Citi Cards > Graduate

Business Description

Simply put, Citi Cards provides credit for people and businesses to make the right choice in work and life. Not only is Citi Cards the world’s largest provider of credit cards with 200 million accounts, we are the largest consumer business within Citi contributing 18% of Citi’s total earnings with the help of 32,000 employees at 30 sites. As a premier business within a business, we look to maintain our Citi and industry leadership by recruiting those with passion, integrity and business know-how into our dynamic organization.

We provide a tangible product to our clients in the form of a credit card and other innovative methods of credit payment. We provide our clients with premier products while striving to be the most respected global financial services company with a responsibility to our customers and community, responsibility to each other and responsibility to the franchise.

We are proud of our substantial expertise in risk management and product design and development. This includes our ability to assess risk, building technology for development, and design products for targeting specific consumer segments.

Organization Structure:
Citi Brands (credit cards co-branded between Citi and an external client/partner)
Partnership Group (credit cards branded exclusively by external client/partner)
Customer Engagement
Center of Expertise: CFO, CAO, Risk Management and Decision Management 

Within our organization structure, the following opportunities are available:

• Product Development & Marketing: From Marketing to Advertising and New Product Development, our employees make it their goal to continually develop products; services and technology to meet the changing needs of our clients. In areas such as Market Research and Strategy, we work tirelessly to ensure our position as a leader in the credit card industry by bringing new and innovative products to the marketplace.
• Business Development and Client Development: With a focus on acquiring, managing and expanding relationships with external clients and partners such as The Home Depot, Macy’s, Sears, AT&T, American Airlines, Hilton hotels, and Shell as well as vendors and Citi partners, these businesses support the growth of key business segments within Citi Cards.
• Credit Risk Management, Decision Management and Finance: By proactively managing the risk and reward dynamics of our credit card portfolios, these groups leverage data and information to monitor, forecast and drive financial performance and, therefore, improve results.

Roles of an MA

To give you a better understanding of what you can expect if you join the Citicards program we asked for some input from our MA’s. Here they describe their experiences while on the program.

Brett Below
MA Class 2006
MBA: NYU Stern

Coming out of school I was looking for a job in either analytical marketing or general management. I really valued the opportunity to rotate through various areas of the business so was looking at several rotational programs. In the end, I really enjoyed talking with current and former MAs at Citi and thought the program would give me great exposure while allowing me to figure out my own career path.

Further to the rotational program I also enjoyed having a class of peers who are experiencing similar things. People at Citi are extremely teamwork-focused and open to talking with us so it makes the rotational learning experience a pleasant and enriching one.

By building my experience with roles in both marketing and decision management I hope to get a well-rounded view of the cards industry and Citi as an organization. I also hope to build my network broadly and deeply in several areas so that when I go off program I can leverage the people I have worked with.

1st Rotation

Marketing rotation: I helped manage “New to Citi” customers, Add-A-Cards acquisitions, and Pre-approved acquisitions. In New to Citi, I worked on projects to stimulate sales activations, examine communication materials, and perform inactive card member research. In Add-A –Cards and Pre-approved Acquisitions, I was responsible for the execution of monthly marketing campaigns including test design and execution. I also helped to prepare forecasts and analyze campaign results.

2nd Rotation

Analytical rotation: I am working in Decision Management on Balance Growth for existing customers team for Citi Brands. I will be helping to manage and improve the Balance Transfer program for the Value and Rewards segments.

Cecilia Leung
MA Class 2006
Columbia Business School

I joined the program because it offered exposure to a variety of experiences in the Citi Cards business. At the same time, as MAs we have the opportunity to access many members of senior management from whom we can learn a lot about the business and get advice about the direction of our career growth.

I enjoy the fact that I entered with a class of MAs who have now become my friends and an immediate network from whom I can learn more about other positions and departments within the company. We have become friends and support each other through the ups and downs of our day-to-day work lives.

I hope to graduate from the program with a thorough knowledge of the Citi Cards business and most importantly, with a good sense of the direction in which I would like to pursue my future career at Citi Cards. Furthermore, I would like to have a network of more senior mentors, whether they are MA alumni or other senior managers that I have had the privilege to have had access to. Such relationships are the most important for bouncing off ideas and getting different perspectives regarding the choices that I will make in my future.

1st Rotation

Marketing: Manage acquisition efforts in the Add-A-Card, Alternate and Internet channels for the CitiBrands Rewards credit card. Responsible for the day-to-day execution of the Rewards card marketing plans. This included concept and launching creative to implementation to analyzing results. In doing so, I managed multiple cross-functional relationships with external partners like AmEx plus internal partners like Risk Management, Decision Management, and the ThankYou reward network. I also worked with my team to develop 2007 marketing strategy, financial forecasts and new product launch strategies.

