Vice President, Member Experience & Innovation

Founded in 1992 in Dover, NH, Planet Fitness is one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the United States by number of members and locations. We have over 2,700+ stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, Panama, Mexico, Australia, and Spain. 90% of Planet Fitness stores are owned and operated by independent franchisees.

At Planet Fitness, our unique mission has always been to enhance people’s lives by providing a high-quality fitness experience in a welcoming, non-intimidating environment. And we’re proud of the amazing Planet Fitness team that supports our clubs and team members. They are comprised of dynamic, dedicated, and talented individuals who represent our values of integrity, transparency, passion, respect, and excellence (while having fun!) in everything they do.

Joining the PF family means being part of a company that cares about bettering the health and wellbeing of our communities. It means being a part of a supportive, engaging workforce with an inclusive culture that values diversity and creates an environment where everyone can feel they belong. It means encouraging professional growth and development. It means making true, lasting connections with your co-workers with celebrations, team building activities and engaging corporate events! It means creating a positive impact in our local communities through our Judgement Free Generation® philanthropic initiative. It means being part of a brand that you can be proud of!

For the past 30 years, we’ve helped millions of people in their fitness journey and revolutionized the industry along the way. And we’re just getting started!

The Vice President of Member Experience & Innovation will play a critical role in shaping and executing the company's strategy to enhance member experiences, foster innovation by leveraging data-driven insights to optimize business performance. The VP will work closely with senior leadership across all functions to ensure that the voice of the customer is embedded in decision-making, driving both short-term and long-term growth. 

The VP will be responsible for developing innovative approaches across the business to continuously evolve the member experience, identifying key areas of opportunity to improve engagement, retention, and overall satisfaction across the customer journey. This role will also work closely with Planet Fitness’ consumer analytics function ensuring that data insights guide strategic decision-making and fuel the growth and competitiveness of Planet Fitness. 

Competencies for Success

To be successful in this role, the VP of Member Experience & Innovation will: 

• Lead the development of innovative member experiences that engage and retain Planet Fitness members, anticipating and leveraging emerging trends and utilizing cutting-edge technology to enhance the experience and operating model in partnership with other functions. 
• Serve as the principal thought leader for customer experience and innovation, by leveraging analytics/insights to develop strategies that align with the broader organizational goals. 
• Foster a data-driven culture within the organization, ensuring that actionable insights are used to improve member satisfaction, optimize operations, and drive business growth. 
• Work collaboratively with senior leaders across marketing, strategy, operations, development and technology teams, as well as franchisee partners, to design and implement integrated strategies that enhance the overall member journey. 
• Lead efforts to improve the personalization of the member experience, utilizing data and analytics to create tailored solutions that address individual preferences and needs. 
• Analyze and optimize the digital and physical touchpoints of the member journey to ensure a seamless, omnichannel experience across all platforms – including email and CRM. 

The ideal candidate will be a results-driven leader with a proven ability to drive growth and innovation across the member experience. They will leverage a broad skill set, including strategic thinking, data analytics, and operational excellence, to execute key initiatives. With exceptional relationship-building and influence skills, the VP will align stakeholders across the organization and franchise network, driving collaboration and fostering sustainable growth. 

Customer Experience Strategy & Leadership: 

• Lead the development and execution of a global strategy to enhance member experience across key touchpoints, including in-club, digital, and mobile ensuring a consistent, personalized journey. 
• Champion a customer-first culture throughout Planet Fitness by embedding customer experience principles in all aspects of business strategy—from product offerings to marketing and operations. 
• Utilize deep customer insights and data analytics to identify opportunities for enhancing the member experience, increasing engagement, and improving retention. 
• Collaborate with senior leaders within Planet Fitness and the franchise network to develop initiatives that drive membership growth, improve customer lifetime value, and create impactful loyalty programs, pricing models, and promotions. 
• Oversee the design and execution of programs to boost member satisfaction, encourage advocacy, and enhance customer loyalty across the Planet Fitness ecosystem. 

