AEM DAM Consultant

Who We AreVML, part of WPP, is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave™ Reports, as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement & Optimization. In addition, VML’s specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world’s largest and most awarded health agencies. VML’s global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.About WPPWPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.About The RoleWe are looking for a Group Director, Martech Consulting to lead VML's Adobe Experience Manager Assets and Digital Asset Management practice as its most senior strategic and technical authority. This is a high-impact leadership role at the intersection of creative operations, content strategy, and enterprise technology — responsible for defining how organisations manage, govern, and activate their most valuable creative assets at scale.As Group Director, you will own the end-to-end strategic vision for DAM across VML's enterprise client portfolio — spanning AEM Assets architecture, metadata and taxonomy design, Dynamic Media implementation, Brand Portal configuration, and the governance frameworks that underpin sustainable, scalable DAM ecosystems. You will be equally at home advising a CMO on content supply chain strategy and guiding a technical team through a complex DAM migration.This role demands a rare combination of deep platform expertise, creative operations understanding, and senior consulting leadership — and represents a genuine opportunity to shape one of the most strategically important capability areas in enterprise marketing technology.This position requires a minimum of 4 days per week in-office to facilitate collaboration and team development, with travel to client sites as required.The Impact You'll MakeDefine and lead VML's strategic approach to AEM Assets and enterprise DAM across a portfolio of complex, high-value client engagementsServe as the most senior DAM authority at VML — advising clients, leading pitches, and shaping how the practice grows and evolvesOwn the technical and strategic integrity of DAM implementations — from governance framework design through to metadata architecture, Dynamic Media configuration, and Brand Portal deploymentBuild, develop, and inspire a specialist team of DAM consultants and digital asset management professionalsDrive business growth — identifying new opportunities, leading proposals, and positioning VML as the partner of choice for enterprise DAM transformationEstablish VML as a recognised leader in AEM Assets delivery and digital asset management strategyCore ResponsibilitiesStrategic Leadership & Client AdvisoryDefine and own VML's strategic vision for AEM Assets and enterprise DAM consulting — setting the direction for how we design, deliver, and continuously evolve our offeringAct as the most senior client-facing authority on DAM engagements — advising C-suite, VP, and Director-level stakeholders on platform strategy, content supply chain investment, and long-term DAM roadmapLead executive-level discovery, strategy, and visioning workshops — translating complex organisational challenges around content volume, brand consistency, and asset governance into clear, actionable technology strategiesDevelop compelling business cases and ROI frameworks that articulate the strategic value of DAM investment — connecting asset management capability to content velocity, brand compliance, and operational efficiencyGuide clients through complex solution decisions — balancing technical architecture, creative workflow requirements, organisational change, and platform scalabilityBuild and maintain trusted, long-term senior client relationships that position VML as an indispensable strategic partner in content operations and digital asset managementDAM Architecture & Technical GovernanceOwn the end-to-end architecture and technical governance of AEM Assets implementations at enterprise scaleLead the design of metadata taxonomy frameworks — defining asset classification structures, controlled vocabularies, faceted search strategies, and metadata schemas that support both operational efficiency and long-term discoverabilityDefine and govern asset ingestion workflow architecture — designing scalable pipelines for bulk ingestion, automated metadata enrichment, quality validation, and asset processing across diverse source systems and formatsLead the strategy and implementation of rendition management — defining rendition profiles, automated processing rules, and format strategies that support multi-channel content activation without manual duplication of effortGovern the configuration and optimisation of Adobe Brand Portal — defining access models, distribution workflows, portal taxonomy, and user experience to support both internal teams and external agency or partner networksLead the strategic design and technical implementation of Adobe Dynamic Media — including viewer configuration, image and video preset strategy, smart imaging, adaptive video delivery, and integration with downstream activation channelsEstablish and enforce DAM governance frameworks — covering asset lifecycle management, rights and usage tracking, archival and retirement policies, version control standards, and compliance with brand and legal requirementsDefine standards for AEM Assets integration with adjacent platforms — including Creative Cloud, Adobe Workfront, AEP, CMS platforms, and third-party distribution channelsMetadata, Taxonomy & Information ArchitectureLead enterprise-scale information architecture engagements — defining the taxonomic structures, controlled vocabularies, and classification