Associate Director, Retention

Job description

ABOUT DARKROOM Darkroom is the leading next-generation growth marketing firm engineering the brands of tomorrow. Founded in 2017, we set out to redefine what a modern agency could be, by replacing the inertia of legacy advertising behemoths with a model built for speed, intelligence, and measurable impact. At our core, Darkroom is a human services company powered by Shadow, a universal AI commerce layer that integrates executive-level strategy with proprietary agentic technology. This fusion enables our teams to deliver outsized returns by enhancing creative output, operational efficiency, and revenue generation across every stage of the customer journey. Our track record speaks for itself: billions in attributable revenue driven across e-commerce marketplaces, media networks, DTC ecosystems, and social commerce platforms. Every engagement feeds into our proprietary data infrastructure, enabling a continuous feedback loop that accelerates growth, improves margins, and compounds results across our client portfolio. What began as a boutique design studio has evolved into one of the fastest-growing private companies in America (Inc. 5000) and among the most effective performance media agencies of the 2020s (Varos). Our founders were recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 for advancing the intersection of technology, marketing, and advertising, cementing Darkroom's role as a defining player in the future of media innovation. ABOUT THE ROLE We are hiring a Senior Manager, Retention—a seasoned CRM strategist and operator who brings equal parts creativity, technical depth, and leadership maturity to the table. This is not a maintenance role; it requires strategic ownership, hands-on execution, and a bias for measurable impact. You'll lead a team of lifecycle marketing experts to build sophisticated email, SMS, and loyalty programs that drive retention, increase LTV, and power sustained growth for a portfolio of fast-scaling e-commerce brands. This role demands sharp customer insight to turn data into strategy, comfort with complexity, and the ability to influence clients and internal stakeholders alike. You'll report to our Director of Retention and collaborate closely with Performance, Creative, and Strategy teams to deliver cohesive, cross-channel campaigns rooted in data and customer psychology. Darkroom is a career accelerator for retention marketers who want to do the best work of their careers—operating at the intersection of personalization, loyalty, and performance-driven innovation. This is a fully remote role supporting a team in the EST time zone and is open to candidates based in Portugal, Mexico, Brazil, and Spain. YOU SHOULD APPLY IF THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOU: You're passionate about e-commerce and digital marketing. You're immersed in the world of direct-to-consumer growth marketing. We're looking for an expert Senior Manager, Retention to join our team! In this role, you will join a growing team within the Retention Marketing Department to strategically develop customized CRM and retention marketing strategies that help our clients grow and scale through email and SMS, subscription, and loyalty programs. - 7+ years of work experience in digital marketing. You're passionate about developing creative customer journeys that drive loyalty and lifetime value. Channel & Strategy Expertise - You immerse yourself in scaling personalized D2C/e-commerce email and SMS programs that build deep customer relationships for clients. - You have experience working in Klaviyo (or a similar ESP) including list segmentation, lifecycle drip automations, and triggered events, plus working knowledge of Shopify and its tech stack (Octane AI, Okendo, Privy, Alia, Lifetimely). - You develop SMS strategies that respect the channel, including segmentation, cadence, and compliance, with experience in platforms such as Attentive, PostScript, SMSBump, or Klaviyo. - You design loyalty programs that meaningfully enhance LTV, from earn-and-burn mechanics to tier structure and program launch (Rivo, Smile.io http://Smile.io, Yotpo). - You think in subscription lifecycles and know how email and SMS drive sign-ups, reduce cancellations, and win back lapsed subscribers, with experience in platforms such as Recharge, Stay.ai http://Stay.ai, Loop, or Skio. - You're fluent in retention measurement, including cohort analysis, repeat purchase rate, and LTV:CAC, and you use it to prioritize where to invest next. Leadership & Team Development - You're passionate about building teams, training them on best practices, and helping them grow into experts. - You've had at least one direct report before, OR exceptional leadership skills working with cross-functional teams. - You're used to working in a fast-paced environment and can project manage multiple tasks at once for yourself, your team, and your clients. How You Work - You love making data-driven decisions and excel at turning analytics into actionable email and SMS strategies that drive client revenue. - You dedicate time to learning and being on the cutting edge of trends and best practices in the world of DTC marketing. - Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills, plus the ability to clearly articulate complex and sometimes technical ideas to a wide variety of people and groups at any level. A DAY IN THE LIFE: - Serve as the senior point of contact for select clients, working to develop best-in-class retention strategies. On a weekly basis, you will meet with clients to discuss current and future initiatives. - Develop strategic campaign calendars and prioritize projects and initiatives designed to scale your clients' email and SMS programs. - Provide support and guidance to help Retention Specialists analyze data, develop winning retention strategies and create reports for clients happiness. - Project manage and delegate client tasks to your team, consisting of both specialists and designers. Review all client briefs and designs for approval before they are sent to the client. - Coordinate cross-departmentally with the Performance Marketing and Strategy teams to develop cohesive and creative campaigns that drive client growth. - Assign segmentation and QA email and SMS campaigns ensuring flawless delivery to customer audiences. - Report on strategic KPIs for clients, creating insights and actionable recommendations to grow client retention engagement and revenue. - Execute on automation/flow logic set-up, pop-up builds, and app integrations. What It's Like to Work at Darkroom Darkroom is not a typical agency. We are looking for A players who want to build something great. We move fast, think deeply, and expect every team member to bring insight and rigor to everything they touch. We hold a high bar for performance, creativity, and ownership — but we also support each other relentlessly. No egos, no red tape — just world-class talent building something remarkable. We believe in autonomy with accountability, truth over comfort, and outcomes over optics. - Unlimited PTO + Local holidays (Relevant to your hub): Rebooting is part of the work. Take the time you need to stay sharp. - Remote-First Culture: Many roles are fully remote. Employees based in or near our New York or Lisbon HQs are expected to work hybrid with weekly in-office time. Hub locations include the Brazil and Spain. - Parental Leave: Flexible parental leave to support new parents during this important transition. - Growth: Our interdisciplinary model gives every Darkroomer exposure far beyond their core role. Grow your skills, expand your influence, and stay at the forefront of the industry. Equal Opportunity Statement: Darkroom is an equal opportunity workplace—we are dedicated to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national orientation, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.