Principal - Account Manager, Product & New Accounts

Bread Financial • Columbus, OH

13d • Hybrid

About The Position

This role develops strategies for product offerings, capabilities, features, and new account acquisition to grow assigned credit card portfolios. It supports and nurtures brand-partner relationships, gaining alignment on product, capability, and new-account initiatives to optimize portfolio health. The role collaborates with and indirectly leads cross-functional matrix teams to deliver acquisition and product strategies that meet client and organizational needs. It uses data from matrix partners to make portfolio decisions, align strategies with business goals, and allocate resources efficiently. The position resolves complex acquisition and product issues, removes internal roadblocks, identifies portfolio needs, aligns plans with P&L goals, prioritizes capabilities, leads analytics, and manages value-proposition impacts.

The Account Manager sets objectives and negotiates outcomes with matrix partners, develops acquisition plans and forecasts, assesses product capabilities and mix, and coordinates analytics to guide strategic decisions. The role presents plans and recommendations to brand partners, secures alignment, and manages client relationships, including potentially presenting to C-suite stakeholders.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or a related field, or equivalent relevant work experience.
• 10–13 years of experience in Account Management, Sales, Finance, Product Management, Project Management, Marketing, or credit card portfolio management.
• Ability to travel up to 10% quarterly.
• Work authorization in the United States on a full-time basis without current or future sponsorship; the company cannot employ F-1 student visa holders.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Finance, or a related field.
• Experience leading complex initiatives in a highly matrixed environment.
• Experience managing strategic client relationships and senior-level stakeholders.
• Experience leading credit card product launches, retail partnerships, or private-label credit card programs.
• Experience using performance metrics and data to guide strategic decisions.
• Skills in expense management, long-term planning, marketing, financial acumen, account management, project management, portfolio management, and strategies.

Responsibilities

• Nurture brand-partner relationships to drive business growth and retention; advocate for partners while meeting business objectives, remove internal roadblocks, and initiate escalations.
• Set objectives, negotiate outcomes, and collaborate with matrix teams, including Credit Management, Field, Portfolio Analytics, and Marketing.
• Work cross-functionally with digital, capabilities, technology, operations, and fraud teams to align client strategies with business goals.
• Partner with peers to resolve complex problems affecting multiple teams or the organization, allocate resources efficiently, and make decisions in ambiguous, high-stakes situations.
• Identify strategic portfolio needs and request acquisition plans from MCOE on an annual or quarterly basis; ensure plans align with P&L and long-term plans; present plans for client approval; share campaign strategy briefs and deadlines; and review results and recommendations with the brand.
• Assess available capabilities, identify those that support portfolio objectives, prioritize new capability activation, build recommendation cases for brand partners, and ensure the product mix meets business needs and P&L goals.
• Coordinate and develop complex analytics to predict performance trends, guide strategy, integrate data across departments, and identify process-optimization and innovation opportunities.
• Drive value-proposition strategy based on portfolio objectives, consult MCOE on value-proposition management, coordinate with ECM and other matrix partners, gain brand alignment on changes and opportunities, and manage P&L impacts.
• Lead comprehensive acquisition and new-account forecasts using cross-functional data and ensure forecasts align with strategic goals and predict P&L impact.
• May present to C-suite stakeholders.

Benefits

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and other voluntary benefits, including basic and optional life insurance, supplemental medical plans, and short- and long-term disability, for eligible associates.
• Six weeks of 100% paid parental leave for eligible parents after a 180-day waiting period.
• 401(k) plan enrollment available immediately after hire.
• 11 paid holidays.
• Flexible Time Off (FTO) program.
• Paid Sick and Safe Time; Illinois associates also receive Illinois Paid Leave.
• Option to purchase company stock during offering periods in June and December.
• Annual incentive bonus based on individual and company performance.
• Career development opportunities and a diverse suite of wellness benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal