Senior Director of Customer Engagement and Marketing Automation

The Senior Director of Customer Engagement and Marketing Automation will spearhead the strategy and execution of all automated, data-driven marketing and engagement programs across the customer lifecycle. This role may be located in our Newark, DE; Newton, MA; New York, NY; or Sterling, VA (planned to move to Arlington, VA in Fall 2026). What You'll Do Develop and execute a comprehensive, long-term customer engagement and marketing automation strategy that aligns with business objectives and key financial services regulations. Champion a customer‑centric mindset and data‑driven culture throughout the marketing organization. Map, analyze, and optimize the customer journey across all touchpoints, from onboarding to retention and cross‑sell opportunities. Utilize customer feedback and data to identify and resolve pain points in the customer experience. Oversee the deployment of feedback loops and voice‑of‑customer (VoC) programs to gather insights and drive data‑informed decisions. Serve as the expert on the marketing automation technology stack, overseeing platform integrations, data governance, and overall system health. Ensure seamless data flow and reporting between marketing automation systems and other platforms such as CRM. Manage and optimize the end‑to‑end customer journey, from initial lead nurturing to retention and cross‑sell initiatives. Oversee the maintenance and enhancement of audience segmentation and personalization frameworks for targeted and relevant communications. Direct the development, execution, and optimization of automated lifecycle campaigns, transactional messaging, and multi‑channel engagement programs. Collaborate with analytics and data science teams to measure the impact of marketing automation on customer acquisition, lifetime value, and revenue. Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of all automated marketing programs. What You'll Have 10+ years of experience in marketing automation or similar, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership role. Deep understanding of digital technologies, platforms, and trends, including CRM, analytics, and e‑commerce. Deep expertise with a major marketing automation platform such as Zeta Marketing Platform, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, or HubSpot, with strong knowledge of data integrations, relationships, and email operations. Excellent leadership skills with a track record of building and managing high‑performing teams. Demonstrated experience in driving transformation initiatives and managing large‑scale data projects. Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights. Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex digital concepts to non‑technical stakeholders. Preferred Bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing, information technology, or a related field. A master’s degree is preferred. 10+ years of experience in a senior leadership role overseeing strategy and delivery, preferably within a complex organization. Benefits Competitive base salaries Bonus incentives Generous PTO, floating holidays, and 12 federal holidays observed Support for financial‑well‑being and retirement 401(k) with employer match Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, hospital indemnity, critical illness, pet insurance, and more Employer‑paid short‑term/long‑term disability and basic life insurance Flexible hybrid working arrangements Paid parental leave and adoption reimbursement programs Free access to on‑site staffed fitness centers (in Delaware) and gym subsidy for non‑Delaware locations Confidential counseling support (EAP), health advocacy services, and wellness program with financial incentives Tuition reimbursement and family scholarship programs Career development and training opportunities Sallie Mae is proud to be an equal opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities in all phases of the application and employment process. To request an accommodation, please call View phone number on click.appcast.io and choose option 9. All information you provide will be kept confidential and used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations. #J-18808-Ljbffr Sallie Mae