Head of Retention Marketing and Customer Journeys

Head of Retention Marketing and Customer Journeys role at British Heart Foundation. This is a 12-month fixed term contract to lead a key transformation project and to manage income from the existing donor base while delivering adoption of the Adobe marketing stack.

Overview

We’re recruiting an interim Head of Retention Marketing and Customer Journeys on a 12-month fixed term contract to lead a key transformation project. In this role, you’ll be responsible for managing the second-largest income stream at the BHF, from our existing donor base while delivering adoption of the Adobe marketing stack.

Responsibilities

• Lead the adoption of Adobe Campaign and CDP in the Retention and Customer Journey Team, coaching the team on developing data-led strategies to inspire support from customers and power lifesaving research.
• Take customers on cross-channel journeys to drive greater engagement with our cause and work with Digital Teams to bring these journeys to life.
• Manage income across loyal regular giving, the new lottery player base, cash donors, raffles (Give Help), retail, volunteering, and event participants (Achieve Goals); grow income from existing customer groups using cross-sell, upsell, and engagement communications to improve lifetime value, with a customer-centric approach.
• Ensure customers know where to get help from the BHF, including access to health content, CPR information, or contacting the Heart Helpline (Get Help).
• Lead a talented below-the-line marketing team across Give Help, Get Help and Achieve Goals, and collaborate with above-the-line teams for integrated communications moments.

About you / Qualifications

• Strategic marketing leader with a proven track record in customer retention, journey optimisation, and multi-channel growth. Experience leading teams through transformation, embedding new platforms, and delivering measurable impact.
• Expertise in CRM, product marketing, and customer data strategy; passion for customer-centric marketing that drives engagement and long-term value. Experience with Adobe is ideal; also valued experience with Klaviyo, Bloomreach, Intuit (Mailchimp), Salesforce Marketing Cloud, or HubSpot and understanding their capabilities for personalised marketing.
• Strong working knowledge of customer data, CRM, and product marketing, with experience developing retention and journey campaigns across email, SMS, direct mail, and data-led channels.
• Proven experience as a people manager, delivering change, building high-performing teams, and driving revenue growth.
• Ability to foster collaboration across teams and stakeholders; experience managing external agencies on complex CRM and below-the-line marketing projects; commercial and financial acumen including budget modelling and P&L management.
• Experience collaborating with data science teams to uncover customer insights and translate them into actionable strategies, complemented by strong storytelling and briefing skills for impactful campaigns.

Working arrangements

This is a 12-month fixed-term contract covering family leave. Start date ideally in December 2025, with some flexibility. The role is hybrid, split between home and at least one day per week in the London Office; flexibility may apply to ensure optimal work for the cause.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Contract

Job function

• Marketing, Management, and Strategy/Planning

Industries

• Non-profit Organizations
• Marketing Services

EEO statement: This description reflects the essential responsibilities and qualifications for the role. British Heart Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals.