Full-Time
Director – Commerce Strategy
Updated on 5/8/2026
Wunderman Thompson
5,001-10,000 employees
Integrated creative, data-driven marketing agency
Compensation Overview
$75k - $180k/yr
New York, NY, USA
Hybrid
Hybrid role; four days on-site per week.
 Growth & Marketing (2) |
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- Bachelor’s degree in advertising, Communications, Marketing, or a related field
- 2-3+ years of formal experience managing direct reports
- 7-10 years of experience in omnichannel retail strategy, engagement marketing, or a related field; proven experience with channel and communications planning across physical and digital/ecommerce channels and touchpoints
- Experience within an agency, CPG company, research company, or consulting firm is preferred
- Retail IQ: demonstrated experience working on top U.S. retailers with a strong understanding of their business models and marketing strategies
- Applied experience with database tools (MRI Simmons, Mintel) and sales/panel data platforms
- Exceptional storytelling skills; ability to command a room, handle difficult client questions, and translate complex strategy into clear business logic for senior audiences
- Set the strategic agenda for the client portfolio, identifying the long-term levers for brand growth and business transformation
- Act as the senior strategic advisor to clients, providing a provocative and consultative perspective that challenges their business models and identifies untapped commerce opportunities
- Translate complex insights into compelling strategic narratives and actionable "jobs to be done" for brands, retailers and key channels that inspire both clients and creative teams
- Set and uphold the standard for strategic rigor, ensuring that every brief, roadmap, and narrative produced by the team is of the highest quality and driven by a clear, defensible point of view
- Direct the synthesis of complex business challenges into elegant strategic frameworks that provide clarity for both internal teams and senior client stakeholders
- Conduct thorough market research and competitive audits using database tools such as MRI Simmons, Mintel, Infegy, and YPulse to identify trends, potential threats and white-space opportunities
- Leverage sales and shopper panel data to uncover core business problems and size market opportunities
- Develop comprehensive retail and engagement strategies that translate brand objectives into actionable plans across in-store, online, social, and email platforms
- Identify and draft compelling case studies for industry awards (e.g., Effies, WARC, Cannes Lions) to showcase the agency’s best-in-class commerce work and the impact and effectiveness for our clients
- Partner with Media and Growth Strategy teams to review performance reports and translate analytical findings into insights that drive strategic and actionable recommendations
- Integrate VML and WPP Open’s proprietary AI tools and emerging technologies into the strategic workflow to increase speed-to-insight and creative innovation
- Identify and communicate opportunities to grow client business, contributing to the overall success of the agency. Supports new business pitches by developing strategic insights, contributing to pitch presentations, and providing strategic inputs for RFIs/RFPs
- Own the briefing process for major workstreams, bridging the gap between strategy and creative to ensure ideas are grounded in shopper reality
- Develop knowledge sharing and thought leadership by contributing to the agency’s Retail IQ with points of view on emerging commerce trends and retailer innovations
- Oversee and effectively manage timelines and deliverables for multiple projects simultaneously, following up on outstanding issues to remove blockers and move work forward
- Serve as a key strategic point of contact for clients, managing expectations and providing a consultative perspective to ensure strategic alignment and that work aligns with broader business goals
- Lead the presentation of strategic work to senior stakeholders, focusing on the "So What" of the data to drive confident business decisions
- Navigate complex client feedback with a solutions-oriented mindset, defending strategic integrity while remaining flexible to business realities
- Act as a strategic voice within the agency, collaborating closely with Client Engagement, Creative, Strategy, and Media teams
- Work closely with Creative and Media teams to provide the strategic "proof points" and retailer insights needed to bridge the gap between creative ideas and commerce results
- Accountable for the health and long-term career development of the team, fostering a culture of curiosity, provocation, and commercial accountability
- Review and refine the work of the broader strategy team, ensuring that every deliverable is elevated beyond table stakes to provide true competitive advantage and differentiation for our clients
- Experience within an agency, consumer packaged goods company, research company, or consulting firm is preferred
- Demonstrated experience working on top U.S. retailers and understanding of their business models and marketing strategies (Retail IQ) is preferred
- Proficiency with MRI Simmons and Mintel database tools and sales/panel data platforms is desirable
Wunderman Thompson blends creative advertising, data-driven consultancy, and technology to drive growth for brands. It delivers creative campaigns and brand strategies, uses data and insights to help businesses transform, and offers technology solutions such as WaterLight, a product that converts salt water into electrical power. The company earns revenue through project-based fees, retainers, and performance-based incentives. It differentiates itself with an integrated approach that combines creativity, data, and technology, backed by global clients and award-winning work. Its goal is to help ambitious brands grow by delivering measurable, impactful results.
Company Size
5,001-10,000
Company Stage
M&A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
New York City, New York
Founded
1958
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- VML merger October 2023 expands resources for client growth.
- Integrated Brand, Customer Experience, Commerce with Human First philosophy.
- Serves global clients like Unilever, Bose with omnichannel experiences.
What critics are saying
- Ceased operations January 2024; standalone brand eliminated.
- Hulbert's transition to VML causes talent exodus now.
- VML structure erodes commerce, CRM expertise; clients shift in 6-12 months.
What makes Wunderman Thompson unique
- Blends creative agency, consultancy, and technology for data-driven growth.
- World-leading MAP center excels in Marketing Automation, Personalization, Loyalty, CRM.
- Wins Cannes Lions Innovation Grand Prix 2021 for Degree Inclusive deodorant.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Paid Vacation
Company News
Chauhan joins Enormous from Wunderman Thompson (now VML) where in his last role, he served as Managing Partner (North) & Chief Client Officer (WT India).
Hurley joins BAM from Wunderman Thompson (now VML), where she worked on Nestlé, Kelloggs, Treasury Wine Estates, Visit Canberra and Victoria Police.
In this role, Maia, who joins from Wunderman Thompson Health where she was the agency's first global CCO, will "oversee the creative product across all Ogilvy Health offerings including brand development, strategy, experience and innovation, PR and influence, medical education, and market access," according to a press release.
Katie Mulligan joins from Wunderman Thompson and Matt Williams moves from his role as global head of marketing at parent company MSQ.
Varatharajan joins from Wunderman Thompson (now VML), where he was head of growth and consulting.