Director, App Acquisition & Lifecycle Marketing
Job Summary
KAYAK, part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), is seeking a Director, Lifecycle Marketing & App Acquisition to join our Brand Marketing team. This role reports to our SVP of Global Brand & B2B Marketing and involves shaping how millions of travelers discover and engage with KAYAK.
Key Responsibilities
Define and lead KAYAK's lifecycle marketing strategy and CRM efforts as a key lever for app performance, partnering with lifecycle specialists on email, push notifications, and in-app messaging to drive activation, repeat usage, and retention for acquired users.
Own and scale KAYAK's global app acquisition strategy, owning the end-to-end app growth funnel from awareness and install through to first booking, with a strong emphasis on volume, user quality, and cost efficiency.
Design and execute multi-channel paid app acquisition programs, defining clear KPIs and optimization frameworks to drive sustainable growth.
Own and evolve the "Get the App" (GTA) and web-to-app journey, partnering with Product and Engineering to improve deep linking, on-site placements, and conversion from web traffic into installs.
Define and align app growth targets and forecasts with Commercial Marketing and Finance, creating a clear view of channel performance, budget needs, and expected returns.
Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team (including specialists across app acquisition and lifecycle), setting clear goals, providing regular feedback, and creating growth opportunities that help each person do their best work.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Brand Marketing, Product, Engineering, Analytics, and regional marketing teams to ensure app acquisition and lifecycle plans are aligned with broader brand, product, and commercial priorities.
Partner closely with Analytics and Data Science to refine measurement and attribution, run experiments, and translate insights into actionable recommendations for senior leadership.
Stay current on platform changes, privacy developments, and industry best practices in mobile growth, bringing new ideas into the roadmap and helping KAYAK maintain a competitive edge in app marketing.
Qualifications
8+ years of experience in growth marketing, CRM, lifecycle marketing, or mobile app marketing.
Proven track record managing high-performing engagement and acquisition programs at scale.
Deep expertise in CRM channels including email and push notifications.
Strong understanding of mobile app ecosystems, app growth strategy, and performance marketing.
Experience owning paid acquisition and re-engagement campaigns across major digital platforms.
Data-informed approach to decision-making — comfortable analyzing campaign metrics, running experiments, and using insights to guide strategy.
Familiarity with lifecycle marketing platforms (e.g., Braze, Iterable, Leanplum, Airship) and mobile measurement tools (e.g., Adjust, AppsFlyer, Branch).
Proven experience building and leading CRM, lifecycle, or growth marketing teams.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to present strategies and results clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in travel, e-commerce, or consumer technology.
Experience working with globally distributed teams or across multiple markets.
Knowledge of privacy regulations and their impact on lifecycle marketing and mobile attribution.
Benefits
Work from (almost) anywhere for up to 20 days per year
Focus on mental health and well-being: Company-paid therapy sessions through SpringHealth, Company-paid subscription to HeadSpace, Company-wide week off a year - the whole team fully recharges (and returns without a pile-up of work!)
No meeting Fridays
Paid parental leave
Generous paid vacation + time off for your birthday
Paid volunteer time
Focus on your career growth: Development Dollars, Leadership development, Access to thousands of on-demand e-learnings, Travel Discounts, Employee Resource Groups, Competitive retirement and health plans, Free lunch 2 days per week
Pay
The range for this US-based role is $155,000-$165,000, not inclusive of annual bonus and recurring RSU grants.