CRM Marketing Manager

Job Summary

The CRM Marketing Manager at CandleScience plays a key role in shaping and optimizing the customer lifecycle and loyalty experience across email, SMS, Rewards and related CRM channels. Reporting directly to the Performance Marketing Director, this role is responsible for driving retention, loyalty, reactivation, and long-term customer value through strategic, data-informed lifecycle marketing.

This is a strategic leadership role with hands-on oversight: the CRM Marketing Manager owns the planning, measurement, and evolution of lifecycle and loyalty initiatives while managing a CRM Specialist responsible for campaign execution. Working closely with our Data Analytics, Product Marketing, Customer Support, Sales and Creative teams, this role ensures CRM programs are aligned with broader marketing priorities and deliver consistent, relevant customer experiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Leads and mentors a CRM Specialist responsible for execution, ensuring alignment to brand, strategy, quality, and performance standards.
• Owns and evolves CandleScience’s end-to-end lifecycle marketing strategy across email, SMS, and Rewards to maximize loyalty, retention, lifetime value, and customer progression.
• Ensures CRM strategy aligns with brand initiatives, product launches, and seasonal priorities.
• Collaborates cross-functionally with Creative, Programming, Product Marketing, Data, Sales and Support teams to deliver cohesive, customer-centric experiences.
• Defines customer journey frameworks that support makers at every stage, from hobbyist to growing business.
• Leads CRM audience segmentation and targeting strategy grounded in deep customer analytics.
• Owns the strategic evolution of the CandleScience Rewards program, including performance evaluation, long-term roadmap development, and alignment to business and customer goals.
• Partners cross-functionally to integrate loyalty into broader brand, product, and customer experience strategies.
• Establishes CRM and retention KPIs, measurement frameworks, and success definitions.
• Leads a structured test-and-learn roadmap, including A/B and multivariate testing across lifecycle touchpoints
• Analyzes cohort behavior, lifetime value, engagement trends, and segment performance to identify growth opportunities.
• Translates insights into clear strategic recommendations, prioritization, and actionable plans.
• Defines personalization principles and partners cross-functionally to implement new and evolving customer journeys.
• Identifies opportunities through customer research and surveys to increase relevance, reduce churn, and strengthen customer relationships.
• Performs additional responsibilities as assigned by supervisor or leadership.

Required Skills / Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in e-commerce lifecycle marketing or a related field.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using data to drive decisions, including understanding lifetime value, cohort retention models, and customer segmentation.
• Deep knowledge of email and SMS marketing, including goal setting, campaign optimization, and performance measurement.
• Experience managing a successful customer rewards or loyalty program
• Proven ability to define, monitor, and analyze CRM KPIs through dashboards, translating insights into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Experience owning KPIs and optimizing marketing channels to achieve measurable results.
• Highly detail-oriented and organized, with the ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines consistently.

Work Environment

This role is based in the Raleigh-Durham area and may be offered in a hybrid format while feasible. Team members can work onsite 2–3 days per week, with the remaining time remote, depending on business needs and budget considerations. The position requires significant desk time for research, writing, and collaboration, along with regular team meetings, video calls, and occasional in-person creative sessions to build and refine content strategies. Must be able to lift up to 20+ pounds at times and have the ability to climb and work on a ladder as needed.

The Pay Range is $89,000 - $95,000.

To Apply: Please submit your resume along with a short Cover Letter telling us why you would be a good fit for this position.

Benefits:

Big company benefits with small company culture! We provide comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with low deductibles. All employees receive employer match for retirement contributions of up to 3% of annual earnings. We have liberal vacation policies and offer additional benefits including technology stipends, gym memberships, and company-paid life insurance.

• Employee assistance program
• Paid time off (Vacation & Sick)
• Referral program
• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Medical insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Tuition reimbursement

About Us:

CandleScience develops and sells candle and soap making supplies. Our customers vary in size from candle and soap entrepreneurs to seasonal hobbyists. We began in 2003 as a two-person startup, and have become the market leader in the industry.

We work hard to develop natural and safe products that push the boundaries of candle and soap making. Our success is a result of our focus on web development, product development, and operations.

For More About Us:

www.candlescience.com/about

Igniting Growth with CandleScience | https://partners.wsj.com/ups/igniting-growth-candl...

First Candles, Now Soap. Durham’s CandleScience Expands in DIY Market | https://wraltechwire.com/2016/06/02/durham-candles...

CandleScience and the Science of Candle Making | https://www.avery.com/blog/customer-spotlight-candlescience/

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/candlescience

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@candlescience

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/candlescience