Manager, Strategic Merchant Partnerships

Partner-funded offers and marketing campaigns provide an effective and cost-efficient means of communicating to our cardmember base. The Manager, Strategic Merchant Partnerships will use insight from our unique business model of issuer and merchant as well as our Marketing Offer Platform to engage merchants in developing co-branded marketing strategies. This individual will meet with the key decision makers at large, well-known brands to build marketing relationships that impact the merchants growth, while at the same time delivering value added offers that help our cardmembers make their money go further.Responsibilities- Develop high-level contact network and key partnerships with targeted merchant group. Present areas of opportunities within Discover Card cardmember base to drive share shift, loyalty spend and new channel development. Secure offers from merchant base that can be delivered in cross channel marketing environment.- Manage all offer and program cost negotiations.- Develop scopes based on merchants competitive set make up, total cardmember universe available for contact and possible impact- Develop pitch decks for merchant visits using historical data, samples, channel descriptions and cost of partnerships- Coordinate marketing efforts with Partnership Program teams operations group, providing merchant criteria and directions as needed.- Work with analytics team to develop post-program results based on merchant expectations. Present to merchant as program follow-up and as lead in for strategy refining.- Develop cost structure around new program opportunities and present to both new and existing merchant base.- Meet yearly forecasted merchant-funded, incremental sales and cardmember touchpoint goals.

Qualifications

Educational Requirements
Bachelors Degree required
Ability to travel on a regular basis (25%-30%)
Merchant/Partner Relationship skills and experience; C-Level Communication experience preferred
Strong strategy development skills – the ability to build an idea from the ground up
Solid understanding of direct marketing principles
Strong project management with superior oral and written communication skills
Strong analytical, problem solving and decision making skills
Proven computer skills including Microsoft Office
Collaborate and negotiate with business partners across the organization
Interpret, form recommendations, and make decisions from analyses
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.