Sr. Manager, Customer Insights

Sr. Manager, Customer Insights

The Sr. Manager, Customer Insights requires analytics expertise to create a customer insights foundation for Vera Bradley by instituting a "customer intimacy" program involving quant and qual research and by leveraging existing systems/platforms and putting into place new standards and practices. This role will stand up a clean, decision-ready customer reporting foundation and baseline of customer insights that will drive strategy and marketing activities short and long term.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Diagnoses existing customer data regardless of source, defining core customer KPIs, and delivering standardized, repeatable reporting for purposes of performance analysis, strategic decisions, budgeting and quarterly earnings calls.
• Translates complex analysis into clear, decision-ready insights for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Works cross-functionally with the Merchandising team to help unlock product value and potential through customer behaviors and trends. Conducts both quantitative and qualitative research to drive results.
• Works with Marketing team to build and assess audience campaign strategies based on knowledge of overall customer file and growth objectives.
• Institutes credible annual brand tracking customer health measures.
• Builds customer segmentation personas and quantifies opportunities across various groups, in tandem with Leadership strategic intent.
• Creates the customer health story, based on data inputs and overall understanding and analysis of the data file.
• Creates a customer intimacy program that allows key stakeholders to better understand customer personas, behaviors and needs, for purposes of succeeding with product development, marketing campaigns, and overall company growth strategy.
• Builds and applies knowledge of season goals, campaign objectives, past campaign performance and available customer information to align on audiences for marketing campaigns.
• Works with marketing and platform partners to track campaign performance and evaluate audience adjustments as needed.
• Links customer segmentation to overall strategic roadmap for customer growth, acquisition and retention.
• Reports out on core customer KPIs in meaningful analysis.
• Delivers full-year customer performance diagnostics to inform forward planning and budgeting as well as strategy to drive acquisition, retention and LTV.
• Leverages Data Analyst Team's Power BI models to build and refresh executive-ready Power BI dashboards.
• Creates standardized, reusable views designed for ongoing use by Marketing Team for executive and weekly operating reports.
• Proactively identifies and flags gaps, anomalies, or logic issues.
• Partners with Data Analytics team to leverage data models for Marketing and Customer analysis and best usage cases.
• Partners with Marketing and Leadership to refine priorities.
• Implements automated refresh processes where feasible.
• Delivers a clean handoff, including light training and documentation, to internal teams.

Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, data analytics, or a related field.
• 7+ years experience in data analytics, BI, or customer analytics (agency or in-house).
• Proven experience working with customer-centric datasets (retail, consumer goods, e-commerce).
• Comfortable defining KPIs that support financial planning and growth decisions.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Strong documentation and communication skills; able to enable non-technical teams.
• Able to work independently, move quickly, and deliver in a compressed timeline
• Comfortable operating as a strategic thought partner, not just a reporting resource
• Senior-level judgment, speed, and autonomy
• Ability to work directly with leadership, translating business questions into analytic frameworks, and delivering insight that informs financial planning and customer growth strategy.
• Strong team player with the ability to build and maintain good rapport with both internal and external customers to handle situations with confidence and tact
• Able to solve complex problems with the ability to take a new perspective on existing solutions
• High level of analytical thinking and attention to detail
• Effective leadership, project management and vendor management skills

Environment & Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those an individual must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Office environment. Utilizing an office desk – sitting, reading, listening, or speaking with the ability to move intermittently throughout the day
• Strong sensory skills, such as good eyesight, good hearing, and dexterity
• Ability to operate office equipment, including computers, copiers, fax machines, and phones