Associate Director, Commerce

3132 - Associate Director, Commerce UK

About EssenceMediacom: A Leading WPP Media Brand

EssenceMediacom is a new breed of media agency. Grounded in analytics & insights and powered by data & technology, we believe in the power of media and creative to drive breakthroughs for the world’s best brands. We help clients understand the modern marketing paradox and discover the breakthroughs brands need to win with their consumers. We are designed for the new communications economy built on data & technology, built for people & algorithms, built around diverse schools of thought, built to test & learn at scale, and, crucially, built to evolve.

Summary and Impact

The Role:

We are seeking an experienced Commerce Associate Director to join the growing community in WPP Media's Commerce Practice. This is a senior leadership role within the practice, responsible for shaping commerce strategy, not just retail media execution, for a portfolio of leading global and regional brands across sectors including technology, FMCG, retail, and beauty.

You will act as a trusted commerce advisor to clients, connecting media investment to the broader path-to-purchase and helping shape multi-year commerce roadmaps.

The 3 Best Things About the Job:

1. The opportunity to shape genuine commerce strategy, not just retail media execution, across a diverse portfolio of well-known brands with a shared desire for innovation and growth.

1. Working within a truly collaborative agency model with great opportunities for continued cross-media and performance marketing learning.

1. A talented team supporting each other in implementing best-in-class, award-winning campaigns, and having fun along the way.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Client Growth

• Act as the senior strategic lead for key client accounts, translating complex business objectives into high-impact commerce media strategies across Amazon Sponsored Ads, Amazon DSP, CitrusAd, Criteo, Kevel, and other relevant retail media platforms.

• Lead senior client business reviews, providing a clear narrative on the holistic impact of media investment.

• Act as a trusted advisor to clients, identifying opportunities for growth, innovation, and expanded scope across the commerce ecosystem.

Campaign Excellence & Innovation

• Oversee the development and execution of performance-driven media plans, ensuring the highest standards of QA, pacing, and optimisation across your portfolio of accounts.

• Develop and champion test-and-learn roadmaps to drive innovation in targeting, bidding strategies, and emerging retail media formats.

• Collaborate closely with wider internal teams to ensure a joined-up, full-funnel approach to media across all client accounts.

Team Leadership & Practice Evolution

• Line manage, mentor, and develop a team of and activation specialists, setting the standard for quality, delivery, and professional growth.

• Take ultimate responsibility for the quality of work delivered by your team, ensuring consistency and excellence across all accounts.

• Proactively contribute to the evolution of best practice within the wider eCommerce Practice, sharing successes and learnings across the team.

• Manage scope, forecasting, budgets, and profitability across your portfolio of accounts, and drive process automation through the adoption of new technology and efficient ways of working.

Skills and Experience

At WPP Media, we believe in the power of our culture and our people. It’s what elevates us to deliver exceptional experiences for both our clients and each other. In this role it will be critical to embrace WPP & WPP Media’s shared core values:

• Be Extraordinary by Leading Collectively to Inspire transformational Creativity.

• Create an Open environment by Balancing People and Client Experiences by Cultivating Trust.

• Lead Optimistically by Championing Growth and Development to Mobilize the Enterprise.

About you

• A proven media agency background, with significant senior experience in Commerce and retail media strategy or a transferable media channel.

• Strong hands-on experience running campaigns in Amazon Sponsored Ads and DSP.

• Solid working knowledge of CitrusAd and Criteo (onsite and offsite retail media).

• Confidence managing senior client stakeholders, simplifying complex performance results into clear, actionable recommendations.

• A genuine passion for coaching and building capability within your team.

• Experience of Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) or retailer clean room analytics would be a nice to have but is not required.

• Exposure to wider commerce channels (e.g. Tesco Media or similar) is advantageous.

Life at WPP Media & Benefits

Our passion for shaping the next era of media includes investing in our employees to help them do their best work, and we’re just as committed to employee growth as we are to responsible media investment. WPP Media employees can tap into the global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, grow their networks, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising. We have a variety of employee resource groups and host frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our benefits include competitive medical, group retirement plans, vision, and dental insurance, significant paid time off, preferential partner discounts, and employee mental health awareness days.  

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

Please note this is a UK based role and requires individuals to have the right to work in this location

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