Innovation & Transformation: 

• Champion innovation within clubs and across the organization, exploring new business models, product and service offerings, digital enhancements to the experience and customer engagement strategies that can enhance Planet Fitness’s market position. 
• Lead the “test & learn” and eventual integration of innovative technologies into the member experience, including AI, mobile apps, chatbots, and automation, to improve personalization, member engagement, and operational efficiency. 
• Partner with the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and IT teams to ensure the seamless integration of digital tools and technologies across the member journey, delivering a superior, cohesive experience. 
• Work closely with Operations and Equipment team to identify and test/pilot operationally sound solutions that can scale, meet consumer needs and franchisee cost model expectations.  
• Foster a culture of innovation across teams, encouraging experimentation with new approaches to member engagement, digital interaction, and customer service. 

Leverage Data-Driven Strategy & Customer Insights: 

• Work with Strategy team to develop a comprehensive data strategy to gather, analyze, and act on member insights, driving continuous improvement in the customer experience and informing decision-making across the organization. 
• Utilize data analytics to measure key performance metrics (e.g., NPS, member retention, churn, lifetime value), optimizing strategies to improve customer engagement and retention. 
• Leverage advanced analytics to segment customer data, creating personalized experiences that resonate with members and improve brand loyalty. 
• Collaborate with marketing teams to design targeted campaigns that leverage data insights to drive engagement across digital, social, and in-club channels. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Operational Excellence: 

• Partner with franchise leadership to ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality, personalized customer experiences across all locations, with a strong focus on operational alignment and service excellence. 
• Work with franchisees to provide the tools, training, and resources necessary to implement customer experience strategies effectively at the local level. 
• Collaborate with the Real Estate and Operations teams to ensure that club designs, services, and experiences align with customer expectations, reinforcing the Planet Fitness brand. 
• Optimize operational processes to ensure seamless onboarding, member support, and service delivery at scale, while maintaining high standards of service quality. 

Leadership & Team Development: 

• Lead and inspire a high-performing team of professionals focused on customer experience, innovation, and analytics, ensuring alignment with the organization’s vision and strategic objectives. 
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and results-driven performance across the Member Experience & Innovation team. 
• Establish clear performance metrics for the team, tracking success across areas such as member satisfaction, retention, and overall customer experience. 
• Provide coaching and development opportunities for team members, ensuring continuous growth and the ability to execute ambitious goals. 
• Collaborate with senior leadership to ensure that customer experience goals align with broader company objectives, including revenue growth, market share, and franchise expansion. 

• Bachelor's degree in a related field. MBA or advanced degree preferred
• 10+ years of experience in customer experience, innovation, marketing and analytics, with a proven track record of success in driving customer-centric strategies, marketing initiatives and digital solutions at a senior leadership level with 5+ years of experience leading and managing teams
• Strong expertise in data analytics and digital transformation, with the ability to leverage data to optimize performance and improve business outcomes
• Experience in leveraging technology to enhance customer experience, including CRM systems, mobile apps, digital platforms, and automation tools
• Proven experience in leading cross-functional teams, including marketing, technology, operations, and customer service
• A passion for fitness, wellness, and delivering exceptional customer experiences
• Extremely detail-oriented, efficient, and organized with an exceptional ability to establish priorities and objectives and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Exceptional presentation and communication skills along with the ability to communicate effectively across all levels of the organization, including executives
• Able to establish and maintain effective, collaborative work relationships with diverse individuals, internally and externally
• Creative, progressive, thought leadership with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization
• Excellent leadership and people management skills including the ability to build, motivate, guide, and mentor teams to achieve ambitious goals 
• Possess a results-driven entrepreneurial mindset, demonstrating initiative and creativity
• Demonstrated strategic thinking, creative problem-solving, and organizational leadership skills
• Exhibits comfort, ease, and flexibility working in an extremely fast-paced ever-changing, deadline-driven environment
• Cooperative team player with an upbeat, positive, “can-do” attitude!