Retention Marketing Manager

About goSTOPS

goSTOPS is Indias fastest-growing backpacker hostel brand, co-founded in 2014 and *funded by Blume Ventures*. We cater to Gen Z and young travellers through vibrant, social spaces and digital-first booking experiences. With 35+ hostels across India and aggressive expansion underway, were building a hospitality brand that combines community, design, and technology to redefine affordable travel for the youth.

Role Purpose

The Retention Marketing will own and execute retention & lifecycle initiatives aimed at nurturing existing customers, maximising repeat bookings, increasing customer lifetime value (CLTV), and reducing churn. You’ll work closely with the Marketing, Product, and CX teams to build a data-driven retention engine aligned with goSTOPS’ youthful, community-centric ethos.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and manage end-to-end customer lifecycle: onboarding, activation, engagement, retention, and reactivation.
• Build and execute retention campaigns across channels – email, SMS/WhatsApp, push notifications, in-app, and CRM – with strong segmentation and personalisation.
• Develop retention dashboards and KPIs (e.g., repeat stay rate, CLTV, churn, reactivation rate).
• Identify churn-risk cohorts with the data team and create proactive interventions.
• Segment audiences (frequent travellers, solo travellers, group guests, etc.) and design customised retention journeys.
• Collaborate with Product and Growth teams to integrate retention insights into acquisition and user-experience loops.
• Manage retention budgets and optimise ROI across all channels.
• Create engaging retention-led content: loyalty perks, member-only offers, referral programs, community event invites, etc.
• Run A/B tests on campaigns, measure results, and iterate quickly.
• Coordinate with hostel operations to ensure on-ground experience supports retention goals.
• Stay current with CRM and loyalty trends in the travel/hospitality industry.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or related field.
• 3–5 years’ experience in retention, lifecycle, or CRM marketing (preferably in travel, hospitality, or consumer tech).
• *Proficiency with CRM and automation tools such as WebEngage, Zoho, and Metabase.*
• Strong analytical ability – comfortable with segmentation, dashboards, and data-driven decision-making.
• Excellent communication and copywriting skills.
• Track record of improving retention or repeat-purchase metrics through campaigns or lifecycle design.
• Collaborative, detail-oriented, and comfortable in a fast-paced start-up environment.
• Passion for travel, youth culture, and community-driven experiences is a plus.

Success Metrics / KPIs

• Increase in repeat-stay rate (guests returning within 90/180 days).
• Higher CLTV and loyalty program adoption.
• Reduction in churn and booking gap.
• Improved CRM engagement (open, click, and conversion rates).
• Positive ROI on retention initiatives.