Associate Director, Loyalty Experience Strategy

Company Description

Merkle is a leading data-driven, technology-enabled, global performance marketing agency that specializes in the delivery of unique, personalized customer experiences across platforms and devices. For more than 30 years, Fortune 1000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations have partnered with Merkle to maximize the value of their customer portfolios. The agency’s heritage in data, technology, and analytics forms the foundation for its unmatched skills in understanding consumer insights that drive people-based marketing strategies. Its combined strengths in performance media, customer experience, customer relationship management, loyalty, and enterprise marketing technology drive improved marketing results and competitive advantage. With 9,600+ employees, Merkle is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with 50+ additional offices throughout the US, EMEA, and APAC. In 2016, the agency joined denstu. For more information, contact Merkle at 1-877-9-Merkle or visit www.merkleinc.com. 

Job Description

The Associate Director, Loyalty Experience will help maintain and grow our existing customer experience and loyalty programs and assist in designing next generation campaigns and programs that enable our clients to build strong, enduring relationships with their most valued consumers. By combining marketing knowledge, business analysis and problem solving, you will assist in setting the strategic direction and program definition for clients that include leading global brands. You will work collaboratively across a team of strategy colleagues and cross-functional team members in delivering comprehensive consulting engagements across dynamic portfolio of clients. 

You will be joining an innovative and growing team that uniquely combines the strategic acumen of a consulting firm with the creative flair of a marketing agency. We are passionate about delivering great work that is actionable and valuable to clients and this role will play significant role in driving our continued growth and leadership in the market. 

Responsibilities: 

• Develop unique creative moments of engagement across the customer lifecycle that drive sustainable, emotional connections between the consumer and brand 

• Assist in managing the strategic oversight of multiple loyalty and customer experience programs and campaigns, including assessing performance and recommending ongoing enhancements to strengthen and improve programs 

• Utilize your existing experience and grow your expertise across disciplines of loyalty marketing, customer acquisition, retention marketing, customer engagement, customer experience, customer strategy, and CRM to deliver significant client value 

• Examine data sets to perform campaign analysis, glean key insights, and recommend future experience optimizations 

• Maintain a strong knowledge base of loyalty and customer experience trends, competitive insight, and new enabling technologies 

• Perform industry research and create resource materials for internal and external use 

• Support consulting engagement delivery across key clients across phases that include discovery, strategy, program design, user experience, business case, and road-mapping, including leading client workshops, conducting research, analyzing data, writing creative briefs, and documenting technical requirements  

• Convey campaign concepts and strategic recommendations concisely both in writing and verbally to internal and client teams 

• Design customer-facing survey questionnaires, analyze results, and document findings in a client-facing presentation 

• Monitor social media channels for mentions of specific brand keywords to determine volume patterns, sentiment, and trending topics 

Qualifications

• 5 years minimum of marketing experience with a focus on developing and implementing strategic customer experience programs 

• Experience with and strong interest in a combination of the following disciplines: loyalty marketing, customer acquisition strategy, retention strategy, customer experience management, customer engagement, marketing analytics, data strategy, and CRM 

• Experience with cross-channel integrated marketing campaigns 

• Ability to translate client needs and expectations into innovative, strategic solutions 

• Strong interpersonal, problem-solving, time management, strategic thinking, and analytical skills 

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to develop and lead compelling presentations 

• Diligent, disciplined, and accountable - comfortable in performing at a high level in a dynamic deadline-driven environment 

• Ability to embrace internal and/or client feedback and swiftly adjus