adoption, resale, subscription or other programs designed to increase repeat purchase and LTV.