Director Loyalty Credit Cards & Payment

Kirkland's, Inc.•Brentwood, TN

About The Position

The Director of Loyalty, Credit Cards & Payments is responsible for leading the strategy, innovation, and performance of the enterprise loyalty ecosystem—including free and paid membership tiers, co-branded credit card programs, and emerging payment solutions. This role blends strategic thinking with operational excellence to deliver programs that deepen customer engagement, unlock value, and drive incremental revenue. The ideal candidate is a customer-obsessed strategist and exceptional collaborator who can influence across Marketing, Product, Finance, Technology, and external partners to build programs that strengthen brand affinity and deliver measurable impact.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Finance, or a related field required; MBA preferred.
8–12+ years of experience in loyalty, credit card programs, payments, financial services, or subscription/membership businesses.
Proven leadership in building, scaling, or managing customer engagement or financial product programs.
Experience working with issuers, processors, or financial services partners strongly preferred.
Deep understanding of loyalty mechanics, credit card economics, and customer lifetime value modeling.
Expertise in program strategy, financial modeling, and P&L ownership.
Strong project management skills; able to manage complex cross-functional initiatives.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and executive-level presentation skills.
Strong analytical skills with proficiency in data platforms and performance dashboards.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, balancing strategic thinking with operational execution.
Ability to work at a computer for extended periods of time.

Nice To Haves

Experience in retail, e-commerce, or multi-channel customer experience businesses.
Background managing co-branded card partnerships.
Familiarity with payments technology, fraud, and regulatory frameworks.
Experience with loyalty or CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Braze, Session M

Responsibilities

Loyalty Program Leadership
Lead end-to-end strategy for both free and paid loyalty programs, including value proposition, pricing, benefits, and rewards structure.
Oversee program evolution informed by customer insights, competitive analysis, and financial modeling.
Collaborate with Product, CX, and Technology teams to optimize enrollment flows, digital experiences, and omnichannel journeys.
Own performance metrics including activation, engagement, retention, member LTV, and program profitability.
Credit Card Program Ownership
Serve as primary relationship owner for co-branded credit card issuer(s).
Build multi-channel acquisition strategies across digital, in-store, CRM, and lifecycle touchpoints.
Develop and manage cardholder benefits, promotional offers, spend incentives, and retention strategies.
Ensure program compliance, operational alignment, and adherence to regulatory standards.
Payments & Financial Products Strategy
Oversee strategy for emerging payment capabilities (installments, financing, wallets, alternative payment methods).
Partner with Finance and Treasury on rate structures, fee performance, and payment economics.
Lead cross-functional roadmaps that modernize checkout and improve customer payment experience.
Cross-Functional Program Execution
Build detailed program plans with timelines, milestones, financial forecasts, and success criteria.
Lead cross-functional workstreams with Marketing, Product, Finance, Legal, Technology, Operations, and Customer Service.
Manage external partners—including card issuers, technology providers, analytics teams, and loyalty vendors.
Brand Standards & Customer Experience
Ensure loyalty, credit card, and payment touchpoints adhere to brand standards and reinforce trust, transparency, and customer-first principles.
Advocate for frictionless, rewarding customer experiences across all platforms and journeys.
Partner closely with Creative to ensure all messaging is clear, compliant, and aligned to brand
Data, Analytics & Optimization
Lead the definition of member segmentation, behavioral triggers, lifecycle marketing, and personalization strategies.
Develop dashboards and executive-level reporting on loyalty and credit card performance.
Run continuous testing, experimentation, and ROI analysis to optimize investment and customer outcomes
Ensure loyalty, credit card, and payment touchpoints adhere to brand standards and reinforce trust, transparency, and customer-first principles.
Advocate for frictionless, rewarding customer experiences across all platforms and journeys.
Partner closely with Creative to ensure all messaging is clear, compliant, and aligned to brand