Chief Technology Officer, Americas

Company Description

Merkle is a leading data-driven, technology-enabled, global performance marketing agency that specializes in the delivery of unique, personalized customer experiences across platforms and devices. For more than 30 years, Fortune 1000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations have partnered with Merkle to maximize the value of their customer portfolios. Our heritage in data, technology, and analytics forms the foundation for its unmatched skills in understanding consumer insights that drive people-based marketing strategies. Its combined strengths in performance media, customer experience, customer relationship management, loyalty, and enterprise marketing technology drive improved marketing results and competitive advantage. With 9,600+ employees, Merkle is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with 50+ additional offices throughout the US, EMEA, and APAC. In 2016, the agency joined the Dentsu Aegis Network. For more information, contact Merkle at 1-877-9-Merkle or visit www.merkleinc.com.

Job Description

The CTO serves as an important member of the Americas leadership team, partnering across the organization to enhance Technology work product, boost the market profile and perception of Merkle’s Technology and Engineering capabilities through industry-leading solutions and market-leading expertise, while growing the business. Merkle Americas has over 1,500 passionate technologists and engineers, and the CTO will be the leading voice for our Client’s Technology organizations, and you will become the trusted advisor to the client’s Technology leadership.  You have a deep-rooted experience with technology, hands-on experience building complex systems, and inspire engineering talent. As the CTO, you will help shape the future of technology at Merkle, aligning it with our goals, and serving as a public brand for our company. 

The CTO is also responsible for building camaraderie, collaboration, enrichment, and culture across the Technology community at Merkle.  You will partner with Technology leads within the practice groups to improve employee engagement and retention, skills development, and Merkle’s reputation as an employer of choice for accomplished Technology professionals. 

You will be collaborative, working with the practice group leads for CX & Commerce, Customer Data Platforms, Analytics, and CRM/Loyalty; Merkle growth teams and Client Leadership Group; Alliances; and the dentsu organization at large. The CTO is the architect, primary owner, and chief promoter for the vision and application of Technology across Merkle in the Americas, and success will require a rare combination of world-class enterprise technology transformation experience, functional expertise, and strategic vision. You will report to the President, Merkle/CXM Americas. This is a remote role with occasional travel.

Specific responsibilities include: 

• Manage and communicate a vision for the technology discipline across Americas, while ensuring understanding across the practice groups / technology sub-disciplines and domains 
• Be an executive sponsor on high-profile client engagements across Merkle; consult directly with clients and help steer high priority client relationships 
• Support new business pitches and client development / cross-sell opportunities 
• Engage with alliance partners in direct support of growth plans supporting the evaluation, evolution, prioritization, and deepening of existing and potential new relationships 
• Establish a learning agenda to enrich the community by overseeing industry trends, while focusing on new technology and solutioning at the intersection of our industry-leading capabilities, in consideration of the CX overall solution roadmap and go-to-market plan   
• Work with practice leads to create toolkits, frameworks, templates, and other IP that can be adapted/adopted across the discipline to accelerate time to market while boosting brand and delivery consistency  
• Oversee and contribute to a thought leadership plan and roadmap, working with practices leads, Merkle Marketing, and the broader community building the Merkle CX brand with a consistent voice and tone across multiple channels including digital, corporate comms, and event engagement.    
• Develop mechanisms to enhance the quality of Technology work across Merkle Americas (e.g., hands-on delivery, pitches, training programs, recurring work share meetings) 
• Develop training programs and other mechanisms to improve pitch craft across the discipline 
• Work with Client Finance and practice leads to develop cross-practice tracking, reporting, and data visualization (e.g., PowerBI) for staffing and utilization 
• Partner with other regional technology leads and dentsu Global Services to provide a fit-for-future capability strategy for a modern