Digital Media Agency Lead

Job description

This is JD. Born in 1981. Built for Now. At JD, we don’t just sell sneakers and outdoor gear, we set trends, break boundaries, and build communities. Whether you're on the shop floor, behind the scenes, or driving innovation, every role here plays a part in shaping the future of our industry. We’re fast-paced, fearless, and unapologetically ambitious. We celebrate authenticity, thrive on collaboration, and never stop pushing forward, if you’re ready to bring your energy, ideas, and personality to a team that values them. This is your moment. This is JD. Are you in? Digital Media Agency Lead Job Role Reporting to the Associate Director of Digital Media, the Digital Media Agency Lead is responsible for driving accountability, governance and commercial value across JD Sports' digital media agency ecosystem. The role will own the strategic management of key agency relationships, ensuring partners deliver against JD's commercial objectives, growth targets and customer acquisition goals. Working across Digital Media and Performance, alongside Brand, Analytics, Finance, Procurement and Technology, the role will develop best-in-class supplier governance frameworks, optimise media partner performance, and maximise value from JD Sports' media and agency investments across multiple markets. As JD continues to scale globally, this role will be instrumental in ensuring agency partners support the business with innovation, operational excellence and measurable commercial impact. Key Responsibilities Agency Performance Leadership • Own the performance management framework for JD Sports' media agencies. • Develop and maintain supplier scorecards that measure business impact, media effectiveness, service quality, innovation, operational delivery and commercial value. • Lead Monthly Business Reviews (MBRs) and Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), ensuring agency are accountable for agreed KPIs and business objectives. • Identify performance gaps and drive corrective action plans to improve agency effectiveness. Strategic Agency Governance • Act as the primary relationship lead for key agency partner. • Establish governance frameworks that support consistent delivery, transparency and accountability across all relationships. • Challenge agency recommendations through data, performance trends and market benchmarking. • Ensure agency contributes proactively to JD Sports' growth plans through innovation, audience insights and media best practice. Commercial Management & Value Creation • Partner with Procurement, Finance and Legal teams to negotiate and optimise agency, agreements and key KPIs. • Support agency remuneration reviews, performance-based commercial models and contract renewals. • Identify opportunities for cost efficiencies, investment optimisation and incremental value creation. • Ensure agency delivers contractual obligations and agreed service levels. Media Investment & Technology Oversight • Support governance of significant digital media investment across paid search, paid social, programmatic, affiliate, retail media and emerging channels in relation to the agency. • Oversee and input into supplier performance across the marketing technology ecosystem, including measurement platforms, audience solutions, attribution tools and media advertising technology partners. • Collaborate with Digital Media, Measurement and Analytics teams to improve measurement standards and media effectiveness reporting. Financial & Operational Governance • Work closely with Finance teams to ensure accurate agency invoicing, financial transparency and budget governance. • Monitor agency initiatives and identify risks, inefficiencies or opportunities for improved return on investment. • Ensure compliance with internal governance, auditing requirements and data privacy regulations. Cross-Functional Leadership • Build strong relationships across Digital Media, Ecommerce, Brand Marketing, Analytics, Procurement, Finance, Customer Insight, Measurement and Data Privacy teams. • Translate agency performance and commercial insights into clear recommendations for senior stakeholders. • Support the Associate Director of Digital Media in agency strategy, business planning and agency evaluations. Innovation & Market Intelligence • Maintain an expert understanding of the digital media, sports fashion and retail landscape. • Benchmark agency performance against industry standards and competitors. Skills & Experience Essential • 5+ years' experience in digital media, media operations, supplier management, agency partnerships or commercial marketing roles. • Experience managing strategic relationships with media agencies. • Strong understanding of digital media channels including Paid Search, Paid Social, Programmatic, Affiliates and SEO. • Demonstrable experience developing agency performance frameworks and governance processes. • Experience leading commercial reviews, contract negotiations and agency performance discussions. Commercial & Analytical Expertise • Strong commercial acumen with the ability to evaluate investment performance, media efficiency and supplier value. • Experience analysing digital marketing performance metrics, including ROAS, CAC, media efficiency and incrementality. • Comfortable working with performance dashboards, financial reporting and supplier scorecards. Leadership & Influence • Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills. • Able to engage confidently with senior agency leaders and internal stakeholders. • Excellent presentation and communication skills. • Proven ability to drive accountability without direct line management responsibility. Compliance & Governance • Understanding of GDPR, data governance and digital marketing compliance requirements. • Experience operating within structured governance, procurement and supplier management frameworks. Success Measures • Supplier and agency performance against agreed KPIs and scorecards. • Improvements in media efficiency and investment effectiveness. • Commercial value delivered through agency and vendor optimisation. • Quality of agency governance and stakeholder satisfaction. • Adoption of innovation and best practices from strategic partners. • Delivery of cost savings, operational efficiencies and measurable business impact. We know our colleagues work tirelessly to make JD Sports the success it is today and in turn, we offer them some amazing benefits including staff Discount On JD Group and other brands within the organisation and personal development opportunities to learn and develop at work. Thank you for your time #JD