Associate Director, Commerce Investment

Location Chicago, United States; New York, United States About WPP Media WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. With exceptional talent, trusted data and intelligence, and world-class partnerships – all united by our pioneering agentic marketing platform, WPP Open – we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity, and deliver transformational growth. WPP Media is WPP’s AI‑driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data, and partnerships to deliver creative personalisation at scale. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, clients see exactly where, how, and why their media investment is working. Role Summary & Impact The Associate Director, Commerce Investment will utilize their retail expertise to drive excellence in tactical activation and day-to-day management of search-based activations. You will lead keyword strategy development, competitive research, day‑to‑day campaign setup, management, and reporting of search media buys. This role will be focused on search activations across several retailer media networks, including but not limited to Amazon, CitrusAd, Criteo, The Trade Desk, Walmart, etc. The role will require an understanding of each of the platforms search offerings – from self‑serve to managed service buys. You will connect directly with the retail media networks at each of the key customers on behalf of, and in partnership with the client. You will be supporting the Director, Commerce Search as we seek to maximize retail media investment for our client accounts. An entrepreneurial spirit with a bias for action and problem‑solving is necessary to be successful in this role. Responsibilities and Experience Manage a team of direct reports and their career development. Oversee search media activations across several retailer media networks, including but not limited to Amazon, CitrusAd, Criteo, The Trade Desk, Walmart, etc. Execute campaign setup, bid recommendations, and budgeting to ensure overall client goal attainment, including the use of retail bid management technologies where applicable such as Pacvue, Skai, and Epsilo. Maintain excellent relationships with key account stakeholders to maximize promotional opportunities and assist them in navigating the Commerce activation landscape. Ensure ongoing campaign compliance to GroupM established guidelines and best practices. Lead the incorporation of cross‑channel testing and optimization strategies. Prepare campaign performance reports on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis. Synthesize key data points, identify trends, and recommend activities to maximize business results and deliver an optimal customer experience. Address technical issues with media campaign serving. Stay up to date on changing marketplace dynamics surrounding ad products, technology, and measurement across search partners. Manage reconciliation, invoicing/billing, trafficking, and mapping data to our internal media campaign management platform. Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Analytics, Marketing, Communications, Advertising; OR equivalent professional work experience. 5+ years of experience in biddable performance media execution or paid ecommerce, with a strong preference for retail media search execution. Experience managing a team of direct reports. Experience across the Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. 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. Strong drive to understand the retail landscape and latest trends in commerce media. 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 work 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. 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. Equal Opportunity Employer 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. #J-18808-Ljbffr