VP, Strategy

As VP, Strategy, you’ll lead KERN’s consumer data strategy to uncover sophisticated data-driven insights and refine direct marketing campaigns with an audience first strategic approach. You will also work closely with our Data/Analytics leads to optimize audience targeting and definition to drive the most efficient and effective results for clients. You'll help transform KERN’s CRM, customer data, and precision direct marketing efforts and strengthen acquisition efforts while deepening overall direct engagement, retention, and customer LTV by keeping our client’s top of mind throughout the customer journey.

Reporting directly to the SVP of Strategy, you will work collaboratively across the organization and have regular strategic interactions with Data/Analytics, Strategy/Planning, Client Services, Digital Services, and Creative internally and externally (clients and partner agencies). This role is an exciting opportunity to lead our clients' direct marketing optimization, growth and retention data strategies, segmentation, and development of a 360 view of their consumers, and precision targeting strategies based of defined target audiences.

What you’ll do:

Lead the data-driven CRM strategy for our clients, aligning the marketing communication strategy, channel solutions, and account services to ensure data and the insight found within is a through-line across the agency engagement. Oversee the development, implementation, and optimization of direct marketing campaign and audience targeting using data and analytics reporting to drive campaign, customer, and segment-level insights for continuous performance improvement.

• Always Be Problem Solving: Translate client needs an into analytic-based solutions that can drive strategic impact and agency value
• Develop data-driven strategy, policies, and procedures, as well as successfully executing programs that meet or exceed expectations and drive client impact
• Develop standardized measurement solutions: service offerings and product solutions (including repeatable activities and standardized deliverables) based on client needs, team capabilities, and financial opportunity
• Work with cross discipline teams to define the KPIs and Test and Learn goals in the Project and Creative Briefs to help inform creative direction, optimization and testing strategies

Be out front: Develop and maintain close relationships with various account team leads, client execs and partners and leverage analytic team to provide observations and insights to drive your recommendations and a competitive client advantage

• Be a trusted advisor with multiple clients and agency partners, utilizing strong collaboration skills.
• Partner with Analytics to build client partnerships, new business growth, and socialize KERN’s overall Strategy and Analytic practice.
• Work with internal operational groups to outline processes, platform certifications, and any available partner training and/or outsourcing options for effective solution delivery.

Be the expert in the room inspiring data-driven innovation and strategy by seeking opportunities to improve and design new solutions.

• Continuously Innovate: Build a stronger offering by integrating insights and behavioral science and other new offerings through a deep understanding of our Omnicom Tools: Omni, Q, etc.
• Develop data-driven strategies: drive strategies for client programs using data and behavioral tools to inform audience planning, testing and optimizations
• Demonstrate thought leadership in the measurement space to understand the client’s data landscape and determine how to best leverage different data sources
• Lead the development of the strategic planning framework and collaborate with Clients, Client Services and Strategy leads to create customer journey and testing plans across accounts

Be a leading voice in using data to create tighter integration across our broader storytelling capabilities (strategy, digital, content, creative).

• Break Down Silos: Partner with the strategic account leads to enhance our integrated (digital, content, creative, planning, analytic) services – collaboratively developing proposals and integrate new projects into Client’s ongoing strategy
• Delivered integrated data, analytics and strategy connected to Paid, Earned, Social, Search, Partnered, Owned channel activity
• Mentor other junior strategists (and analysts) to grow KERN’s overall CRM capabilities

Be a collaborative representative for Strategy by working closely with other Client Service, Analytics,  Creative, and Agency Partners.

• Reinforce the importance of collaboration and benefits of a structured process, roles and responsibilities
• Consult and establish strong partnerships with cross-agency partners and client peers on data-driven strategies, build organizational knowledge and understanding of customer drivers, and increase our clients’ thirst for KERN’s consumer intelligence expertise.
• Collaborate across CRM, clients’ owned channels, and cross-agency marketing teams to plan and implement communications across direct response channels.

What you’ve got (desired candidate attributes):

• 10 years of CRM experience (e.g., data management and analytics, segmentation, strategic and communications planning, direct response marketing, email, direct mail, social, etc.)
• Experience honing into and operating within customer journey frameworks that move customers down a path to stronger brand affinity and higher LTV
• Strong strategic thinking ability with deep understanding of digital mediums, technologies and trends 
• Inquisitive nature and drive to uncover and develop compelling insights that drive integrated marketing across the customer journey 
• Strong working knowledge of CRM and digital engagements. CRM and CDP tools management experience including marketing automation platforms (e.g., Salesforce, Adobe, Oracle, Eloqua, Marketo, etc.) a plus.
• Insatiable thirst for finding new and interesting ways to engage customers with brands to create meaningful interactions 
• Experience developing overall engagement strategy and working with various SMEs, discipline leads and teams to execute plans 
• Excellent writing and communication skills; ability to personally prepare client-ready deliverables and presentations with attention to detail
• Successful track record working independently and autonomously while being a valued collaborator with strong relationships 
• Ability to prioritize, problem solve and remain poised, positive and productive in high-pressure situations 
• Action-oriented with a strong sense of accountability 
• Experienced and unshakable in high-pressure and fast-paced environments
• Ability to travel up to 25%

Wondering what we're like? At, KERN we are:

• Kind: We understand that our clients and our employees all have unique experiences that have shaped them. Seeking ideas from every corner of the agency allows our people to be comfortable being themselves every day.
• Smart: We know that the best and brightest thinking is what elevates our work. When our teams come together, we amplify individual strengths to deliver innovative solutions for our clients, and pivot if we’re off-strategy
• Creative: We believe in pushing boundaries, reimagining the customer experience through insightful work, and measuring success with precision analytics. We think bigger and we deliver more.