Direct Marketing Manager

Navient

1d•Remote

About The Position

Navient (Nasdaq: NAVI) helps students and families confidently manage the cost of higher education. We create long-term value for customers and investors through responsible lending, flexible refinancing, trusted servicing oversight, and decades of portfolio management expertise. Our employees thrive in a culture of belonging, where they are supported and proud to deliver meaningful outcomes. Our Direct Marketing Manager will lead new customer acquisition through direct mail, owning the full strategy, execution, and performance of this channel. As the subject-matter expert, you’ll manage everything from targeting and creative development to testing, vendor relationships, and performance optimization. You’ll collaborate with marketing and data analysts to build prospect files and refine targeting methods, work with creative teams to design compliant solicitations, and partner with credit bureaus for file procurement and list optimization. This role also oversees lettershop operations, ensuring timelines and quality standards are met, and manages all personalization, proofing, and creative approvals. In addition, you’ll forecast and plan new direct mail campaigns, including financial performance and cost/revenue projections. If you’re detail-oriented, data-driven, and passionate about delivering impactful direct marketing programs, this is your opportunity to make a measurable impact.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree Business Administration, Analytics, Economics, or related. Additional equivalent experience above the required minimum may substitute.
5+ years of experience in direct marketing, with at least 3 years in Direct Mail channel management.
Strong understanding of financial services marketing, particularly customer acquisition for private student loans.
Deep experience managing end-to-end mail production: list procurement, creative, printing, personalization, and delivery.
Strong analytical skills; proficient in Excel/Sheets and comfortable using SQL or Looker to analyze performance data.
Familiarity with credit bureau data (e.g., Experian, TransUnion) and regulatory requirements in consumer lending marketing.
Proven success designing and interpreting A/B and multivariate tests.
Excellent cross-functional communicator and self-starter capable of thriving as a solo channel owner in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment.
Expertise in implementing and maintaining rigorous quality assurance protocols to ensure data accuracy, content integrity and timely campaign delivery.
Ability to interpret campaign data, build forecasts, and identify insights that drive ROI improvement.
Proficient in Excel/Google Sheets and comfortable working with SQL, Looker, or similar data tools.
Comfortable using marketing automation systems, mail tracking tools, and campaign reporting platforms to manage workflow and measure success.
Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple campaigns, vendors, and deadlines simultaneously.
Skilled at developing and evaluating direct response creative; able to translate data and insights into actionable creative strategy.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey recommendations to executives and cross-functional partners.
Ability to work cross-functionally to collaborate across Marketing, Analytics, Data Science, Risk, and Compliance to align priorities and resolve issues efficiently.
Additional equivalent education above the required minimum may substitute for level of experience.

Responsibilities

Channel Management Own the full lifecycle of our Direct Mail program for private student loans including audience targeting, creative strategy, campaign execution, and performance optimization.
Serve as the internal subject-matter expert for all things Direct Mail, educating marketing and leadership on channel best practices, testing strategies, and growth opportunities.
Partner with Analytics, Data Science, Risk, and Partnerships to develop targeting models and segmentation strategies that balance volume growth with credit quality.
Lead strategic planning for seasonal campaigns aligned with private loan Peak season.
Creative Strategy and Compliance Management Develop and test messaging frameworks, offer positioning, and creative layouts that resonate with student and parent audiences.
Partner with Brand and Compliance to ensure all solicitations meet regulatory and disclosure standards while maintaining brand integrity.
Manage creative agencies and vendors from brief through production proofing, ensuring accuracy and flawless execution.
Drive continuous testing of creative variables (headlines, offers, formats, personalization) to maximize response and conversion rates.
Data, Targeting, and Analytics Define audience segmentation and targeting strategies using demographic, credit bureau, and behavioral data.
Partner with Data and Analytics teams to source, score, and model prospect lists; design test cells and measurement frameworks.
Develop dashboards and KPI reporting to monitor campaign performance, cost efficiency, and downstream loan funding.
Analyze results to identify opportunities for scaling profitable segments and discontinuing low-performing lists or creatives.
Vendor and Budget Management Own vendor relationships, including lettershops, list providers, and credit bureaus; negotiate pricing, manage timelines, and ensure quality standards.
Manage the Direct Mail budget end-to-end: forecasting, pacing, reconciliation, and ROI analysis.
Evaluate new partners and technologies (data providers, mail tracking, response attribution) to enhance targeting precision and measurement accuracy.