This position is offered through HireGenics and is not a direct employment opportunity with Southwest Airlines Co. The role is contingent and may transition to full-time employment at the discretion of Southwest Airlines Co., based on performance, business needs, and other factors. Please note that contract workers are subject to the terms and conditions set by HireGenics during the contractual period. This contract position is not associated with any labor union or Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The Program Manager for the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Debit Card portfolio is responsible for end-to-end ownership of the existing debit cardmember experience. This role ensures smooth, frictionless onboarding of approved accounts; drives engagement, spend, and benefit utilization; and manages cardholder communications and retention efforts across the portfolio. The Program Manager is the operational and strategic owner of cardmember activities, partnering across Southwest Airlines, Visa, Galileo, and internal Marketing and Analytics teams to achieve program goals and protect the long-term health of the portfolio.
Responsibilities
- Own the existing debit cardmember segment and ensure a seamless, low friction onboarding experience for newly approved accounts.
- Maintain and execute the cardmember communication strategy, ensuring timely, relevant, and targeted messaging to existing cardholders.
- Monitor portfolio performance and cardmember engagement activities to identify emerging trends, risks, and opportunities that drive spend, benefit utilization, and program loyalty.
- Lead execution of all cardholder engagement campaigns, including spend stimulation, promotional initiatives, and benefit education, developed in partnership with SWA Marketing, Visa, and Galileo.
- Support all retention efforts designed to minimize attrition, reduce account closures, and protect portfolio profitability.
- Drive initiatives to optimize cardholder spending and increase debit load and usage behaviors.
- Serve as the business owner for cardmember facing strategies and campaigns, ensuring alignment across Marketing, Operations, and external partners.
- Coordinate cross functional execution plans, timelines, and success metrics to deliver high-quality customer experiences across all touchpoints.
- Represent the Debit Card program in cross functional forums, ensuring visibility, alignment, and operational excellence across partner teams.
- Maintain reporting and real-time awareness of key product metrics, partnering closely with the Debit Analyst to track performance against KPIs, including spend, engagement, benefit utilization, and attrition.
- Provide leadership with regular reporting, insights, and recommendations based on cardmember behavior, program trends, and campaign results.
- Evaluate program health and identify opportunities to optimize the cardmember journey, reduce friction points, and improve lifecycle performance.
- Safeguard the long term revenue impact of the Debit Card portfolio through proactive management of engagement, retention, and cardholder satisfaction.
- Serve as a critical operational resource ensuring the portfolio maintains strong business performance despite historical understaffing and contractor dependency.
- Act as the subject matter expert and internal advocate for the CoBrand Debit portfolio, ensuring the program receives the visibility, resources, and support required to achieve growth and retention targets.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Knowledge of product marketing and marketing strategy.
- Knowledge of retention strategy and call servicing.
- Skilled in developing business cases and building a marketing/strategic plan.
- Skilled in partner management and relationship-building.
- Knowledge of financial services and/or the credit card industry.
- Skilled in communicating effectively by listening intently, questioning appropriately, and articulating clearly in both written and verbal formats.
- Skilled in strategic thinking with the ability to see the big picture.
- Skilled in analytics and problem-solving with a focus on KPI and performance management.
- Ability to gain commitment to shared goals with peers, team, external partner and Marketing department.
- Ability to demonstrate high emotional intelligence in various situations dealing with both internal and external resources.
Education
- Required: High School Diploma or GED
Experience
- Advanced level experience, seasoned and specialized knowledge in:
- Product management
- Customer marketing
- Experience working in or with Financial Services, Credit Card or Consumer Banking marketing preferred but not required
Education
- Required: High School Diploma or GED
Experience
- Advanced-level experience, seasoned, and specialized knowledge in:
- Project Management, including all phases
- Strategy Design
- Initiative/Program Development
- Consulting
- Change Leadership
- Related professional area
Licensing/Certification
Physical Abilities
- Ability to perform work duties from limited space work station/desk/office area for extended periods of time
- Ability to communicate and interact with others in the English language to meet the demands of the job
- Ability to use a computer and other office productivity tools with sufficient speed and accuracy to meet the demands of the job
Other Qualifications
- Must maintain a well-groomed appearance per Company appearance standards as described in established guidelines
- Must be a U.S. citizen or have authorization to work in the United States as defined by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must be able to comply with Company attendance standards as described in established guidelines
- Some business travel required
This role is contingent and may transition to full-time employment at the discretion of Southwest Airlines Co, based on performance, business needs, and other factors. To view benefits offered to Southwest Employees, review our Benefits page.
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