Associate Director, Commerce

Company Description

Thank you for considering joining Spark Foundry for the next step in your career. Our exceptional people (Sparklers) are what make us special, set us apart from the pack, and lead our agency and our clients into the future. Voices like yours are essential to our ability to connect with and remain relevant with increasingly diverse audiences. The perspective you bring helps ensure our solutions are fresh, and modern and help our clients grow.

At Spark Foundry, our purpose is clear: we bring HEAT to brands. HEAT stands for Higher Engagement, Affinity & Transactions. In other words, we get consumers to pay more attention, care more deeply about the brand, and buy more of its products and services.

Our Sparklers “bring their heat” - their unique superpowers and individual backgrounds – with them to work every day, and that heat is what has driven the continued growth of our culture and our brand.

Spark Foundry is not just a media agency. To our clients, we are true partners. This is not only a huge benefit to the brands we work with, but to our people as they expand their skills and expertise. We offer clients the best of both worlds: a startup spirit and a powerhouse soul. Our spirit embraces our ability to deliver high-touch service, boutique insights, bold creativity, and ever-evolving product and process, just like a startup. And our powerhouse soul comes to life through our unique marketplace access, best-in-class partnerships, and unparalleled buying clout to deliver our clients' increased value.

We believe a fulfilling and rewarding personal life inspires fresh thinking and the ability to create great work.

Job Description

Overview:

The Commerce Associate Director manages the client’s day-to-day strategic and tactical needs, developing strong relationships with key partners (retailer, shopper, technology), to successfully lead complex omni-channel retail media and digital shopper programs. This position involves working closely with the Director and VP to drive strategic innovation and keep the client updated on the rapidly changing commerce landscape, in addition to providing project management, overseeing campaign excellence (ensuring best practice is adhered to) and quality assurance of all outputs. Proven experience managing and executing performance media and/or retail media programs is required.

Role Objectives:

• Day-to-day client lead for retail focused media tactics, include planning, execution, and team management. Responsible for establishing media plans and determining campaign KPIs to best determine success for client media tactics.
• Maintain clear communication channels with the client Spark Strategy team, to drive a seamless team dynamic, both internally and externally, to clients.
• Client management, acting as one of the core agency point-of-contacts in tandem with the Director of Commerce, interacting directly with Client’s Media, Shopper and e-Commerce leads to build a strong relationship across key stakeholders in the client business.
• Thought leadership on the Commerce landscape (Shopper & E-commerce) to continually develop innovative strategy and drive first-to-market executions across retail media (Search & Display).
• Project management across the full campaign life cycle, including strategy, development/innovation, and tactical execution across retail focused media tactics, including omni-channel digital platforms and retail media networks (Search & Display).
• Through team leadership, responsible for coordinating the team’s resources, delegating responsibilities, and advancing skillsets to ensure the smooth running and longevity of Commerce media activity.
• Ensure quality assurance of team outputs (internal & external) through strict attention to detail, to maintain a high-level of work and professionalism.
• Oversee budget management of quarterly/annual media budget across Commerce media tactics, ensuring investment is aligned to strategic goals and their achievement, via KPIs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required; focus on business, marketing, or advertising preferred
• 4-5+ years of experience in performance media/advertising, with a focus on e-commerce
• 2-3+ years of proven people management and client-facing ability
• Experience in e-commerce, both across brand-building and direct response programs
• Proven ability to manage complex, omni-channel/retailer media programs
• Knowledge around developing and executing digital shopper programs is a bonus
• Experience in social media platforms (Meta, Pinterest, Twitter, Snapchat) preferred
• Experience utilizing campaign management tools Pacvue and/or Kenshoo(Skai), as well as retail networks (Citrus, Quotient, & Criteo) preferred
• Exceptional verbal and