Customer Lifecycle Marketing Practice Lead

Job Description:

This is a remote/hybrid opportunity based in the US

The Customer Lifecycle Marketing (CLM) Practice Lead reporting to the President Data-Driven Marketing serves as the commercial owner and market-facing leader of Merkles CLM practice. This leader operates as a mini-P&L owner across four interconnected capability areas: lifecycle marketing and email/CRM platform execution loyalty strategy and technology promotions and gamified experiences and the first-party data and identity infrastructure that connects them. The role sits at the intersection of go-to-market strategy offer development and senior client leadership and forms one leg of the practices leadership team.

This is a commercial leadership role not a delivery management role. It requires the credibility to engage CMOs and VP-level buyers across the full spectrum from loyalty program economics to first-party data strategy to paid media activation. Success is measured through practice revenue and pipeline growth win rate cross-practice attach and the strength of Merkles market position in loyalty lifecycle marketing and data-driven CRM.

Description & Responsibilities:

Practice Growth & Commercial Ownership

• Own commercial performance of the CLM practice including revenue pipeline forecast accuracy and margin contribution across all four capability pillars

• Develop and maintain the annual CLM growth plan aligned to organizational go-to-market priorities and key vertical and platform opportunities

• Approve commercial scope pricing and deal economics on CLM-led pursuits engaging senior sales leadership on larger or cross-practice opportunities

Offer Development & Market Positioning

• Own the CLM offer portfolio across lifecycle marketing loyalty promotions and first-party data/identity in partnership with strategy and solutions teams

• Articulate Merkles integrated CLM story to the market: how loyalty strategy promotions design journey orchestration and paid media activation combine into a customer equity growth system

• Maintain external market positioning through analyst relationships industry events and published thought leadership on the convergence of loyalty promotions and paid media

• Partner with strategy teams to translate platform partner developments into updated offer packages and represent the practice in partner co-sell conversations

Pursuit Leadership & Commercial Execution

• Lead the CLM-specific pursuit motion across loyalty RFPs lifecycle marketing retainers promotions engagements and first-party data strategy mandates

• Build pursuit teams that draw on the full CLM capability stack to ensure proposals reflect Merkles integrated breadth

• Coordinate with demand generation and sales teams on origination specific to CLM buyer personas (e.g. VP CRM VP Loyalty VP Marketing Technology Chief Digital Officer)

• Represent the practice at partner events client advisory boards and industry conferences as a named commercial voice on loyalty lifecycle marketing and data-driven CRM

Senior Client Engagement & Cross-Practice Orchestration

• Maintain executive-level relationships with the CLM practices primary buying personas across a portfolio of key accounts

• Serve as executive sponsor on flagship CLM accounts supporting retention expansion and reference development

• Bring the CLM practice into integrated pursuits where loyalty promotions or first-party data activation is the commercial entry point for broader engagements

• Champion integrated storytelling that connects loyalty program performance to paid media efficiency and customer lifetime value

Talent & Commercial Bench Development

• Identify and develop commercial talent within the CLM practice across all four capability pillars

• Build the next generation of pursuit-capable solutions leads with fluency in loyalty economics promotions architecture and first-party data strategy

Qualifications:

• 12 years of experience in CRM loyalty lifecycle marketing or marketing technology including a minimum of five years in a commercial practice leadership or client partnership role at a services firm

• Demonstrated track record of owning or co-owning a practice revenue target pipeline number or growth responsibility in a consulting agency or services environment

• Direct experience in loyalty strategy and program design (earn/burn tiered coalition and experiential models) loyalty technology platform selection or implementation (e.g. Salesforce Loyalty Punchh or Kognitiv) and program economics including breakage and ROI modeling

• Experience designing or selling promotional strategy offer architecture or gamified CRM experiences at scale including incrementality measurement and offer personalization

• Working knowledge of one or more lifecycle marketing/ESP platforms (Braze Salesforce Marketing Cloud Adobe Journey Optimizer Iterable or Klaviyo) at the level of scope definition and program performance benchmarking

• Familiarity with first-party data strategy identity resolution and clean room use cases (e.g. LiveRamp AWS Clean Rooms Google ADH) and how CRM data activates into paid media channels

• Ability to articulate and sell the strategic connection between loyalty data CRM audiences and paid media efficiency to CMO and VP Media buyers; direct experience managing or co-selling this connection is strongly preferred

• Experience leading or materially contributing to competitive RFP responses for loyalty CRM or lifecycle marketing mandates including commercial pricing scope defense and executive presentation

• A hunter orientation with a proven ability to build pipeline across a full capability spectrum rather than manage within a single sub-domain paired with the commercial rigor to read a P&L build a pricing model and defend deal economics

• Comfortable operating in CMO SVP CRM VP Loyalty and VP MarTech conversations without a delivery lead or subject-matter specialist present

• Bachelors Degree required; MBA or equivalent graduate degree preferred but not required if offset by a clear track record

• Willingness to travel based on client and business needs

Additional Information

The annual base salary range for this position is $235500 - $330500. Placement within the salary range is based on a variety of factors including relevant experience knowledge skills and other factorspermittedby law. Additionally this position is eligible for discretionary incentive compensation.

Benefits available with this position include:

• Medical vision and dental insurance

• Life insurance

• Short-term and long-term disability insurance

• 401k

• Flexible paid time off

• At least 15 paid holidays per year

• Paid sick and safe leave

• Paid parental leave

Dentsu alsocomplies withapplicable state and local lawsregardingemployee leave benefits including but not limited to providing time offpursuant tothe Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Actin accordance withits plans and policies. For further detailsregardingDentsu benefits please visit.

To begin the application process please click on the Apply button at the top of this jobpost. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be contacted fornextsteps.

Atdentsu we believegreat workhappens whenwereconnected. Our way of working combines flexibility with in-person collaboration to spark ideas and strengthen our teams. Employees who live within a commutable distance of one of our hub offices currently located in Chicago metro Detroit Los Angeles and New York City are required and expected to work from the office three days per week (two days per week for employees based in Los Angeles). Dentsu maydesignateother Hub offices at any time. Those who live outside a commutable range may bedesignated asremote depending on the role and business needs. Regardless of your work location we expect our employees to be flexible to meet the needs of our Company and clients which may include attendance in an office.

Merkle fosters a diverse environment that encourages original thinking about our business and empowers us to communicate with a global world of customers. We embrace differences of opinion and diversity of thought as they help us challenge and refine our solutions. Merkle as a best-in-class marketing agency welcomes big ideas and believes they can come from anywhere. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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