Group Director, Commerce Strategy

About GroupM
GroupM is WPP's media investment group and the world's leading media investment company with a mission to shape the next era of media where advertising works better for people. GroupM agencies include Mindshare, EssenceMediacom and Wavemaker. With more than 1,000 people based in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane, GroupM's primary purpose is to maximise performance of WPP's media agencies by operating as leader and collaborator in trading, content creation, commerce, sports, digital, finance, proprietary tool development and other business-critical capabilities. GroupM's focus is to deliver unrivalled marketplace advantage to its clients, stakeholders and people.
About GroupM Nexus
GroupM Nexus is the world's leading global media performance organisation that unites GroupM's global performance Talent & Technologies. Nexus unites GroupM Practices (search, social, programmatic, ad-ops, commerce) and Solutions (Advanced TV, Advanced Programmatic, Advanced DOOH and Goat) into a single unit. The global organisation will be underpinned by a new cross-channel performance platform, AI and international delivery hubs to set new benchmarks for innovation, effectiveness and efficiency for GroupM's agencies and clients.
This Role
The Group Director, Commerce Strategy brings thought leadership in performance marketing, commerce, DTC, and retail media expertise to the GroupM Commerce team, delivering best-in-class solutions across our client teams. This role will understand the capabilities of commerce platforms including retail media networks and AdTech partners and will assist in solving complex business problems through simplified POVs. The role will identify product, process, or solution opportunities based on client needs and unlocking new growth opportunities across channels for clients.
This role will have the opportunity to work across multiple client accounts, work with media, retail, tech and analytics partners, and support highly dynamic cross-functional project teams. An entrepreneurial spirit with a bias for action and problem-solving is necessary to be successful in this role.
3 best things about the job

Work in an environment that promotes freedom, flexibility, empowerment, and diverse working styles to solve genuine business problems across some of the most innovative brands in Australia.
The opportunity to learn and collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders across GroupM agencies (EssenceMediacom, Mindshare, Wavemaker), WPP sister agencies (Hogarth, AKQA, Wunderman Thomson) and GroupM Nexus (Commerce, Search, Social, Programmatic, Advanced TV, Advanced DOOH, Advanced Programmatic).
A fun environment that combines the best of being entrepreneurial whilst at the same time being part of the largest marketing services group in the world; Goat is a start-up within an established business.

Job Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership:

Champion the adoption of GroupM Commerce across existing and new business.
Support agency teams (investment, search, social, programmatic, data, and analytics) to deliver comprehensive solutions that accomplish client's business objectives.
Support the integration between commerce and brand media to develop end-to-end media plans for clients.
Manage relationships to ensure delivery of first-to-market media solutions.
Stay up to date on the latest trends and best practices in retail media. Develop and cascade POVs on changing industry dynamics.
Engage with internal and external leaders across WPP agencies, technology providers, and retailers to develop go-to-market solutions.
Assist in developing commerce and retail media content for the organization, including educational trainings, POVs, and frameworks.
Lead the adoption of GroupM Commerce for new business and existing accounts.
Develop robust partnerships with key eGrocery (e.g., Woolworths, Coles, Chemist Warehouse) and Pureplay (e.g., Amazon) platforms, aligning with GroupM's Commerce goals and business strategy.
Define priorities, targets, and budgets, adapting global playbooks and guidelines into actionable local plans.
Drive internal training on platform updates, best practices, and testing strategies, establishing GroupM as a thought leader in retail media and empowering teams to deliver maximum value.
Collaborate with planning and buying teams to create comprehensive playbooks outlining how to integrate non-digital and direct OI retail media formats into overall client campaigns.
Educate agency teams on the value proposition and best practices for leveraging non-digital and direct OI retail media formats, empowering them to confidently recommend and execute integrated campaigns for clients.

Client Success:

Collaborate closely with agency teams to execute best-in-class campaigns aligned with client objectives.
Consult with agencies and clients, translating business briefs into actionable retail media strategies.
Drive performance across eGrocery and Pureplay accounts, ensuring alignment with broader commerce strategies.
Design measurement frameworks for non-digital and direct OI formats, considering factors like lift studies, in-store traffic data, and promotional code tracking, to demonstrate campaign effectiveness and client ROI.

Operational Excellence:

Build and refine internal tools, processes, and reporting dashboards to streamline retail media operations, enhance performance tracking, and enable data-driven decision-making.
Develop frameworks, case studies, and training materials to continuously elevate biddable commerce media buying.
Build strong relationships with priority Commerce partners.
Proactively identify and evaluate emerging platform capabilities, pilot new ad products, and negotiate favourable partnership terms to maintain our competitive edge.
Collaborate with planning and buying teams to determine optimal budget allocation across online and offline retail media channels, ensuring a cohesive and impactful strategy that aligns with client goals.
Develop and run training program to raise group capability across key Commerce capability.

Commercial:

Ensure there is a strategic business plan for Commerce across your Group which is fit for purpose and demonstrates growth in key areas.
Provide accountability across the assigned Group for commercial outcomes of all projects, products and services.
Report against the business growth targets, working closely with the client and market leads to deliver them.
Take ownership on pipelining, forecasting and delivery of group Commerce solutions including Acceleration and Nexus capabilities.

What it takes:

Expert knowledge on the Retail landscape and relevant topics within the industry.
Be a strategic problem solver, with the ability to understand client business challenges and develop creative, effective & measurable solutions.
Agile and collaborative approach to designing and developing capabilities with strong sales, business, and commercial acumen.
High-level stakeholder management capabilities, who can influence a diverse range of teams and individuals.
Effective in both verbal and writing when presenting / packaging projects to the clients and internal stakeholders.
Experienced trainer, having worked with marketing teams to deliver learning & development programs.
Outstanding communication skills, both written and verbal. Must be comfortable presenting to clients if needed.
Strong data & tech partner management capabilities, with established relationships in place with key partners.
Highly organised, detail orientated, QA-focused with demonstrated project management capabilities.
Excel in executing in an orderly, organised, and structured fashion.
Ability to work in a matrix organisation, managing complexity and challenges.
Flexibility to work in a cross-functional team but also have the initiative to problem solve independently.

Experience:

Bachelor's degree in marketing, advertising, or a related field.
10+ years of experience in biddable performance media execution, with a strong preference for retail media execution.
Specialty experience within Retail Media, eGrocery, Marketplaces and Pureplay.
Experience managing a team of direct reports.
Experience across the Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Proven track record of success in executing commerce campaigns that achieve business objectives.
Deep understanding of retail commercial elements such as profit margin, inventory levels, forecasting, and demand planning to inform media decisions.
Deep understanding of how different media channels work together and how retail media fits within the wider ecosystem.
Experience with retail bid management platforms, such as Pacvue or Skai.
Experience in campaign management and optimization across multiple retail platforms (Amazon, Instacart, Walmart, Target, Kroger, Criteo, Google, Meta, etc.).
Ability to collaborate and collaborate effectively with internal teams and external partners.
A self-starter attitude that thrives in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent project-management skills; able to coordinate projects across multiple teams and functions.
Meticulous with the ability to coordinate projects across multiple teams and functions.
Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to analyse data and develop insights that inform strategy and optimization.
Strong presentation skills, with the ability to effectively communicate complex ideas to clients and internal stakeholders.

What you will bring:

Experience in delivering against revenue targets or measurable deliverables.
Experience in maintaining senior agency relationships and overcoming issues and objections to achieve core business objectives.
Experience in managing key clients and maintain long term external client relationships.
Experience of multiple industry categories and what drives success in commerce and retail media.

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