CRM Director Job at Salt South Africa

Overview:

• Step into a senior leadership role within a high-growth, international ecommerce retention agency working with some of the world’s most exciting DTC brands. This is an opportunity for an experienced CRM leader to take full ownership of client strategy, team leadership, and delivery at scale.
• The CRM Director will be responsible for overseeing a portfolio of 10+ ecommerce clients, driving retention strategy across email, automation, and lifecycle marketing, while leading and mentoring a team of CRM Managers. This is a hands-on role for someone who is equally comfortable setting strategy, managing senior client relationships, and executing within Klaviyo when needed.
• This is not a training or step-up role. The successful candidate will bring proven ecommerce CRM experience, a strong client retention track record, and the confidence to immediately take ownership of a high-value client portfolio and team. If you thrive in fast-paced agency environments, enjoy leading people, and are passionate about retention marketing that delivers measurable results, this role offers real influence and impact.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Client Leadership & Strategy: Own the end-to-end CRM and retention strategy for 8-12 ecommerce clients, acting as the senior strategic partner and primary point of escalation.
• Team Management & Mentorship: Lead and manage a team of 4-5 CRM professionals, including direct management of 2 CRM Managers, providing guidance, quality control, and performance leadership.
• Retention Strategy Development: Design and oversee advanced retention strategies across email, flows, segmentation, and lifecycle marketing, ensuring alignment with client commercial goals.
• Hands-On Klaviyo Execution: Maintain a strong hands-on presence within Klaviyo, reviewing builds, optimising campaigns and flows, and stepping in where necessary to ensure delivery excellence.
• Client Communication & Retention: Lead senior-level client communication, strategy calls, reporting, and roadmap planning, with a clear focus on long-term client retention and account growth.
• Revenue & Account Oversight: Manage a significant book of business (minimum $40K in monthly agency revenue), ensuring performance, delivery, and commercial success across accounts.
• Cross-Channel Retention Growth: Oversee and contribute to broader retention initiatives including SMS, loyalty programs, and other owned-channel strategies.
• Quality Control & Delivery Oversight: Ensure all campaigns, flows, and creative outputs meet a high standard and are delivered on time through effective project and resource management.
• Peak Trading Support: Work closely with Client Success teams to plan and deliver high-impact strategies during key ecommerce periods such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Requirements:

• 5+ years of experience in ecommerce email and retention marketing, with at least 2 years operating at a Senior CRM or leadership level.
• Proven experience managing CRM teams and leading multiple client accounts simultaneously within an agency environment.
• Strong, hands-on experience with Klaviyo is essential – this role requires both strategic oversight and practical execution knowledge.
• Demonstrated ability to lead senior client relationships, manage expectations, and maintain an exceptional client retention record.
• Experience managing high-value client portfolios and understanding the commercial drivers behind retention and lifecycle marketing.