Managing Director – Amazon Retail Management Services Lead

Who we are commerce:

At VML, we are a global powerhouse born from the unification of Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R, combining creativity, commerce, data, and technology to build connected brands. With expertise across brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, we partner with the world’s most ambitious companies to drive measurable growth.

Our Commerce practice sits at the center of retail transformation, helping brands win across marketplaces, retail media networks, and digital shelf environments. As retailers become media platforms and commerce ecosystems grow more complex, our teams help clients connect retail fundamentals with performance media and commercial outcomes.

We are expanding our Retail Management Services (RMS) capability to support enterprise clients across Amazon, Walmart, Target, and other key retail platforms.

Who we are looking for:

VML is seeking a Managing Director, Media / Connections – Amazon Retail Management Services Lead to lead Amazon RMS for a major global client. This role serves as the primary strategic and operational lead for Amazon retail performance, owning the connection between digital shelf health, retail operations, and media enablement.

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in the Amazon Vendor Central ecosystem, understands how retail fundamentals drive commercial performance, and can translate complex platform signals into clear strategic actions.

This leader will partner closely with client sales leadership, VML commerce teams, and WPP Media to ensure retail fundamentals are optimized to unlock both commercial growth and retail media effectiveness.

Amazon is a priority RMS retailer, and this role combines client relationship ownership, platform fluency, and commercial accountability.

What you’ll do:

Client Leadership

• Serve as the primary client lead for Amazon Retail Management Services for a major enterprise brand.
• Own the client relationship across RMS strategy, operational execution, and commercial performance.
• Partner directly with client Amazon sales leadership to align retail operations with commercial priorities.
• Translate performance data into actionable insights that drive growth.

Amazon Retail Strategy

• Lead the Amazon RMS roadmap, prioritization, and strategic planning.
• Diagnose and improve retail fundamentals that influence revenue and retail media performance.
• Identify growth opportunities across assortment, availability, pricing, and content.

Platform & Operational Expertise

Maintain deep working fluency in the Amazon Vendor Central ecosystem including:

• Catalog health management and suppression resolution
• Variation strategy and catalog architecture
• Content optimization and A+ content execution
• Promotional planning and trade mechanics
• Inventory diagnostics, in-stock optimization, and transactability

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Oversee day-to-day execution by Amazon platform specialists and RMS analysts.
• Partner with WPP Media teams to align retail media investments with retail readiness.
• Leverage insights from platforms like Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) to inform retail strategy.

Performance & Risk Management

• Monitor key retail health signals and performance metrics.
• Escalate and resolve operational risks impacting revenue, availability, or discoverability.
• Ensure retail fundamentals are optimized to unlock both media performance and commercial growth.

What you’ll need:

• Minimum 7-10 years of experience in Amazon commerce, retail media, or marketplace operations
• Deep expertise in Amazon Vendor Central and the Amazon retail ecosystem
• Experience managing large enterprise clients or retail partnerships
• Proven ability to translate platform signals into commercial strategy
• Strong understanding of digital shelf, retail operations, and retail media interplay
• Ability to manage complex cross-functional teams and agency partners
• Strategic thinker with strong operational execution
• Excellent client leadership and communication skills
• Experience working within agency, commerce consultancy, or retail media environments
• Familiarity with Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) and retail media analytics
• Experience managing teams supporting enterprise retail accounts

What we provide:

• Opportunity to lead Amazon commerce strategy for a major global client
• Access to world-class commerce, media, and analytics capabilities across WPP
• A collaborative environment where creativity, technology, and commerce intersect
• Competitive compensation and benefits

 What we offer: 

• Passionate, driven people | We champion a culture of people that do extraordinary work.
• Consciously cultivated culture | We aim to embody the behaviors to build an inclusive community that is in it together, bringing both positivity and active listening into the workplace as we simultaneously strive to empower creative bravery.
• Competitive benefits | What we offer full time hires ranges from the full spectrum of group health coverage options (medical, dental, vision) to a generous 401k match (100% dollar-for-dollar match, up to 5% of salary contribution), and a variety of paid time off offerings that reflect our investment in all aspects of your overall life balance and wellness.
• Growth-minded opportunities | We aim to nurture a culture of real-time feedback, growth-oriented mindset, and plenty of training opportunities through VML and WPP, so you can continue to grow personally and professionally.