frameworks that underpin DAM discoverability and long-term scalabilityAdvise clients on metadata strategy — balancing the needs of creative teams, marketing operations, legal and compliance functions, and technology stakeholders in a single, coherent metadata modelDesign automated metadata enrichment strategies — leveraging Adobe Sensei and AI-powered tagging capabilities to reduce manual metadata burden while improving asset discoverabilityDefine search and findability strategies within AEM Assets — ensuring asset libraries remain navigable and efficient as content volumes growDevelop metadata governance protocols — establishing ownership, maintenance responsibilities, and quality assurance processes that keep taxonomy structures accurate and relevant over timeCreative Operations & Technology BridgeServe as the strategic bridge between creative operations and technology teams — translating the needs of creative directors, content producers, and brand managers into technical platform requirements, and ensuring technology solutions genuinely support creative workflowsDefine content supply chain strategies that connect asset creation, management, and activation into seamless, efficient end-to-end workflowsLead the design of creative workflow integrations — connecting AEM Assets with Adobe Creative Cloud, Workfront, Frame.io, and other creative production tools to minimise friction and maximise asset reuseAdvise on brand governance technology strategies — defining how DAM platforms enforce brand standards, manage approved asset libraries, and control the distribution of on-brand content across global teams and agency networksDevelop operating model recommendations that define how creative, marketing, IT, and legal teams collaborate around asset management — including roles, responsibilities, and governance processesDAM Governance, Rights & ComplianceDefine and lead DAM governance frameworks — establishing the policies, processes, and platform configurations that govern how assets are created, stored, maintained, activated, and retiredAdvise clients on digital rights management strategy — including usage rights tracking, licence expiry management, talent and property releases, and territorial usage restrictionsEnsure DAM implementations support compliance with data protection regulations — including appropriate handling of personal data within asset metadata and rights recordsDevelop asset lifecycle management frameworks — defining how assets move through creation, approval, active use, archival, and retirement, with appropriate automation and governance at each stageLead the design of audit and reporting capabilities within AEM Assets — providing clients with visibility into asset usage, rights status, and governance compliancePractice Development & Thought LeadershipDefine and continuously evolve VML's AEM Assets and DAM delivery methodology — building proprietary frameworks, accelerators, and toolkits that scale quality and accelerate time to value across engagementsContribute to external thought leadership — producing industry content, presenting at events, and shaping VML's market positioning in digital asset management, content operations, and creative technologyEstablish VML's DAM centre of excellence — creating the standards, knowledge assets, and enablement resources that underpin consistent delivery quality across the practiceStay ahead of Adobe AEM Assets product developments — including AI-powered asset management, Content Hub evolution, and Dynamic Media innovation — translating new capabilities into client opportunities and internal practice developmentIdentify adjacent capability areas — including content supply chain automation, AI-driven asset intelligence, and integrated creative operations platforms — and develop VML's ability to deliver in these spacesBuild VML's profile within the Adobe DAM partner ecosystem — contributing to co-innovation conversations, partner programmes, and joint go-to-market opportunitiesTeam Leadership & Talent DevelopmentLead, mentor, and develop a growing team of AEM Assets consultants, DAM specialists, and digital asset management professionalsDefine clear career pathways and development plans that attract, retain, and grow specialist talent within the practiceSet high standards for technical quality and delivery excellence — reviewing solution designs, governing implementations, and ensuring consistent output across all engagementsFoster a culture of craft, curiosity, and continuous learning — keeping the team ahead of platform developments and evolving industry best practice in digital asset managementCollaborate cross-functionally with creative operations, content strategy, technology, and media teams to deliver integrated, outcome-focused client programmesFormally manage a team of direct reports, providing regular performance feedback, development coaching, and clear expectations aligned to practice growth objectivesBusiness Development & GrowthLead and contribute to new business pitches and proposals for AEM Assets and broader DAM and content operations engagementsIdentify and develop organic growth opportunities within existing accounts — expanding scope, introducing adjacent capability areas, and deepening strategic relationshipsContribute to commercial scoping and solution design — ensuring proposals are technically credible, commercially sound, and competitively differentiatedMaintain a close working relationship with Adobe's AEM Assets, Dynamic Media, and Brand Portal product and partner teams — leveraging those relationships for co-selling opportunities, early roadmap access, and market differentiationRepresent VML in