Business Overview

Initiative is NIKE Inc.’s agency of record for Global Media, responsible for strategy, integrated media planning, and paid/organic social strategy and activation for Nike’s multi-region integrated brand and product campaigns. 

NIKE Inc. is the world’s leading designer, marketer, and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessories.  

Founded by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight in 1972, Nike has grown over the last 50 years into one of the most valuable, most loved and most emulated brands in the world, singular in its ability to create cultural conversation within the world of sports and fashion and far beyond.  

Nike’s mission is to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world; a mission expressed every day through product design, digital and physical retail consumer experiences, and brand communications. *If you have a body, you are an athlete. 

Partnering with Nike is an extraordinary opportunity requiring extraordinary talent. The Initiative team is highly diverse, attracting the sharpest emerging and established media experts across all disciplines in the industry. Our vision is to build the best integrated team of athletes*, passionate about sports, youth and culture, to help Nike be the catalyst for innovation and inspiration. We achieve this by driving excellence through captivating brand campaigns and athlete* connection to key offers.  

At Initiative, we believe in the power of media to reshape our industry and orchestrate a brand’s entire consumer

experience, by balancing both what unites people and what makes them different. When brands unite people in culture, they build Fame, and when brands connect individuals to their unique journeys, they build customer Flow. Our agency celebrates diversity in an inclusive environment where all of our 6,000+ strong talent across 90+ markets feel seen, heard, and valued. Our vision is to create not only a better media company, but also a better media industry, and maybe even a better world.  

We make a promise to our people that we double down on seeing, celebrating & elevating all the things that make you, uniquely you. And just as we do for our brands and clients, we connect our people to the journeys that matter in building a meaningful career.  

There are four I’s in Initiative, and these represent our core values and behaviors.  

• INDIVID[YOU]ALITY – you bring your genuine and unique self to and into the work, every day.  
• INSTINCT – you’re tuned in and armed with intelligence; you have a bias for action – shit happens when you’re around.  
• IMPACT! – you care deeply about the impact you have on our clients, their customers, our community, the media landscape and our world at large.  

IMAGINATION – your ability to imagine and bring to

Position Overview

Client Advice Management acts as both business partner to the client and internal leader to brief, inspire, motivate and drive our teams to deliver the highest quality integrated solutions across a full spectrum of communication disciplines – Strategy, Communications Design, Partnerships and Mediabrands Specialty Business Units in areas like Social, Programmatic, Mobile, Search and Innovation.

The authority on all and solutions Initiative and IPG Mediabrands services, Client Advice is responsible for regularly identifying unmet client needs and challenges, for bringing forth specialized services to meet those needs, and for growing Initiative’s client relationship.  Importantly, Client Advice must also ensure that reasonable, achievable and business appropriate KPI’s are in place to ensure a positive and mutually beneficial relationship between agency and client.

This role will ultimately be responsible for client and business leadership and day to management of a key Geo/Region for Nike. As the senior client leader on this Nike LOB, you will be accountable for the collective output of all disciplines working across the client’s business (Media Planning & Strategy, Insights and Analytics, Performance Marketing).

To be successful in this role, you will need to be a creative & strategic thinker with sound presentation skills and a passionate hunger for client partnership. You will also have strong operational & process skills, with the ability to set the team up for success via efficiency, agility and connectivity.

Responsibilities

• Lead Nike engagement as main point of contact and key strategic partner to Geo media client lead.
• Overall responsibility for client service excellence, and deepening existing client relationship
• Work with client leaders to establish clear vision and delivery of growth objectives
• Act as business consultant to the client, beyond media planning and buying
• Ensure the right process and procedures are put in place for the effective management of the working process
• Challenge clients to innovate, try new things, test and scale
• Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with all agency departments/disciplines, collaborating with them to deliver excellent work
• Deliver thought-leadership. Build and maintain strong connections to the industry that ensure you are on the forefront of key trends
• Ensure effective management of resources and quality client deliver
• Ensure consistently positive TRR (client satisfaction) and staff NPS scores
• Identify and steward opportunities for new agency products and services

Desired Skills and Experience

• 15+ years’ experience in client service, media expertise, digital chops, agency or client side
• Deep media experience with at least 10 years client or agency side
• Global experience preferred
• Familiarity with and interest in retail/ DTC/ commerce & e-commerce media, in .com and/ or app environments
• Proven ability to develop and maintain strong professional relationships with clients, colleagues and vendors
• Ability to drive projects from conception to completion; project management experience
• Strong leader, presenter and packager of opportunities
• Strong commercial acumen

Client Service:

• Demonstrable experience in partnering with large, complex, international clients with the ability to influence key stakeholders without having direct authority in order to achieve objectives
• Proven ability to provide strategic business counsel to clients outside of the media planning and buying perspective, resulting in building integrated client solutions
• Demonstrates strong and current knowledge of industry trends and best practices
• Proactively develops relationships with clients
• Articulates agency service in a way that clients’ needs are met and value added, to gain clear agreement and commitment from client
• Evidence of formulating robust, achievable plans with a strong discipline in project management and a track record of delivering strong results
• Experience of having worked within a holding company structure, or matrix organization, as well as having exposure to multiple industry categories, and at some stage having worked within an agency environment
• Have an eye for detail, both visually regarding look and feel and in terms of the message it conveys
• Intuitive ability to define, manage and convey a company’s competitive brand message and how it is presented to an external audience

Leadership:

• Be a galvanizing and energetic leader who is not afraid of getting stuck in with any task and has the natural ability to influence and get the best out of others.
• Have the gravitas, presence and charisma to inspire and motivate strong and successful teams across markets and disciplines
• Supports team environment of experimentation and collaboration, demanding a high standard within the agency
• Develops a clear vision of the future, encouraging others to share views and challenge assumptions
• Empowers individuals to embrace change whilst using vision as a guide to manage team direction
• Strong personal insight – receives and reacts upon feedback opportunities

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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.