Compensation Overview

Business Overview 

UM is a global media agency committed to Futureproofing our clients’ businesses.  We leverage the transformational power of rich business analytics and real-time intelligence to maximize growth and activate the full consumer journey across content and connections. As the leading global media network in IPG Mediabrands, UM operates in over 100 countries, with more than 3,000 people innovating on a roster of global clients including Accenture, American Express, GoPro, Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss & Co, Mattel, Sony, and Spotify. UM is globally headquartered in New York, with North American offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Birmingham, Detroit, Montreal, and Toronto. 

At UM, we know our employees are our greatest asset. We are committed to fostering a culture rooted in Diversity, Equity & Belonging, where everyone feels they belong, and their contributions are valued. We prioritize personal and professional growth, encourage an entrepreneurial spirit to pursue passion projects, and celebrate our people and community with moments of joy and spontaneity. Our leadership is dedicated to building a culture of care that permeates every element of the company from work flexibility to career planning to regular talent reviews, and more. Our DNA, for UM, helps guide us in all that we do: 

Fearless: We bring our authentic selves to work and put our whole selves into the work

Optimistic: We approach challenges with empathy and curiosity, infusing joy into everything we do

Relentless: We’re unwavering in our pursuit of the right solution, eager to reimagine what’s possible

Unified: We band together to accomplish what we could not otherwise do alone

Masterful: We’re constantly growing in our craft, setting new standards for our industry and our world

We are proud to be named an AdAge Best Place to Work several times over, a Top Workplace in the US by Great Places to Work, a top 10 FORTUNE 2022 Best Workplaces in Advertising & Marketing and She Runs It’s 2021 Outstanding Company for Working Mothers. But feedback is most meaningful when it comes from our own people: over 90% of our employees say the agency is a great place to work and 95% say they are proud to work at UM.

Position Summary

We are looking for you - dynamic, best-in-class talent - to join the growing UM Commerce team as a Director. In this role you will be responsible for managing a team in developing, planning, buying, executing and measuring media plans for designated shopper/commerce media clients. You, along with the Associate Director, are responsible for the strategic and tactical development of each retail plan.  You’ll work closely with Planning and Buying teams to allow for holistic Commerce media function. As a Director, it’s your responsibility to ensure work is done to specification and correctly, in addition to managing resource/allocation and growth/development of the overall team.  
UM Commerce is a specialty group that focuses on the planning, buying, execution and measurement of Commerce media. Commerce media is any specific media elements that are retailer focused/tagged. This can be in-store signage such as a coupon machine, a billboard driving shoppers to a Walmart store, buying digital ads on Amazon or a Kroger.com site, tapping influencers that support certain retailers or working with shoppable technology companies to ensure ease of conversion. The team supports client’s commerce/shopper/customer marketing teams—our end goal measuring product sales both online and in-store.

Responsibilities

• Strategy & Execution
  • Lead planning and activation across Commerce media plans as needed, including direct account and client service responsibilities
    
  • Manage and take accountability for client total budget and savings
    
  • Oversee plan development and implementation, incorporating necessary and appropriate rationale and research for client buy-in
    
  • Responsible for the strategy and the audience insights being funneled down into the tactical media plan 
    
  • Ensures strategic consistency across all elements of plan development and implementation 
    
  • Develops, presents, manages and measures commerce media programs and defines program objectives and strategies consistent with brand marketing objectives 
    
  • Ability to push back on client when relevant and pivot approach/support as needed
    
  • Creates client ready materials and delivers client communications 
    
  • Ability to tailor client presentations to the audience (i.e. Senior Level vs. Junior Level)
    
  • Understanding the underlying client needs and recommending solution / path forward. Once aligned clearly directing internal team and managing deliverables with client
    
  • Develops buying guidelines and supervises buying process and stewardship for media programs 
    
  • Negotiate and implement added value, research partnerships and custom program elements
    
  • Oversees both media & sales metrics evaluation ensuring original objectives and strategies are being met
• Relationships
  • Own client relationship as it relates to media investment and take ultimate accountability for team’s day-to-day responsibilities
    
  • Develop, maintain and grow client relationships with appropriate levels
    
  • Responsible for creating overall team culture of trust, openness and accountability
    
  • Maintain and grow key marketplace relationships, including senior-level media owner and technology platform contacts
    
  • Actively manages client’s expectations, ensuring timely creation & delivery of work 
    
  • Oversees relationship with media partners and leads negotiation of commerce media for specific programs
• Training/Development
  
  • Ensures knowledge sharing across internal teams, open communication & provides thought leadership 
    
  • Identifies & builds functional expertise or knowledge in a relevant, unique & specific media area, including commerce media expertise 
    
  • Responsible for leading and training team in UM ways of working and planning fundamentals, effectively communicating agency goals, managing workloads and providing performance feedback and career development support.
    