industry forums, Adobe partner events, and client-facing thought leadership opportunitiesWhat You'll BringEssential Experience8+ years of experience in digital asset management, content operations technology, or martech consulting — with substantial, hands-on expertise in Adobe Experience Manager AssetsDeep, proven expertise across the core AEM Assets and DAM capability set, including:Metadata taxonomy design and information architectureAsset ingestion workflow design and automationRendition strategy and asset processing configurationAdobe Brand Portal configuration and governanceAdobe Dynamic Media implementation — including viewer configuration, image and video presets, smart imaging, and adaptive video deliveryDAM governance frameworks — covering asset lifecycle, rights management, and complianceDemonstrated ability to bridge creative operations and technology teams — understanding the language, priorities, and workflows of both, and designing solutions that genuinely serve both communitiesProven track record of leading enterprise DAM transformations — from strategy and architecture through to deployment, adoption, and ongoing governanceDemonstrated ability to operate as a senior client advisor — with the presence, credibility, and communication skills to engage and influence at VP and C-suite levelExperience leading and developing specialist teams within a fast-paced consultancy or agency environmentStrong understanding of content supply chain strategy — and how DAM sits within the broader ecosystem of content creation, management, and activationTechnical ProficiencyExpert-level knowledge of Adobe Experience Manager Assets — including configuration, workflow design, metadata schema management, access control, and platform architectureHands-on experience with Adobe Dynamic Media — including setup, configuration, and optimisation of image, video, and viewer capabilitiesWorking knowledge of Adobe Brand Portal — including configuration, taxonomy alignment, and distribution workflow designFamiliarity with Adobe Sensei and AI-powered asset tagging capabilities within AEM AssetsUnderstanding of AEM Assets integration patterns — including Creative Cloud Libraries, Workfront, Adobe Publish, and third-party DAM connectorsWorking knowledge of metadata standards and protocols — including XMP, IPTC, Dublin Core, and schema.org as they apply to digital asset managementFamiliarity with API-based integrations and asset delivery architectures — including CDN strategy, headless asset delivery, and programmatic asset accessNice to HaveAdobe Certified Expert — AEM Assets or equivalent certificationExperience with Adobe Content Hub and the evolving AEM Assets as a Cloud Service architectureBackground in creative operations strategy, content production, or brand management technologyFamiliarity with third-party DAM platforms — including Bynder, Canto, Aprimo, or Widen — and migration experience between platformsUnderstanding of digital rights management platforms and their integration with AEM AssetsExperience with AI-driven asset intelligence — including auto-tagging, visual search, and content similarity capabilitiesTrack record in practice development, thought leadership, or business development at a senior levelPrevious experience at a leading consultancy, systems integrator, or digital agency serving enterprise clientsWhat Makes This Role UniqueThis is a rare opportunity to lead at the convergence of creative operations, content strategy, and enterprise technology. You will be:Defining how enterprise organisations think about their content and creative assets — not just implementing software, but shaping the operating models, governance frameworks, and strategic investments that underpin content effectiveness at scaleBuilding and leading a specialist practice with genuine influence over its direction, methodology, and market positioning within one of Adobe's fastest-evolving product areasWorking at the intersection of creativity and technology — in a role that values both the technical depth to govern complex DAM architectures and the strategic sensibility to understand what creative teams truly needPlaying a central role in VML's growth as a leading Adobe AEM Assets partner — with real influence over how we win, deliver, and evolve our offering in this spaceWho You'll Work WithYou will collaborate closely with:Senior client stakeholders — C-suite, VP, and Director-level marketing, creative operations, brand, and technology leadsVML creative operations, content strategy, and martech teams — ensuring DAM solutions integrate coherently with broader content and marketing technology programmesAdobe AEM Assets, Dynamic Media, and Brand Portal product and partner teams — maintaining a close working relationship to stay ahead of platform developmentsAEM Assets consultants and DAM specialists — providing leadership, technical direction, and quality oversightVML business development and growth teams — contributing to pitches, proposals, and client expansion conversationsWe 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 an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to 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.VML is a WPP agency (NYSE: WPP). For more information, please visit  www.vml.com, and follow along on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.When you click "Submit Application", this will send any information you add below to VML. Before you do this, we think it's a good idea to read through our Recruitment Privacy Policy. California residents should read our California Recruitment Privacy Notice. 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