Associate Director, Retail Media

Who We Are:

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse.

Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.

Who we are looking for:

VML Performance Marketing is seeking an Associate Media Director to oversee and deliver retail media campaigns for a large client. This role is responsible for ensuring that all activity on the account is aimed towards an objective based performance. It is crucial to understand business objectives and how that is translated into addressable audiences and activated within retail media networks including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Instacart, Kroger, and more. This role manages a team of retail media experts to ensure client goals are met and the account is in good health to grow.

What you’ll do:

• Plan | Understand client goals and business objectives to translate into achievable Retail Media KPIs. Match a client’s business objective with targetable and relevant audiences and advise what Retail Media Networks will be most effective to reach these Audiences and achieve sales goals.
• Communicate | Clearly articulate what success would look like for the team and continuously assure that the work is inline with a client’s needs.
• Collaborate | Work closely with the Paid Media Strategists and Campaign Managers to deliver on client goals and objectives. Integrate with other service line within the agency (Content, Reporting and analytics, Account teams and project managers)
• Lead | Lead and manage individuals to deliver their best work and ensure client success.
• Client Management | Be confident in presenting work and potential solutions to a client.

Who you are:

• A builder | Entrepreneurial attitude couple with a strong business acumen. Ability and appetite to bring people together. Innate ability to marshal people and create gravity around ideas.
• Open and collaborative | Our team is close-knit and supportive and we’re working with a lot of unknowns – you must champion of team environments that are comfortable and encouraging.
• Optimistic and resilient | Dig in and figure out how to work around problems. Yes and why not posture. Takes care of self and team. Balance needed to maintain stamina and positivity.
• Ego-less | We all wear the hats that need wearing, it’s a mentality that makes the team successful.

What you’ll need:

• Minimum 5 years of paid digital media leadership experience.
• Demonstrated understanding of retail media operations.
• Experience in developing retail media plans that align to an overarching strategy.
• Ability to utilize data to inform audience segmentation.
• Required Experience & Expertise in Amazon Ads (Search and DSP), Walmart Connect, and Pacvue.
• Additional experience with Roundel, Instacart, Kroger, Criteo, and Amazon Marketing Cloud is a plus.

What we offer:

• Passionate, driven people | We champion a culture of people that do extraordinary work.
• Consciously cultivated culture | We aim to embody the behaviors to build an inclusive community that is in it together, bringing both positivity and active listening into the workplace as we simultaneously strive to empower creative bravery.
• Competitive benefits | What we offer full time hires ranges from the full spectrum of group health coverage options (medical, dental, vision) to a generous 401k match (100% dollar-for-dollar match, up to 5% of salary contribution), and a variety of paid time off offerings that reflect our investment in all aspects of your overall life balance and wellness.
• Growth-minded opportunities | We aim to nurture a culture of real-time feedback, growth-oriented mindset and plenty of training opportunities through VML and WPP, so you can continue to grow personally and professionally.

VML is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, military/veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or other protected group status. We believe in creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion and strives to recruit a diverse slate of candidates to help us achieve that goal.

The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package, click WPP Benefits for more details.

_$75,000—$180,000 USD

At VML, we are committed to fostering an all-inclusive work environment that is both rewarding and career-forward. Our Inclusion, Equity & Belonging initiatives, alongside the VML Foundation, reflect our dedication to giving back and making a positive impact in our communities and beyond. Our people are the heartbeat of our organization—creators, doers, innovators, makers, and thinkers—who drive not just marketing, but meaningful experiences that resonate in every action and interaction.

VML is a WPP Agency. For more information, please visit our website, and follow VML on our social channels via Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

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