Director, Commerce Media

Be essential at Cars Commerce

At Cars Commerce, we’re fanatical about simplifying everything about car buying and selling. We do right by our customers and consumers to better connect the industry with simplified and tierless technology to enhance, measure and drive local automotive retail. Whether through our No.1 most recognized marketplace, Cars.com, our industry-leading digital experience, Dealer Inspire, our trade and appraisal technology, AccuTrade, or our new Cars Commerce Media Network, Cars Commerce is essential for success in the automotive industry.  

No one ever travels alone here: at its core, Cars Commerce is collaboration. In fact, it’s built into the very fabric of our shared values. We like to say we Rise Together – putting people at the center of what we do, from consumer to customer to community. Life at Cars Commerce makes it easy when we share the ethos to be Open to All, encouraging open-minded communication because we know diverse thinking yields better outcomes. But critical to our success is Caring to Challenge and Taking Ownership, fueling a competitive spirit in a respectful environment where we think about tomorrow but act today. At our foundation, we have integrity, Doing the Right Thing, even when it’s hard. It’s our shared commitment to these values that makes Cars Commerce a place where growth becomes not only possible, but downright unavoidable.

But don’t take our word for it. As a U.S. News & World Report Best Company to Work For in 2024, we're obsessive about the employee experience. We are among the top 20% being declared “Best” of our industry based on six critical factors that are important to employee wellbeing, like quality of pay, benefits, work life balance and more.

About Cars Commerce:

Cars Commerce is an audience-driven technology company empowering the automotive industry. The Cars Commerce platform includes our flagship automotive marketplace and dealer reputation site, Cars.com, innovative digital marketing technology and services from Dealer Inspire, industry-leading trade and appraisal technology from AccuTrade, an exclusive in-market media network, and powerful and predictive AI technologies that enable more efficient and profitable retail operations.

About the Role:

Reporting to the Vice President, Audience Strategy & Activation, the Director of Commerce Media will help grow and shape the future of automotive media solutions. Working directly with our largest clients, and partnering with Product, Technology, Analytics, Revenue and Marketing stakeholders, this person will guide the design, execution, and optimization of all Cars Commerce Media Network products, as well as consult on measurement and audience executions.

The Director will oversee various media buying and operations activities, including offsite programmatic and social activation, supply-side strategy and publisher tech stack for the Cars.com site, campaign management for national advertising campaigns, and margin delivery of all media products. This person will lead several dynamic and talented teams that span onsite and offsite media activation, and pub-side technology management.

This role will be a high-impact and visible leadership position, combining business insights, strategy, analytics, media activation, and technology to drive best-in-class digital solutions for national and local automotive brands and their agencies.

Responsibilities:

• Key owner of activation and development of the Cars Commerce Media Network
• Lead the Cars Commerce Media Network activation teams (Media, Ad Tech & Campaign Management)
• Coach and mentor direct and indirect reports to foster a collaborative and growth-focused environment
• Guide organizational thinking around Cars Commerce Media Network strategy, and help the business capitalize on emerging trends and best practices for media product design, go-to-market strategy, audience utilization, and execution in the Commerce Media space
• Demonstrate expertise in client and media agency needs, and help match Cars Commerce Media Network solutions with these needs
• Lead the evaluation and onboarding of new inventory sources and media capabilities; manage and develop existing and future partner and platform relationships
• Consult with Technology and Product teams to drive innovation of adtech stack inclusive of pub-side tech stack and offsite programmatic tech stack
• Partner with cross-functional internal colleagues in Strategy, Client Service, Sales, Creative and Data & Analytics to drive media strategy and value demonstration
• Work in very close partnership with