2nd Rotation

Analytical: My current rotation is in the Enhancement Services Decision Management team. I work with the marketing team to increase the penetration of ES products (e.g. debt protection, insurance, clubs) especially in the partnership portfolios. This involves improving understanding the benefit of offering Enhancement Services products to cards customers. This included increase EBIT, customer engagement with the card products such as spend, balance behavior on the card products, identifying segments that are receptive to ES products and working with channel teams to identify channel specific strategies. I focus on evaluating the above for customers such as The Home Depot, Sears and Federated portfolios although at times I will also work on Citi Brand portfolios. On a day-to-day basis, I work with my Decision Management colleagues as well as others from function areas such as Finance, product development and acquisitions marketing.

Geoffrey Sanders MBA: Kellogg
Class 2005

I joined the Citicards MA program because I felt the ability to rotate between jobs was critical so that I could build a broad set of skills, and MAs in years ahead of me were clear that the broad skills they developed helped them accelerate their careers. Coming into a large company can be daunting, so entering Citi Cards (and Citi as a whole) as part of this small, special group helped me build a strong network of friends and peers. It also, frankly, distinguishes you and provides a credential.

I had roles with great teams and managers where I could really make a difference at Citi Cards. Senior leaders were quite supportive of the program and I had significant exposure to leaders throughout the business, building some strong relationships in the process. Perhaps most importantly, my fellow MAs (both in my year and others) are a smart and fun group of people who form a strong network throughout the business and with whom I will be friends for life.

1st Rotation

Marketing, Citi Brands: Developed and executed marketing strategy for Dividend Card first-year population focusing on driving card member engagement, sales activation, increased usage, and revolved behavior. Managed creation and rollout of all first-year base communications and marketing materials for the new Citi Dividend American Express product.

2nd Rotation

Marketing, Customer Engagement: Managed Retention marketing and Retention Operations relationship for AAdvantage, Upromise, Oil Co-Brand, and Business Card portfolios. Partnered with SBUs to define retention strategy and offers. Implemented pre-emptive retention programs focused on re-engaging high value card members and reducing attrition.

Off Program

Managing Retention marketing and Retention Operations relationship for Travel & Affluent (AAdvantage, PremierPass, Lodging), and Partnership Group (Business & Professional Card, Oil Co-Brand, Agent Banking) portfolios. Leading team initiatives around pre-emptive retention programs, driving reduced attrition and increased profitability. Leading cross-functional Marketing, Operations, and Information Technology team building new functionality for the Retention channel.

Our Programs

Full Time

The Management Associate program is a leadership development program focused on developing a talent pool of general management as well as functional-track for the Citi franchise. The program starts at the end of July with a full week of Orientation in our New York site. During Orientation, the Management Associates are exposed to our senior management team, learn about the organization structure, network with other Management Associates, and participate in a leadership branding and individual/team leadership training. Further training on the credit cards industry and rotation specific systems will take place by the first two weeks point Orientation.

The program is structured as follows: 3 eight-month rotations, with the first two rotations concentrating in a Marketing role (roles in Product, Business, Client Development or Marketing) or an Analytical role (roles in Credit Risk Management, Decision Management or Finance). Your preferences and skills as well as current business priority are considered when the rotation matches are made by HR. This applies for all three rotations. 

Summer Intership

The Summer Associate program is a full-time intensive summer program focused on providing 1st year MBA candidates an in-depth look into the credit cards industry and Citi Cards. The Summer Associates start on a specified date in late May and work for 10-12 weeks. Summer Associates work on an individual project as well as a group project with their fellow Summer Associates. Summer Associates provide HR with their functional summer preference (Marketing or Analytical) and HR takes this preference into account when assigning individual and group summer projects. At the end of the summer, the Summer Associates present their final group projects to the CEO of Citi Cards, his directs and other key persons within the organization.

In addition, there are regular meetings with Citi Cards leaders, scheduled leadership development workshops, progress assessments, and social events.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for exceptional students with a focus on marketing, analytics and general management whose primary interest is to learn the business and apply their academic experiences in a competitive environment.

Common traits of successful candidates are those who:

• Passion and pride in their work
• Teamwork: Ability to influence without authority
• Business maturity: address the needs of clients and franchise in a mature fashion
• Respect for diversity of thought and experiences
• Intellectual curiosity
• Innovation: entrepreneurial spirit in a matrix organization
• Unique experiences that bring idea-generation and new insight to the franchise

Recruitment Process

In order to be considered for this program, you must apply online. Please also apply through your university's Career Services Office. Only applications submitted through both systems will be considered.

Where

The Management Associates will have opportunity to choose rotations in different part of the business in diverse North American locations. The majority of rotational opportunities reside in New York, NY, Chicago, IL, and Atlanta, GA. Management Associates are placed geographically taking into account individual preference, business needs, as well as the developmental goal of gaining diversified experience across multiple businesses, product lines and geographies. We expect that many Management Associates will move locations at least once during the program.

The Citi Cards Management Associate program is a North America program, and most Management Associates will complete their full on-program experience in North America. However, the program is also a strong source of talent for our global Citi franchise and most Management Associates will develop significant depth of experience to leverage within the global Citi franchise, if desired, post program.