Global VP Retail Media, IPG Mediabrands Commerce, New York

Business Overview

IPG Mediabrands Commerce (https://www.ipgmediabrands.com/retail-media) is a newly formed division within IPG Mediabrands that pulls together talent from across our network of agencies to deliver true excellence in Retail Media for our clients as well as wider commerce services.

IPG Mediabrands employs over 130,000 people working in 120 countries and houses the leading media agencies of Initiative, UM and Mediahub as well as Kinesso performance specialists. 

The Retail Media division is already well established, with over 500 employees activating in all major markets in the world. 

To accelerate our growth, we’re hiring a Global VP who has deep experience in Retail Media. This person will support the SVP of Global Commerce Solutions with a strong focus on agency service development. You’ll join an established leadership team that includes experts in retail search, addressable, shopper marketing, and performance marketing.

Position Summary

Within the global team you will be an expert in the retail media landscape. You’ll need to be fluent with how we evaluate and activate ad offerings for major Retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Kroger etc. as well as platforms like The Trade Desk, Criteo, Skai and Pacvue. First-hand experience of Amazon and some other retailer ad platforms are a requirement. Knowledge of Retailers and platforms outside the US is a distinct advantage, particularly Canada, Europe and Latin America.  A curiosity to learn about global retail capabilities, shopping behavior and data offerings is a must. This includes an understanding of how to target audiences across these platforms, as well as the key distinctions between how each platform allows for targeting.

Your experience will need to include hands on keyboard – i.e. you will have performed or directed activation of campaigns personally, however this role will utilize your wide knowledge to enhance our global service development and steer the technology roadmap, so going forward the need to be hands-on in the systems will be limited to evaluating new features and assessing new retailers/platforms.

In your consulting function, you will have the ability to create compelling stories backed by data, to establish a body of evidence for how outcomes can be achieved. In your training function, you will help persuade and train clients and inspire agency colleagues about new practices and will help to break down change into smaller achievable tasks. The KPI’s you’ll be used to measuring will be linked to sales, ROI, ROAS, iROAS, CPA etc. Experience using clean rooms is an advantage but not a requirement.

This role is primarily agency development; you’ll help set our global strategy, drive global product development (including our leading Unified Retail Media Platform), create processes and training to ensure global activation excellence as well as engage with client stakeholders on consultancy projects.  While you may well get involved in growth activities it will generally be in a supporting role as we have dedicated growth resource.

An absolute requirement is passion, drive, and commitment.  We’re moving at pace and need people who can get up to speed quickly and help grow something amazing.  You’ll need to be extremely good at presenting, and your written English must be exemplary.

Responsibilities

• Be the global team subject matter expert all aspects of retail media. Ideally one area of retail search, sales management, organic content or programmatic/DSP commerce was your core expertise.
• Alongside your global colleagues, set our strategy, initially very US & Amazon focused but including a global perspective from 2024 and beyond.
• Own the rollout elements of our product roadmap to ensure we continue to ideate and build products that helps our clients maximize outcomes from Retail Media.
• Work collaboratively with the rest of the Global team, our regional commerce/retail media leaders, and partner agencies, to create best in class solutions.
• Help create processes and procedures to ensure global activation excellence.
• Alongside agency client leads, help find and close Retail Media/Commerce opportunities within IPG Mediabrands existing client base and the wider client base of Interpublic.
• Support local markets growth plans and operational structure.
• Help evangelize Retail Media within IPG Mediabrands and wider Interpublic agencies.
• Work closely with our marketing team to create best in class thought leadership.

Required Skills & Experience

• Experience working within an a