Director, Lifecycle Growth & Retention

ISSA is looking for a Director, Lifecycle Growth & Retention! Please note: 100% Remote position: (must reside in an ISSA-eligible state: AZ, CT, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, NC, NV, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI). About ISSA: ISSA is an education and certification company for fitness trainers, personal trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, nutritionists, nutrition coaches, yoga instructors, health coaches, medical professionals, and more! For over 35 years, ISSA has developed a personal fitness training program that combines gym experience with practical and applied sciences. With over 300 employees, we have certified nearly 500,000 trainers in 174 countries. We were recently recognized as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer by The Phoenix Business Journal, Fastest Growing Private Company by Inc. Southwest Regionals, and Top Workplace by USA Today! ISSA is seeking a highly strategic, growth-oriented leader to own and drive returning student bookings across the business. This role sits at the intersection of lifecycle marketing, product, automation, AI, and customer growth, with a primary focus on increasing retention, repeat purchases, and customer lifetime value. So What's the Job? The Director, Lifecycle Growth & Retention , will operate with a strong ownership mindset, waking up every day focused on how to grow returning student bookings and deepen customer engagement across ISSA offerings. This leader will partner closely with Product, Marketing, Analytics, and Operations to identify growth opportunities, improve the customer journey, and develop innovative offers, bundles, and lifecycle programs that drive revenue growth. Key Responsibilities: Own and drive lifecycle contribution to returning student bookings and retention growth Develop and execute lifecycle strategies across acquisition, onboarding, engagement, renewal, reactivation, and upsell Partner closely with Product to understand customer behavior, identify friction points, and improve customer experiences Collaborate with Product and Marketing teams to develop compelling bundles, specialization packages, and offers that appeal to returning students Identify creative and data-driven ways to increase repeat purchases across ISSA offerings Build and scale lifecycle programs using automation, segmentation, personalization, and AI-driven opportunities Own lifecycle roadmap across email, SMS, automation, and retention initiatives Guide and prioritize execution through internal resources and contractors, including managing 1 individual Continuously analyze performance, test new strategies, and optimize for growth and lifetime value How you’ll spend your time: Approximately 60% focused on strategy, growth initiatives, analysis, and cross-functional partnership Approximately 40% focused on guiding execution, reviewing campaigns, prioritization, and ensuring alignment with business goals This role is responsible for strategy, ownership, prioritization, and business impact, not day-to-day campaign builds What Success Looks Like: Measurable growth in returning student bookings Increased retention and customer lifetime value Strong cross-functional partnership with Product and Marketing Improved customer engagement and lifecycle conversion rates Successful implementation of automation and AI-driven lifecycle improvements Clear lifecycle roadmap tied directly to business growth outcomes What is ISSA looking for? 8+ years of experience in lifecycle, retention, CRM, growth, or product marketing roles Proven experience owning revenue-impacting growth or retention initiatives Strong strategic thinking, analytical skills, and growth mindset Experience with marketing automation and ESP platforms, HubSpot required Experience using Tableau and GA4 to analyze customer behavior and performance trends Strong understanding of lifecycle strategy, segmentation, personalization, and customer journey optimization Experience managing 1 or more people and partnering cross-functionally with Product, Analytics, and Marketing teams Familiarity with AI tools and automation opportunities within lifecycle marketing Additional experience: Experience in EdTech, education, subscription, or certification-based business models Experience driving retention, renewal, upsell, or repeat purchase initiatives Experience building lifecycle or growth programs from the ground up Anything else? Absolutely! Benefits and Perks: This is a place where every day we are inspired by our teammates, encouraging each other to be our best. The environment is friendly and upbeat! And we feel it’s important to reward our team with competitive pay and benefits. Here are some of the highlights: Free Certifications: Who wants to be their best self? WE DO! As an ISSA team member, you have access to our courses and certifications…at no expense! Additionally, you'll receive exclusive discounts on leading products in the fitness industry. Cool, right? After 90 days, employees can also enroll up to 5 friends/family members each year in our courses...FOR FREE! Health & Wellness Reimbursement: If our company’s mission is to encourage healthy living, we need to walk the talk and ensure each employee is supported in their wellness journey! Employees can submit fitness purchases (gym membership, fitness equipment, classes) and professional and mental health purchases (personal learning courses, wellness apps, art classes, and more) for reimbursement up to $50/month…$600/year. Work-Life Synergy: Our Team members have 3 weeks of PTO each year...accrued on a bi-weekly basis! And everyone at ISSA gets 9 paid national holidays every year...PLUS 1 floating holiday! Parental Time Off: We support our team members as they grow their families. Eligible employees giving birth can receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave, while other parents welcoming a new child (including partners and adoptive/foster parents) receive up to 6 weeks of paid bonding leave. Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance: A key component to living a healthy lifestyle is having access to the care we (and our families) need. We offer 2 medical insurance plans accompanied by Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Savings Account (FSA) options, as well as Dental and Vision coverage. And you don’t have to wait forever! Eligibility begins on the 1st of the month after you start. Team Building: We may be remote, but we don’t have to be alone! We host a monthly schedule of virtual team activities, town halls, brown bag lunches, and other special events…so many fun ways for us to connect and support one another. Growth Opportunities: When our people grow…we grow! We offer leadership training, coaching/mentoring opportunities, and cross-functional collaboration on special projects and initiatives. Constant growth and development are inherent in our culture. Tools To Do The Job: We ensure you are hooked up with the tools, equipment, and systems you need. We begin the process before your start date, so you are ready to rock ‘n roll on your first day. We also provide a monthly work-from-home allowance! 100% Remote Work: You can say goodbye to long commutes because all of our roles can be performed from the comfort of your own home. To connect and communicate more effectively, ISSA is a camera-friendly culture in which cameras are on for scheduled meetings. We have found that this bridges the gap that can exist since we are not working together in an office. What Else? We have a 401(k) company match and 100% company-paid life/AD&D insurance/short-term disability. We also offer an employee assistance program to assist with work-life concerns (legal, financial, and mental health). Our ultimate goal is to support you and your overall wellness. Transform your career at ISSA!