Role DescriptionAs the Director of Card Acquisition & Lifecycle Growth, you will be responsible for developing, executing, and optimizing AppCard’s cardholder growth strategy across the full customer lifecycle. In the first six months, the role will likely be weighted heavily toward acquisition: building the funnel, improving conversion, driving approved accounts, activation, and first purchase. Over time, the role will broaden to own lifecycle growth for the card program, including activation, early engagement, repeat usage, share of wallet, out-of-grocery spend, retention, and long-term cardholder value.You will work cross-functionally with marketing, product, risk, compliance, operations, analytics, and external card partners, including our issuer and retail partners, to build scalable cardholder growth programs across in-store, digital, loyalty, email, SMS, app, web, direct mail, onboarding, lifecycle, and retailer-specific channels. The ideal candidate will combine credit card acquisition experience, lifecycle marketing discipline, strong analytical skills, consumer marketing creativity, and practical execution skills.This role is highly strategic but also hands-on. The Director of Card Acquisition & Lifecycle Growth will be expected to create acquisition and lifecycle playbooks, test messaging and offers, improve conversion and engagement rates, partner with retailers, analyze funnel and portfolio performance, and help build the foundation for a high-performing card growth engine.Duties- Develop and execute AppCard’s cardholder growth strategy across participating retailers and digital channels, with an initial emphasis on acquisition and a growing focus on activation, engagement, spend, retention, and long-term cardholder value.- Own the full cardholder lifecycle funnel, including awareness, application starts, application completion, approvals, booked accounts, activation, first transaction, repeat usage, share of wallet, out-of-grocery spend, retention, and long-term cardholder value.- Design and optimize acquisition and lifecycle campaigns across in-store signage, loyalty app placements, email, SMS, web, digital media, receipts, point-of-sale messaging, retailer communications, onboarding journeys, usage nudges, and spend stimulation campaigns.- Develop retailer-specific acquisition playbooks that help independent grocers promote the card effectively to their shoppers.- Collaborate with product, design, engineering, and compliance teams to improve the credit card application experience and reduce unnecessary funnel friction.- Analyze cardholder growth performance by channel, retailer, store, campaign, audience segment, approval rate, activation rate, spend behavior, grocery versus non-grocery spend, repeat usage, retention, cost per acquired active cardholder, and lifetime value.- Build and manage a testing roadmap for offers, messaging, creative, targeting, application flow, onboarding, activation, usage, retention, and spend expansion campaigns.- Translate AppCard’s loyalty and shopper data into targeted card acquisition, activation, cross-spend, and retention opportunities.- Partner with compliance and legal teams to ensure acquisition materials are accurate, compliant, and aligned with applicable credit card marketing requirements.- Work with card program partners, including issuing bank, processor, network, and other vendors, to support acquisition campaigns and performance tracking.- Develop cardholder growth strategies that balance application volume, applicant quality, approval rates, responsible lending considerations, customer experience, spend growth, retention, and long-term cardholder value.- Create reporting dashboards and executive updates that communicate acquisition funnel performance, lifecycle engagement, spend behavior, key insights, risks, and recommended actions.- Identify and implement strategies to improve activation, early card usage, repeat card usage, and out-of-grocery spend after approval.- Support merchant-facing conversations related to card acquisition strategy, lifecycle marketing, store-level execution, cardholder engagement, and performance improvement.- Stay current on credit card, fintech, retail media, grocery loyalty, co-brand acquisition, lifecycle marketing, cardholder engagement, and portfolio growth trends.- Execute work requests from the Chief Growth Officer.- Conduct yourself in a manner that reflects company values.Candidate Qualifications- Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, finance, economics, analytics, or a related field is required.- Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, preferably in credit card acquisition, lifecycle marketing, co-brand cards, fintech growth, banking, retail financial services, loyalty marketing, performance marketing, or card portfolio growth.- Direct experience acquiring, activating, engaging, and growing customers for a credit card, lending product, banking product, fintech product, loyalty program, or other regulated consumer financial product is strongly preferred.- Experience with co-brand, private-label, retail, grocery, fuel, airline, hotel, or other partner-based card programs is highly desirable.- Strong understanding of acquisition and lifecycle metrics (e.g., application starts, completion rate, approval rate, booked account rate, activation rate, first purchase rate, repeat usage, spend per active account, grocery vs. non-grocery spend, retention, CPA, cost per approved account, cost per active cardholder, and customer lifetime value).- Proven ability to use data to identify funnel and lifecycle issues, develop hypotheses, run tests, and improve conversion, activation, engagement, spend, and retention.- Experience developing marketing campaigns across digital, email, SMS, app, web, in-store, partner channels, onboarding journeys, and lifecycle marketing channels.- Familiarity with credit card marketing compliance considerations, including clear offer communication, APR/reward disclosures, prescreen or prequalification language, Reg Z/TILA considerations, and UDAAP risk.- Excellent communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.- Ability to collaborate effectively with product, engineering, analytics, compliance, legal, operations, merchants, and external partners.- Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams in a fast-moving environment.- Ability to remain focused and flexible during rapid change.- Strong business judgment and ability to balance growth, customer experience, compliance, responsible lending, spend behavior, retention, and long-term program economics.- Works well in a team-oriented, highly collaborative environment.Things That Will Make You Happy- A world-class manager who cares about you and will invest in your professional development- Stock options- An informal, meritocratic environment focused on results, not politics- Flexible working arrangements- Casual attire encouraged- Competitive salary and incentives- Choice of health, dental and vision benefits- Life insurance coverage, 401(k) plan, vacation/sick leave, paid company holidays- Flexible Spending Account (FSA)- Health Savings Account (HSA)- Commuter benefitsReporting To- Jeremy Rabe, Chief Growth OfficerRole Location- Candidate may be located anywhere in the continental United States. If in the New York City area, on-site presence at our Financial District office is expected.