VP, Retail Strategy Industry Lead

Company Description

Merkle is a leading technology-enabled, data-driven customer experience management (CXM) company. For over 30 years, Fortune 1,000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations have partnered with us to build and maximize the value of their customer portfolios. We work with world-class brands to build and execute customer-centric business strategies. With more than 12,000 smart, dedicated people in more than 50 offices around the world, we are still growing at a rate that outpaces the market, with 2019 net revenue of $1.1 billion.

dentsu is a modern marketing solutions company. Our mission is to help clients navigate, progress and thrive in a world of change. Businesses rely on our integrated network of agencies and specialized practices to champion meaningful progress through creative, media, commerce, data and technology. dentsu international comprises 66,000 diverse people in 143 countries, who are dedicated to teaming for growth and good. Merkle is an agency of dentsu.

Job Description

As Retail Industry Lead for Strategy, you will join a team of talented and experienced marketers who focus on helping Merkle clients achieve their business goals through deep understanding of their market and customers, a focus toward customer experience transformation, and customer-centric communication.

The Retail Industry Lead operates as a key member of both the Strategy leadership team as well as the Vertical leadership team, helping to ensure that the go-to-market value proposition we present and the programs we execute are based on our deep understanding of our client’s business and strategic objectives as well as the broader landscape.

This role will be a leader in Merkle’s presence in the Retail sector, so you must also possess the ability to articulate Merkle’s ‘right to win’ in the space through evolved and cutting-edge thinking. You must show the ability to bring foundational credibility to Merkle through strong thought leadership, as well as build strong relationships with clients and the internal client team.

You are the ideal candidate for this role if you have a deep understanding of how retailers work – ideally you led Strategy for a Retailer or Consumer Goods company. Household essentials/grocer experience is an added benefit.

This position has a deep comprehension of how businesses, brands and customers interact, with an advanced understanding of the rapidly evolving role that data and technology play in this relationship.

Candidates must possess the ability to identify business growth opportunities to support the growth of client relationships.

Key Responsibilities

The three main components of this position are specific to industry thought leadership, strategic planning expertise, and new business solutioning:

• Lead creation and optimization of Merkle’s Retail market value proposition, inclusive of IP such as supporting thought leadership webinars, whitepapers, conference engagements, etc.
• Build external brand and credibility of self and Merkle through relationships with third party resources (i.e. Forrester) as well as thought leadership activities described above.
• Bring focus and direction to key Retail themes and ongoing conversations such as emerging tech, evolving AI in Retail, DTC disruption, alternate sources of revenue for retailers, next gen-commerce, marketplace saturation/differentiation, etc. to bring a distilled point of view to our clients and illuminate their path forward.
• Lead or solution new business opportunities within Retail, whether for existing or net new clients.
• Drive internal and external growth conversations with Retail clients
• Lead and align other Strategy team members in growth of existing client and partner relationships, both inside and outside of the Strategy team.
• Encourage existing strategists to socialize valuable insights and work through ongoing case study creation, award submissions, and externally facing thought leadership pieces such as articles, blogs, and conference engagements.
• Establish community of practice for Retail Strategists-facilitate Retail community meetings to discuss ongoing strategic engagements, market assessments, vertical themes or evolutions, and seasonal considerations.
• Oversee or lead the building, development, and delivery of strategic omni-channel marketing plans.
• Continually monitor current marketing trends, new technology solutions, and competitive strategies – and then translate them into new direction for our clients.
• Develop trusted, long-term relationships with key client contacts and executives.
• Ensure meaningful client value is delivered through a mix of best-practice solutions, skills, capabilities, and original thinking.
• Collaborate and develop relationships with internal Merkle teams (account management, operations, cr