Digital Partner Kinesso

About Us

KINESSO is the technology-driven performance marketing agency that sits at the very heart of IPG Mediabrands, providing actionable growth for both our agency partners and clients. We turn ’action’ into ’outcome’ for our clients, leveraging our unique capabilities in optimization, analytics, AI, and experimentation. KINESSO has brought together the collective power of what was formerly Matterkind, Reprise, and Kinesso under one collective entity that will serve as the most powerful delivery engine in the industry. We have extensive offerings spanning performance marketing and data and technology. Fuelled by a deep understanding of consumer behaviour, we offer an end-to-end engine of planning and optimization while also delivering on data-driven strategy for social platforms, actionable growth in e-commerce, and creating curated marketplaces specific to each client’s function and needs. The company has more than 6,000 employees operating in more than 60 countries. Learn more at www.KINESSO.com

Role Description

DISCIPLINE OVERVIEW: DIGITAL 

INTRODUCTION:

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic leader to join our team as the Group Digital Account Director for NatWest. In this role, you will be responsible for helping to shape their digital strategies, offering expert guidance on digital channels, and managing complex client relationships. While you may not be an ex-practitioner in all digital channels, your knowledge will be instrumental in providing valuable advice, troubleshooting challenges, and staying ahead of industry trends. This is a really exciting role with a lot of growth potential and autonomy to drive one of our biggest clients forward. 

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE:

As the senior digital lead on NatWest, you will play a critical role in helping them navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape. Your expertise will be essential in ensuring our clients’ success, and in providing strategic direction for their digital initiatives. You will be responsible for managing a complex organisational structure with multiple reporting lines and serving as a problem solver and troubleshooter.

You will have end-to end responsibility for the digital media product on NatWest, digital plans and activations and ensure there are processes in place to continuously optimise and drive efficiencies. You will be accountable for delivering and optimizing all digital media activations to the highest standard, and will work with cross functional teams to elevate NatWest’s digital strategy and make it reality. This role is critical for driving forward the digital maturity of NatWest.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES:

DIGITAL STRATEGY AND TRANSFORMATION:

• Provide digital leadership and vision to NatWest, aligning digital strategies with their strategic objectives.
• Offer insights into the digital landscape, customer insights, trends, opportunities, and challenges.
• Assist NatWest in developing concrete digital plans, encompassing content, channel selection, measurement, UX, data analytics, risk management, and brand safety. Understand performance channels through and through.
• Support in championing data and tech initiatives given the rise in cookieless and critical need for brands like NatWest to re-engineer their approach to performance measurement and analytics.

• Identify opportunities to expand NatWest’s digital presence and promote additional services by developing relationships with different teams at NatWest beyond media.

LEADERSHIP AND TEAM MANAGEMENT:

• Drive a culture of high performance in the NatWest team, across both performance and comms design planners,
• Work closely with direct reports but also the wider team, upskilling, and promoting best practices.
• Encourage innovation, experimentation, and adaptation to emerging technology and trends.

DIGITAL OPERATIONS:

• Redesign processes to ensure seamless campaign delivery and management across the digital team.
• Work with internal operations teams to help drive automation and quality assurance to maintain excellence in campaign delivery.
• Ensure rigorous quality standards are maintained for campaign execution, optimisation, and campaign reporting, working closely with craft team leads

CLIENT & INDUSTRY:

• Serve as the senior digital expert for NatWest, offering consultation, troubleshooting, and project evolution. Act as a trusted advisor. 
• Develop strong relationships with senior client contacts, facilitating effective relationship management.
• Provide digital thought leadership to clients and agency teams.
• Lead media owner partnerships and collaborate on joint business plans and opportunities.

STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

• This role will support with development and execution of comprehensive digital strategies that align with NatWest’s overall business goals, establishing closer relationships with various NatWest teams beyond media.
• Working with craft leaders within Initiative and Kinesso to elevate and evolve an integrated plan, working closely with Performance and Comms Design planners. Foster strong collaboration between internal digital and non-digital teams, ensuring alignment across all channels, including channels such as SEO and OOH. 
• Oversee all digital media activities to meet or exceed industry standards and deliver a strong ROI.
• Has the ability to see connection opportunities and ideas immediately within briefs, in and outside of media . Can develop innovative solutions and champions continuous improvement. 
• Use data to identify the best digital channels and support planning solutions, elevating the output across our digital product. 

TEAM DEVELOPMENT

• Responsible for working the NatWest internal team to develop the team on digital and produce innovative thinking through the entire ecosystem.  This role needs to be deeply embedded across the whole agency team.
• Support, nurture and develop immediate team and junior talent, collaborating with the wider business.

KEY PROFICIENCIES AND CHARACTERISTICS:

• Proven experience in senior digital roles within digital marketing, media, tech, or related fields, ideally in a network or large independent agency.
• In-depth knowledge of digital technologies, platforms, and trends, coupled with a passion for innovation.
• Track record of developing and executing comprehensive digital strategies that drive transformation and achieve business objectives.
• Exceptional leadership and team management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate cross-functional teams.
• Strong analytical skills for data-driven decision-making and optimisation.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including the ability to engage with senior stakeholders.
• Experience managing large budgets and delivering measurable results.
• A deep understanding of digital media and marketing across paid, owned, and earned channels.
• Ability to navigate complex organisational structures and make informed decisions.

SKILLS AND CAPABILITIES:

• Strong practitioner-level knowledge in one or more digital channels, such as programmatic, paid search, or paid social.
• Extensive experience in agency roles, preferably with complex client experience,
• Proficiency in data and technology within a media context, including data strategy, data management, martech, adtech, and customer experience. 
• Thorough understanding of digital media and marketing, spanning paid, owned, and earned media.

Employee Transparency

At IPG Mediabrands, we celebrate differences and believe this makes us stronger. IPG Mediabrands is an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to championing an inclusive culture that provides a sense of belonging for all our employees. We do not discriminate against any applicant based on age, disability, race, colour, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, belief, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Please reach out to our Talent Inclusion Specialist Jess at [email protected] if you would like to have a confidential conversation regarding any adjustments that would ensure our recruitment process is accessible for you. Please note requesting a reasonable adjustment will not affect your application.

THE PERKS

We aim to provide all our people with a supportive and fun work environment where you can develop your full potential and benefit from the broad range of opportunities within the agency. When you join us, we want to make sure you feel valued – and that you are rewarded for your fantastic work. So, we also offer a range of benefits: 

• Flexi–leave, with 25 days annual leave to be taken as the minimum. In addition to your holiday entitlement, the office usually closes between Christmas & New Year
• Free breakfast and free lunch 
• Early finish Fridays
• Core Hours (Mon-Thurs, flexible start/finish times)  
• Retail discounts
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice car scheme
• Wellbeing programme, including Headspace & flu jabs
• Interest-free season ticket loan
• Paid time off for Volunteering 
• Group Income Protection 
• Life Assurance 
• Private Medical Insurance or Health Cash Plan (dependent on level) 
• Group Personal Pension Plan with matched contributions from 3-6% 
• Generous Parental Leave & Pay  
• Independent mortgage advice 
• Financial education 
• Employee Assistance Programme 
• Free eye tests 
• Flexible benefits including Dental, Travel insurance, Cycle to Work, Gym Discounts and many more!