Director of Customer Strategy & Loyalty
22 days ago
New York
Job Description The Director of Customer Strategy & Loyalty will build and operate Tatte’s customer growth engine, responsible for increasing guest frequency, strengthening retention, and deepening emotional connection with the brand. This leader owns the end-to-end system that converts guest engagement into measurable business outcomes, including loyalty strategy, CRM and lifecycle marketing, personalization, and customer intelligence. As Tatte expands across markets and digital channels, this role ensures the company builds durable guest relationships at scale. The Director will translate Tatte’s concept essence into repeat behavior and measurable economic impact — increasing visit frequency, improving retention, and driving sustainable same-store sales growth. This role partners closely with Digital, Marketing, Operations, Finance, Culinary, and Technology to ensure customer strategy strengthens both the hospitality experience and the economics of the business. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Loyalty Strategy & Guest Frequency Growth – 40% • Architect and scale Tatte’s loyalty platform aligned with concept essence and economic guardrails., • Define segment-based value propositions that drive frequency and retention., • Lead pilot testing and performance optimization., • Establish the loyalty strategy as a primary driver of repeat visits and same-store sales growth., • Define the loyalty value proposition balancing rational benefits (rewards, convenience) with emotional loyalty (recognition, ritual, belonging)., • Partner with Digital Product and Technology teams to implement and scale the loyalty platform., • Establish economic guardrails and ROI expectations for loyalty investment., • Lead lifecycle strategy to drive repeat behavior and lifetime value., • Operationalize behavioral segmentation to focus investment where it yields the highest return., • Develop the data foundation and tools required to turn insight into action., • Build and operate a lifecycle marketing system that converts first-time guests into loyal regulars., • Develop segmentation frameworks and customer cohorts based on behavior and value., • Design personalized engagement strategies across email, SMS, push notifications, and in-app messaging., • Implement structured experimentation including A/B testing and cohort analysis., • Establish unified reporting on frequency, retention, LTV, and cohort performance., • Track first-to-second visit conversion and churn risk., • Translate customer insights into actionable strategies across menu, messaging, and experience., • Partner with Finance to measure incremental comp sales driven by loyalty and CRM initiatives., • Translate concept essence into tangible loyalty and personalization moments., • Ensure loyalty enhances not interrupts hospitality., • Partner with Operations to integrate loyalty and digital engagement into the café experience., • Collaborate with Marketing to ensure lifecycle engagement reflects Tatte’s brand voice and hospitality., • Work with Digital Product and Technology teams to evolve Tatte’s customer data and engagement capabilities., • Build and develop Tatte’s customer strategy and lifecycle marketing capability., • Establish clear accountability for guest engagement performance metrics., • Foster a culture of experimentation, insight-driven decision making, and continuous improvement. Education & Experience • Bachelor’s degree in marketing, Business, Analytics, Hospitality, or related field required. MBA or advanced degree preferred., • 10+ years in loyalty, CRM, lifecycle marketing, or guest engagement roles., • Proven experience building scalable loyalty platforms., • Experience increasing guest frequency, retention, and lifetime value through data-driven strategies., • Experience operating in high-growth hospitality, restaurant, retail, or consumer brands., • Strong understanding of CRM and lifecycle marketing platforms., • Strong financial understanding of customer economics (frequency, retention, LTV)., • Ability to balance brand storytelling with disciplined growth strategies., • Strong cross-functional leadership across marketing, operations, analytics, and product teams., • Strategic mindset with the ability to build systems that scale across markets., • Ability to work in and travel to all of our markets (Boston, DC, Tristate) OUR BENEFITS AND PERKS, • Competitive pay - $175,000 – $190,000 (commensurate with experience and qualifications) with the potential to bonus up to 20%, • 401(k) (with a vesting match), • Free EAP employee assistance programs, • Health, dental and vision insurance