  • Be aware of level of knowledge and experience on your team, where you need to spend extra time vs. let team members run with projects
    
• Knowledge 
  
  • Provide counsel on marketplace trends 
    
  • Craft go to market strategy for client from a planning and investment perspective
    
  • Provide thought leadership in alternative planning models, buying models and integrated projects
    
  • Bring commerce expertise and POV to the table when you are pulled into a work session/ brainstorm/ group project 
    
  • Seeks out information to remain current on media trends
    

Required Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required
  
• 7-10 years of experience in media planning/buying, with 4+ years experience in a people manager role; strong ability to delegate, train, and support direct reports
  
• Experience with multiple client and business categories
  
• Ability to manage team, both upwards and downwards, to ensure cross team communication
  
• Agency and/or Commerce media or CPG experience is a must
  
• Excellent quantitative skills
  
• Ability to interpret and analyze data to inform go-to-market strategies
  
• Strong marketplace relationships with senior sales people at major Commerce media companies
  
• Creative approach to defining deal terms including pricing models and value based on client objectives
  
• High level of comfort presenting to clients and internal team members
  
• Proven track record with client relations and growing existing business
  
• Solid understanding of marketing/communications process and the role of investment in it
  
• Proven knowledge of media planning & planning with use of research tools and resources
  
• Proven experience in writing and presenting relevant information to client audience
  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and proven problem solving ability
  
• Self- sufficient and problem solver
  
• Project management; effectively managing multiple projects and meeting tight deadlines under a fast-paced environment
  
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
  

Desired Skills & Experience

• Gravitas + adept influencing- the personal and professional credibility to carry the system with it
  
• Humble confidence - confident in skills and willing to provide a proactive point of view
  
• Constructive discontent – always looking for ways to improve and enhance the work and self to challenge the norm and strive for continued improvement
  
• Innovative drive  – comfortable in ‘white space’ work areas and willing to take risks, test the norm, measure and learn forward
  
• Proactive personal accountability – if it’s to be, it’s up to me
  
• Authentic + humanistic – be approachable, real and human
  
• Team first – a cultural force for building the best team
  
• Humor - willing to have fun and not take ourselves too seriously

We See You 

At IPG Mediabrands, we are unified behind a commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging. Together, we shine through a set of shared values and behaviors. We take pride in our responsibility to our clients, communities, and to each other. We embrace differences and recognize the unique value that each of us brings to our community. 

We encourage you to apply, as unique backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences are welcomed.  

We See You at IPG Mediabrands.

Wage and Benefits

We offer a Total Rewards package that includes medical and dental coverage, 401(k) plans, flex spending, life insurance, disability, employee discount program, employee stock purchase program and paid family benefits to support you and your family. To give you the ability to better meet your personal needs, and in support of your physical and emotional well-being, you will receive discretionary time off days and company-wide Appreciation Weeks and Wellness Days.

We also offer a competitive Total Compensation package, including a competitive salary and eligibility for an annual discretionary incentive award or a relevant incentive award.

The salary range for this position is posted below.  Where an employee or prospective employee is paid within this range will depend on, among other factors, actual ranges for current/former employees in the subject position, market considerations, budgetary considerations, tenure and standing with the Company (applicable to current employees), as well as the employee’s/applicant’s skill set, level of experience, and qualifications.  

Employment Transparency

It is the policy of Mediabrands, division of the Interpublic group, to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, veteran status, disability, or any other basis prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law. 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 

The employer will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act of 1990. The job description will be reviewed periodically as duties and responsibilities change with business necessity. Essential and other job functions are subject to modification. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

For applicants to jobs in the United States: In compliance with the current Americans with Disabilities Act and state and local laws, if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation to apply for a position with Mediabrands, please email [email protected].

About IPG Mediabrands

IPG Mediabrands is the media and marketing solutions division of Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). IPG Mediabrands manages over $47 billion in marketing investment globally on behalf of its clients across its full-service agency networks UM, Initiative and Mediahub and through its award-winning specialty business units Healix, Kinesso, MAGNA, Mediabrands Content Studio, Orion Holdings, Rapport, and the IPG Media Lab. IPG Mediabrands clients include many of the world’s most recognizable and iconic brands from a broad portfolio of industry sectors including automotive, personal finance, consumer product goods (CPG), pharma, health and wellness, entertainment, financial services, energy, toys and gaming, direct to consumer and e-commerce, retail, hospitality, food and beverage, fashion and beauty. The company employs more than 18,000 diverse marketing communication professionals in more than 130 countries. Learn more at www.ipgmediabrands.com.