Group Experiential Director

Company Description

Mars United Commerce Powered by Marilyn is a global commerce company that delivers all the solutions clients need to grow their business today and tomorrow. Founded by the late Marilyn Barnett, we’ve become global leaders in four key commerce disciplines – Strategy & Analytics, Digital Commerce, Content & Experiences, and Retail Consultancy – that together form a United Commerce Ecosystem that provides all the expertise clients need to navigate the commerce marketing landscape. Our 800+ Martians across North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia exist to drive growth for our people, our clients, and our communities all across the globe. In late 2024 Mars United Commerce became part of the Publicis Groupe.

Overview

About the Role

The Group Experiential Director manages and mentors our dedicated Experiential and Sampling teams focusing on activations and sampling strategies. This role requires expertise in strategic leadership, project execution, budget management, and team leadership. The Group Experiential Director is responsible for driving team growth and identifying revenue opportunities, while supporting key stakeholders and departments in delivering multifaceted events.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio and Project Management (50%)

• Lead comprehensive project management for activation and sampling initiatives, from strategic proposals to execution and reporting.
• Oversee budgeting and resource allocation to ensure financial efficiency and successful project outcomes.
• Ensure strict compliance with all processes and deliver projects on time, maintaining high standards.
• Integrate team efforts and improve production processes for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.
• Support sampling and production teams as a senior resource, providing guidance and expertise.

New Business Growth (30%)

• Develop and pursue new business opportunities, leveraging networks and a strong market presence.
• Lead the crafting and presentation of strategic proposals to potential clients to drive revenue growth.
• Collaborate with creative and leadership teams to refine pitches and strengthen market positioning.
• Stay abreast of the latest experiential trends and forecasts to maintain a competitive edge and provide greater opportunity for organic growth with existing clients.

People Leadership (20%)

• Mentor and manage a diverse team, fostering a collaborative, high-performance work environment.
• Support professional development by setting career goals and conducting regular performance reviews.
• Lead from the front, setting an example and engaging in growing the team’s knowledge base.
• Communicate effectively with team members to motivate and guide them toward achieving objectives
• As a leader in the industry, support AU and NZ teams when required with an outlook to educate and upskill.

Operational Excellence and Compliance

• Oversee event schedules, workflow, project execution and training, ensuring readiness and compliance.
• Source new suppliers, brief, and manage the team to execute to perfection.
• Oversee logistics, including efficient asset movement, freight, project delivery and onsite setup/pack-down in collaboration with the production and sampling teams
• Innovate and improve processes, contributing to system efficiencies and onboarding tools.

Core Skills:

• Extensive experience in experiential marketing and project management, focusing on activations and sampling. +10years
• Extensive experience with pitches and responses, with a strong understanding of processes from brief to execution.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, capable of managing and inspiring teams.
• Excellent strategic planning and organizational skills, with keen attention to detail.
• Effective communication and negotiation abilities for engaging clients and stakeholders.
• Strong financial acumen with experience in budget management and resource allocation.
• Innovative and process-driven, focused on improving efficiency and delivering best-in-class executions.

Your Progression Path:

As competence across deliverables and services grows, there will be opportunities to lead larger, more complex projects, and to take on additional accounts, strengthening client relationships and driving extensive new business opportunities. You will be encouraged to participate in leadership training and industry events to stay ahead of market trends, further developing strategic thinking and innovative approaches. Successfully demonstrating leadership and business growth will pave the way for advancement to roles such as Head of Experiential Marketing, where broader oversight and strategic influence within the company are key.

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Additional Information

Publicis Groupe benefits: Be a part of the Publicis Groupe family, recent winner of the Employer of Choice Awards and one of the world's most progressive and dynamic modern communications businesses. You can learn more about us at www.publicisgroupeanz.com.

Enjoy all the perks that come with our network offering:

• A comprehensive Wholeself program supporting physical, mindful, and financial wellbeing.
• A creative, lively, and rewarding office environment where people love working with each other, supported by our Publicis Liberté flexibility approach — "working your way with us."
• Access to our Global AI Platform Marcel, connecting Publicis Groupe employees with opportunities for career mobility and collaboration across our global network.
• Extensive Learning & Development opportunities including more than 15,000 learning programs via our online learning platform, Marcel Classes.
• A culture of open feedback and support to reach your goals through our Career Conversations program.
• A committed Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion strategy driven through our Viva Women, Égalité, enABLE, EmbRACE, and Écologique committees.
• Leave benefits including Birthday Leave, Flexible Public Holidays, and an additional 5 days of leave after 2 years of service.
• Work Your World program enabling employees the flexibility to work from anywhere in the world for up to 6 weeks per year.
• Parental leave policy with up to 18 weeks based on tenure, paid primary carer leave, secondary carer swap, and Cub Care leave.
• Access to counsellors, psychologists, and professionals through Sonder, an all-in-one digital wellbeing technology platform designed to support psychological, medical & safety needs.
• A workplace that stands together to provide a more open, supportive, and recovery-forward culture for all employees with life-threatening illnesses. Read more about our Working With Cancer Pledge: https://workingwithcancerpledge.com/
• Proud partners of Diversity Council Australia, Pride in Diversity, Family Friendly Workplaces, Supply Nation, and the Australian Disability Network.

If you don't tick every box in this ad, please don't rule yourself out. Research suggests that women and other people in underrepresented groups tend to only apply if they meet every requirement. We focus on hiring people who share our values of inclusion, collaboration, adaptability, fearlessness, and integrity rather than ticking boxes — so if this role resonates with you, please apply.

Diversity. Inclusion. Equity. More than just words; these are part of our DNA. At Publicis Groupe, we are committed to the inclusion and recognition of all people regardless of race, age, culture, ability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, and religious affiliation. We believe that to deliver the best solutions to our clients, our people need to reflect the diverse communities in which our clients operate. We value diversity and the skills, knowledge, and experience that difference brings to our culture and solutions.

Uniqueness is powerful; without it, we wouldn't be where we are today. So be you — we like it that way.

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for people with disability or those that require additional support throughout the application process. If you need any assistance or adjustments, please contact us via [email protected]; your personal information will be kept confidential.