Manager, Retail DSP & Commerce Media

Role Summary & Impact

Retail media is evolving beyond sponsored search and onsite placements. Brands increasingly need to connect retailer first-party audiences, programmatic media, and offsite activation to reach shoppers throughout the purchase journey—and turn that engagement into measurable commerce growth.

We’re looking for a Manager, Retail Media & Programmatic with deep, hands-on experience activating programmatic media within Amazon and/or Walmart’s retail media ecosystems. The ideal candidate understands how to use retailer data, audiences, and DSP capabilities to plan, execute, optimize, and measure full-funnel campaigns across onsite and offsite environments.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who combines platform expertise with strategic thinking, analytical rigor, and strong client leadership. You’ll lead activation, uncover optimization opportunities, translate campaign data into business recommendations, and develop a team delivering best-in-class retail media solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Retail Media & Programmatic Strategy

• Develop and execute full-funnel retail media strategies connecting onsite retail media, retailer audiences, DSP activation, and offsite advertising.

• Lead programmatic and offsite activation within Amazon and/or Walmart’s retail media ecosystems, translating client objectives into audience, channel, inventory, and investment strategies.

• Build strategies that leverage retailer first-party shopper and purchase data to drive awareness, consideration, conversion, and incremental sales.

• Understand how retailer-owned inventory, retailer offsite extensions, and broader programmatic inventory differ—and when each is appropriate.

• Connect retail search, onsite placements, display, online video, CTV, and other addressable tactics where available and relevant.

• Identify new platform capabilities, beta opportunities, and opportunities to grow client investment and performance.

Hands-On DSP Activation & Optimization

• Own campaign execution across relevant retailer DSP and programmatic platforms, including campaign setup, audience selection, targeting, bidding, pacing, budget allocation, and optimization.

• Activate and optimize campaigns using retailer audiences, purchase signals, behavioral data, contextual targeting, and other available commerce signals.

• Evaluate inventory quality, placements, reach, frequency, viewability, creative performance, and audience effectiveness.

• Monitor performance against campaign objectives and optimize toward KPIs such as ROAS, CPA, CTR, conversion, reach, frequency, and incremental sales.

• Identify opportunities to improve performance through audience refinement, bid strategy, inventory selection, creative testing, and budget reallocation.

• Establish activation standards, campaign QA processes, and platform best practices to improve performance and operational consistency.

Measurement, Analytics & Client Strategy

• Analyze performance across retail media and programmatic platforms, turning complex data into clear, actionable business recommendations.

• Develop campaign measurement frameworks and reporting aligned with client objectives.

• Lead weekly and monthly performance reviews, quarterly business reviews, and campaign wrap-up presentations.

• Partner with analytics and measurement teams to assess attribution, incrementality, lift, and the relationship between media investment and commerce outcomes.

• Present optimization recommendations, testing plans, investment opportunities, and strategic insights to clients and senior stakeholders.

• Proactively identify performance trends, risks, and growth opportunities.

Leadership & Team Development

• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of commerce media professionals.

• Coach team members on DSP activation, retailer audience strategy, platform best practices, optimization, measurement, and client communication.

• Provide hands-on guidance on complex campaigns, troubleshooting, testing, and performance improvement.

• Establish scalable processes and quality-control standards across campaign execution, reporting, and client deliverables.

• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and curious team environment focused on continuous learning and measurable results.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with commerce strategy, retail search, analytics, investment, brand, creative, and account teams to deliver integrated media solutions.

• Connect programmatic and offsite activation to broader retail media, shopper marketing, and full-funnel objectives.

• Collaborate with retailer and technology partners to stay current on platform capabilities, audience solutions, measurement, and industry developments.

• Develop repeatable processes that improve activation quality, operational efficiency, and client outcomes.

What We’re Looking For

Required Qualifications

• 4+ years of relevant experience in retail media, commerce media, or programmatic advertising, including substantial hands-on campaign activation and optimization.

• Direct, hands-on experience with Amazon DSP and/or Walmart Connect programmatic/offsite media. Candidates must be able to explain the platforms they have used, the campaigns they have managed, and the results they have driven.

• Strong understanding of DSP buying, including audience strategy, targeting, bidding, pacing, inventory selection, frequency management, and optimization.

• Experience activating retailer first-party audiences and commerce data in programmatic or offsite media environments.

• Understanding of how onsite retail media, offsite retail media, sponsored search, and broader programmatic tactics work together.

• Experience managing campaign performance against business and media KPIs, with the ability to diagnose issues and recommend actionable optimizations.

• Strong analytical skills and experience with campaign reporting, attribution, and performance measurement; experience with incrementality or lift measurement is a plus.

• Experience leading client conversations and presenting strategic recommendations to senior stakeholders.

• Experience managing, mentoring, or developing team members.

• Strong project-management skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple clients and priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience across both Amazon and Walmart retail media ecosystems.

• Experience with additional retail media networks such as Instacart, Target Roundel, Kroger, or other retailer media platforms.

• Familiarity with retail media management and measurement technology, including relevant DSP tools and platforms.

• Experience with display, online video, CTV, and other programmatic formats.

• Understanding of retail readiness, product availability, pricing, promotions, and other factors that influence campaign performance.

• Experience developing test-and-learn roadmaps and evaluating incremental business impact.

• A track record of scaling retail media investment, improving campaign performance, and identifying new opportunities for client growth.

Life at WPP Media & Benefits

Our passion for shaping the next era of media is powered by our commitment to Be Extraordinary, investing in our employees to inspire transformational creativity. We also Lead Optimistically, firmly believing in and Championing Growth and Development for every individual. This commitment allows WPP Media employees to leverage the extensive global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, build vital professional connections, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising.  We Create an Open environment built on trust and respect, where everyone feels they belong and has opportunities to progress. This inclusive culture is fostered through a variety of employee resource groups and frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects this commitment, including competitive medical, group retirement plans, vision, and dental insurance, significant paid time off, preferential partner discounts, and employee mental health awareness days.

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection in this open and supportive environment.That's why we've adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process. Please note that while our philosophy is the same across WPP, benefits may vary by office/country.

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US Pay Range 60000 - 140000 USD