Director, Commerce

Zenith is one of Publicis Groupe’s largest media agencies, spanning 95 markets globally with US offices in New York, Burbank, Chicago, Atlanta and Detroit. For more than 30 years, we have been at the forefront of media, helping to evolve and reshape the industry. We are highly regarded as a true agency partner by many high-profile brands for our expertise across numerous categories and wide range of capabilities that are unparalleled in the industry. Clients hire us for our track record of excellence in strategic planning, investment, and measurement. We also have specialist offerings, including content, commerce, multicultural and future-proofed data capabilities.

Overview

The Director, Commerce Media reports to the VP, Commerce and is responsible for driving thought leadership/shaping holistic commerce strategy to drive client’s business, as well as overseeing the activation team responsible for bringing those strategies & plans to life in practice. This role is dedicated to a global CPG brand and will work on their portfolio of brands.

The Director works with client stakeholders & holistic agency strategy teams to develop strategy most effectively drive business results across all eCommerce and omni-channel Retail Media platforms including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Ulta, Macy’s, etc. and platforms such as Skai/Pacvue, Profitero, The Trade Desk, Criteo, Epsilon Retail Media/Citrus Ads, etc. The Commerce Director is accountable for working with the team to ensure performance is hitting stated revenue, sales, and online goals, and will be key stakeholder for client + Publicis Commerce Team relationship.

The Director independently manages and develops the commerce team, strengthening technical expertise, strategic thinking, client communication, and presentation skills. Success requires proactive ownership, consistent follow-through, and the ability to build practical processes that clarify responsibilities and keep cross-functional work moving.

Responsibilities

Lead the client’s commerce strategy and oversee retail search and DSP/programmatic activation, serving as the commerce strategy lead and ensuring channel plans work together to deliver agreed business and performance objectives.

Drive proactive thought leadership, bringing forward growth opportunities, emerging retail media capabilities, and test-and-learn agendas; review and approve major recommendations and translate learnings into clear next steps.

Key lead in commerce client relationship and serve as the point of escalation, confidently presenting recommendations, securing decisions, managing difficult conversations, and keeping stakeholders informed of opportunities, risks, and resolution plans.

Build strategic relationships with vendors and relevant retail media partners, identifying opportunities that advance client’s business and translating platform developments into actionable client recommendations.

Responsible for and attending larger Business reviews (QBRs, Annual Planning, etc.) and owns process of working with team to consolidate and up-level data delivery

Own commerce planning priorities, including annual budgets, retailer and channel allocation, KPIs, partner selection, and innovation roadmaps, aligning recommendations with the client’s broader marketing and retail objectives.

Drive cross-functional delivery within the Integrated Media Team, establish clear owners, deadlines, dependencies, launch trackers, and QA checkpoints; resolve blockers and ensure commitments are completed on time.

Oversee commerce financial management, including budget tracking, pacing, forecasting, billing, invoicing, and reconciliation. Partner with Operations and Finance to ensure accuracy, manage financial risks, and provide timely reporting to senior leadership.

Connected to inter-Publicis Groupe Commerce Practice, and responsible for distributing Groupe-level POVs, Industry materials, etc.

Identify relevant account growth opportunities and clearly communicate the value of Publicis commerce products, services, and technologies, recommending solutions based on client needs and measurable business value.

Establish and refine practical workflows, documentation, and quality standards across planning, activation, reporting, and client communication. Partner with Analytics to ensure reporting accuracy and actionable measurement, and improve processes proactively as needs evolve.

Independently manage direct and indirect reports where applicable. Set clear priorities and accountability, develop technical and strategic skills, and provide regular coaching on client communication, presentation skills, meeting preparation, and professional judgment while fostering a collaborative, inclusive team culture.

Deep expertise in Amazon advertising and retail search, grounded in hands-on activation experience, with strong working knowledge of DSP/programmatic strategy, audiences, optimization, and measurement. Able to guide both search and programmatic specialists and evaluate a retail media plan holistically.

7+ years of account management experience in performance media, with proven experience managing large-scale campaigns and developing commerce strategies aligned with client business goals; client-side or agency-side experience preferred.

Expert understanding of the retail media landscape, buying platforms, and evolving product offerings, with working knowledge of Walmart Connect, Target/Roundel, and Criteo.

Demonstrated ability to translate activation knowledge into investment recommendations, performance improvements, and integrated search and DSP/programmatic plans.

Strong command of commerce reporting, analytics, and competitive research resources. Experience with Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC), clean rooms or advanced retail measurement, Skai/Pacvue/Xnurta/CommerceIQ, and Profitero is preferred.

4+ years of demonstrated success managing and leading performance media specialists, with the ability to independently coach Supervisors and Managers and develop both technical expertise and client-facing skills.

Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills, with sound judgment on when to resolve issues directly versus escalate with a clear recommendation.

Concise, confident, and considerate verbal and written communication; high proficiency in developing and delivering PowerPoint presentations that make complex information clear to senior stakeholders and support informed decisions.

Excellent cross-functional project management and organizational skills, with a track record of aligning strategy, video, activation, analytics, and operations teams to deliver multiple workstreams accurately and on time.

Proactive, self-directed ownership and consistent follow-through, with the flexibility to work in an evolving environment and build effective processes rather than depend on established instructions or repeated direction.

Ability to identify, package, and present growth opportunities and articulate the business value of performance media channels, tools, and services.

Strategic perspective paired with strong attention to detail, financial discipline, and accountability for high-quality execution and client outcomes.

Experience with Prisma and MediaOcean preferred; familiarity with planning tools such as TukTuk or Mediatools is a plus.

Comfort using AI tools and helping team members apply them effectively within their workflows is preferred.

Our Publicis Groupe motto “Viva La Différence” means we’re better together, and we believe that our differences make us stronger. It means we honor and celebrate all identities, across all facets of intersectionality, and it underpins all that we do as an organization. We are focused on fostering belonging and creating equitable & inclusive experiences for all talent.

Publicis Groupe provides robust and inclusive benefit programs and policies to support the evolving and diverse needs of our talent and enable every person to grow and thrive. Our benefits package includes medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401K, as well as parental and family care leave, family forming assistance, tuition reimbursement, and flexible time off.

If you require accommodation or assistance with the application or onboarding process specifically, please contact [email protected].

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Veterans Encouraged to Apply.

Compensation Range: USD $129,485.00 - USD $165,000.00/Annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. Temporary roles may be eligible to participate in our freelancer/temporary employee medical plan through a third-party benefits administration system once certain criteria have been met.

For regular roles, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be 12/5/2026.