Retention Marketing Manager

ForceBrands; United States; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Remote-friendly

Job summary

ForceBrands is seeking a Growth-focused Lifecycle Marketing Lead to own retention and subscription performance. You will analyze churn drivers, optimize LTV, and drive end-to-end subscription flows from onboarding through win-back, with a data-driven, cross-functional approach.

The role requires 4–6 years in lifecycle/CRM marketing within fast-growing DTC ecommerce or subscription brands, with hands-on Klaviyo and Postscript experience.

Qualifications

• 4–6 years of lifecycle, CRM, email, or retention marketing in fast-growing DTC ecommerce or subscription business.
• Hands-on experience with email and SMS platforms such as Klaviyo, Postscript, or similar.
• Experience developing and optimizing lifecycle journeys (onboarding, post-purchase, replenishment, retention, win-back).
• Strong analytical skills with data-driven retention, repeat purchase, churn, and LTV.
• Excellent project management across campaigns, timelines, and stakeholders.
• Experience writing creative briefs and partnering with copywriters/designers/cxs teams.
• Experience managing external agencies/contractors.
• Familiarity with Shopify and the DTC ecommerce ecosystem.
• Comfortable operating in lean, fast-paced environment with ownership.
• Experience in DTC, CPG, beauty, wellness, supplements, or consumer brands preferred.
• Agency-style high-volume marketing experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own retention and subscription performance improvements across 30/60/90/180+ days.
• Reduce churn and increase customer lifetime value (LTV).
• Drive retention revenue as a share of total revenue.
• Improve subscription attach, save/skip/upgrade rates.
• Manage end-to-end subscription flows (save, pause, skip, downgrade, win-back).
• Define replenishment timing and cadence strategy; optimize portal UX.

Skills

Lifecycle marketing

CRM

Email campaigns

Retention analytics

Klaviyo

Postscript

LTV optimization

Cross-functional collaboration

Shopify

DTC ecommerce

Tools

Klaviyo

Postscript

Shopify

Job description

***THIS IS NOT AN INTERNAL JOB WITH FORCEBRANDS***

Location: Ideally 2-3 days/ week in Chicago, open to remote

This role blends analytics, strategy, and execution. You will be responsible for understanding the business needs at every growth stage, applying industry best practices, and transforming retention from a set of campaigns into a disciplined growth driver.

What You Will Own

Retention & Subscription Performance

• Improve retention curves at 30 / 60 / 90 / 180+ days
• Reduce churn and increase customer lifetime value (LTV)
• Increase retention revenue contribution as a percent of total revenue
• Improve subscription attach rates, save/skip/upgrade rates
• Own subscription experience end-to‑end, including:
• Save, pause, skip, downgrade, and win‑back flows
• Replenishment timing and cadence strategy
• Subscription portal education and UX alignment
• Drive habit formation during the first 90 days post-purchase
• Implement best‑practice lifecycle frameworks from high‑growth wellness brands

Analytics, Insights & Business Decisioning

• Build deep analytics around:
• Churn drivers and early warnings
• Incremental LTV impact of retention initiatives
• Conduct cohort analysis by offer, cadence, channel, and SKU
• Define and track key performance indicators:
• Retention curves
• Churn rate
• LTV and contribution margin by cohort
• Subscription attach, save, skip, and reactivation rates

Lifecycle Strategy & Best Practices

• Architect full‑funnel lifecycle flows: onboarding, education, cross‑sell, retention, win‑back
• Develop testing frameworks tied to revenue impact
• Ensure lifecycle messaging drives behavioral outcomes (not just opens/clicks)
• Apply industry best practices from top wellness/CPG subscription brands

Cross‑Functional & Operational Leadership

• Partner with Growth, Product, CX, Creative, Ops, and Analytics
• Manage external partners and transition capabilities in-house
• Influence acquisition strategy to improve long‑term LTV

Qualifications:

• 4–6 years of experience in lifecycle, CRM, email, or retention marketing, ideally within a fast‑growing DTC ecommerce or subscription business.
• Hands‑on experience with email and SMS platforms such as Klaviyo, Postscript, or similar.
• Experience developing and optimizing lifecycle journeys, including onboarding, post‑purchase, replenishment, retention, and win‑back.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using data to improve retention, repeat purchase, churn, and LTV.
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple campaigns, timelines, and stakeholders.
• Experience writing creative briefs and partnering closely with copywriters, designers, and cross‑functional teams.
• Experience managing external agencies and contractors.
• Familiarity with Shopify and the DTC ecommerce ecosystem.
• Comfortable operating in a lean, fast‑paced entrepreneurial environment with a high degree of ownership and hands‑on execution.
• Experience within DTC, CPG, beauty, wellness, supplements, or other consumer brands strongly preferred.
• Experience in an agency‑style, high‑volume marketing environment is a plus.