VP Customer Strategy & Marketing

• Develops the strategy and roadmap in support of the rue21 Rewards loyalty program to deepen customer engagement with existing members and to acquire new customers into the brand
• Defines and links loyalty program KPIs to business outcomes. Continually assesses and measures loyalty program impact and enhances performance over time
• Optimizes personalized customer lifecycle journeys across different life stages. Leads customer journey mapping, nurturing, and segmentation; partners with Data Analytics team to validate models based on customer lifetime value (CLV), product affinity, etc.
• Oversees the customer database and manages the health of the customer file, which includes the development of a monthly customer dashboard and an audience-based learning agenda
• Maximizes the performance of email and SMS channels by employing data-driven decision-making processes that capitalizes on the identification of the target audience, timing, frequency, and messaging
• Oversees email briefing process to ensure clear and actionable guidance is provided to the Creative team and that customer insights & mindset are embedded into each brief
• Drives innovation and identifies new channels of opportunity for incremental customer growth
• Manage relationships with key vendors and service providers related to email, Loyalty and CRM
• Lead, mentor and develop team members across CRM, Loyalty and Email/SMS; create a collaborative, high-performing structure to engage team

• Leads the strategy development process for the go-to-market plan in support of each retail season, which also includes the architecting of the content strategy
• Defines and develops the value proposition, brand positioning, and marketing campaigns based upon merchandising and promotional strategies; customer and competitive insights; and seasonal business goals (e.g., sales, gross margin, incremental traffic growth, etc.)
• Develops content strategy as part of each seasonal go-to-market plan and ensures cohesive brand storytelling across all marketing touchpoints, which includes varied tactics for each channel based upon customer and competitive data-driven insights and channel best practices

• Develops and executes a comprehensive and forward-thinking social media strategy that aligns with and enhances rue21’s brand visibility, drives engagement, and achieves measurable outcomes
• Identifies emerging trends, platforms, and best practices in the social media landscape
• Provides strategic direction and partners with the creative team and other key stakeholders on the creation and curation of high-quality, engaging content for various social media channels; monitors content calendars, posting schedules, and ensures timely delivery of planned content releases
• Implements performance tracking and analytic tools to measure the effectiveness of social media campaigns and strategies; reports regularly on key metrics and data-driven decisions for continuous improvement
• Build and maintain relationships with influencers, media partners, and industry leaders
• Manage social media specialist, providing guidance, mentorship, and fostering a collaborative and innovative environment

• 12-15 years of experience in relevant retail marketing disciplines with progressive career growth (e.g., CRM, Loyalty, In-Store and Digital Marketing, Social Media Management, etc.). 3-5 years in senior marketing leadership position with responsibility for strategy development, execution, and plan delivery
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business or related field required, MBA preferred
• Ability to effectively present and communicate complex information, new ideas, or reframing of existing approaches with executive-level stakeholders and across the organization; demonstrates the honed skills of an experienced storyteller and savvy marketer
• Ability to manage multiple company priorities in a fast-paced environment, including the application of rapid test, learn, and scale practices across the fleet of stores and digital channels
• Highly skilled in the practice of synthesizing multiple pieces of research and analytics into compelling marketing and segmentation strategies and recommendations; creates deeper understanding of customer mindset, buying behaviors, and expectations
• Strong thought leadership skills coupled with excellent collaborative and influencing traits. Ability to act as a change agent within the organization
• Proven cross-functional team leader who can interface with all levels including senior management
• Highly organized and detail oriented. Process mapping and/or process engineering experience a plus
• Proven ability to lead, mentor and manage a successful team
• Excellent organizational skills with attention to detail and follow-up

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