Retention Marketing Manager

***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)
Grow subscription revenue towards 2026 targets
Increase retention revenue contribution as a percent of total revenue
Improve subscription attach rates, save/skip/upgrade rates
Subscription Architecture & Customer Experience
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
Behavior patterns across subscription vs non-subscription customers
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
Translate data into high-impact strategic decisions
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
Own lifecycle tech stack optimization (Klaviyo, SMS, subscription platform)
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.