Manager of Retention Strategy

Are you someone who can balance empathy with strategy and turn customer challenges into long-term loyalty Do you thrive in fast-paced environments where innovation automation and human connection all play a critical role Are you energized by solving problems leading teams and finding smarter ways to improve the customer experience

Were looking for a Manager of Retention Strategy with a heavy focus on AI to help lead the future of customer loyalty and retention at IdeaTek. This role is far more than traditional customer retentionyoull help build proactive data-driven strategies that reduce churn bridge the gap between pre-install and post-install phases leverage new technology to create a seamless journeyprotect revenue and improve the overall customer experience.

In this role youll combine leadership analytics automation and emotional intelligence to help identify customer risks before they happen implement smarter AI-driven retention workflows that scale and create a high-touch customer experience that keeps people connected to IdeaTek long-term.

This role is open to candidates who live in the state of Kansas and are commutable to the Wichita KS area every 2-3 weeks.

A Day in the Life

Youll start your day reviewing customer retention trends install pipeline activity and AI-driven at-risk customer accountsworking to identify opportunities for proactive engagement before cancellations happen.

Some days youll be coaching your team through complex customer conversations reviewing AI-generated customer insights or building smarter automation workflows to eliminate friction in the customer experience. Other days are spent bridging the gap collaborating with Sales and Operations teams to reduce installation fallout presenting predictive retention trends to leadership or developing new loyalty initiatives designed to ensure the human touch remains at the center of our it all your work will directly contribute to protecting revenue improving customer satisfaction and helping communities stay connected.

What Youll Do

Key responsibilities include:

• Strategic Leadership & Mentorship: Lead and mentor a team of Retention Specialists. Design a holistic retention framework that eliminates silos between pre-install and post-install phases ensuring a seamless customer journey from sale through long-term loyalty.
• End-to-End Lifecycle Management: Own the critical post-sale pre-install experience to reduce pipeline slippage and buyers remorse. Build and optimize proactive workflows save campaigns and win-back initiatives across the entire customer lifecycle.
• AI & Automation Integration: Implement AI-driven tools and automation to streamline reporting and customer engagement. Use technology to scale outreach efficiently while maintaining the human touch in every interaction.
• Predictive Analytics & Data Insight: Utilize predictive analytics and behavioral data to identify at-risk accounts. Analyze churn trends and KPIs to develop automated yet high-touch retention playbooks that increase LTV.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Sales Marketing Operations and support to create a single source of truth for customer health. Serve as the voice of the customer to leadership identifying recurring pain points for process improvement.
• Escalation & Performance Optimization: Support escalated customer conversations with empathy and professional problem-solving. Manage loyalty incentives and promotional offers balancing business impact with a superior customer experience.

What Will Help You Stand Out

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience implementing AI tools workflow automation or predictive analytics in customer-facing environments
• Experience within telecommunications SaaS technology subscription-based services or customer lifecycle industries
• Familiarity with automation platforms such as Zapier or similar workflow tools
• Experience managing customer retention metrics churn analytics or customer lifecycle initiatives
• Experience leading customer loyalty save desk or customer advocacy programs
• Bachelors degree in Business Marketing Communications Analytics or a related field preferred

Desired Attributes

Beyond the qualifications these attributes are what make someone a great fit for our team:

• Empathetic leader You know how to balance accountability with emotional intelligence and customer care
• Strategic thinker You can see the big picture while building practical solutions that drive results
• Innovative You embrace technology and look for smarter more efficient ways to improve processes
• Data-driven You use analytics and customer insights to guide decisions and identify opportunities
• Calm under pressure You can confidently navigate escalated customer situations and difficult conversations
• Collaborative You build strong relationships across departments and understand retention is a team effort
• Mission-focused You genuinely care about helping communities stay connected through reliable internet access

Why Join IdeaTek

IdeaTek is a cutting-edge telecommunications company dedicated to bringing fast reliable internet to underserved communities. Were a passionate team of innovators and problem-solvers committed to making a difference in the lives of our customers. At IdeaTek we value our employees and foster a culture of collaboration growth and community involvement.

A few of the key ways we strive to make employees feel valued include:

• Competitive pay bonus potential
• Medical dental vision life and 401k with match
• Free coaching/counseling for employees & families
• Free internet service (if available in your area) or internet reimbursement
• Tuition reimbursement for personal and professional growth
• Community engagement opportunities
• Culture that values results effort and integrity

Our Core Values

• We are Trustworthy We build confidence through transparency follow-through and dependability.
• We count on Big Thinkers We dont just imagine the futurewe create it with bold actionable ideas.
• We have a Resilient Spirit We embrace challenges bounce back from setbacks and keep striving for more.
• We stand on Belief We believe everyone deserves access to technology that helps them learn grow and thrive.
• We foster Connectedness Our work goes beyond broadbandwe build real connections within our team and our communities.
• We drive Innovation Were always looking for ways to improve and redefine whats possible.

Ready to Apply

If youre ready to help shape the future of customer retention through innovation strategy and human connection wed love to hear from you. Apply today!

What Were Looking For

To be considered for this role youll need the following required qualifications:

• 5 years of experience in Customer Service Customer Success Account Management Marketing Retention or related fields
• 2 years of leadership or team management experience
• Experience building and utilizing AI-driven tools automation platforms and CRM systems such as Zoho HubSpot Salesforce etc. to scale customer engagement.
• Experience managing cross-functional customer lifecycle transitions such as bridging the gap between Sales Install and Support teams.
• Strong communication relationship-building and conflict resolution skills
• Ability to manage escalated customer situations with empathy professionalism and composure
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities with the ability to translate churn data into proactive save strategies.
• Ability to work cross-functionally in fast-paced and evolving environments
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Ability to translate complex technical or billing information into clear customer-friendly communication