Strategy Director

Merkle is a leading data-driven, technology-enabled, global performance marketing agency that specializes in the delivery of unique, personalized customer experiences across platforms and devices. For more than 30 years, Fortune 1000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations have partnered with Merkle to maximize the value of their customer portfolios. The agency’s heritage in data, technology, and analytics forms the foundation for its unmatched skills in understanding consumer insights that drive people-based marketing strategies. Its combined strengths in performance media, customer experience, customer relationship management, loyalty, and enterprise marketing technology drive improved marketing results and competitive advantage. With 4,400 employees, Merkle is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with additional offices in the US, Europe, and Asia. In 2016, the agency joined the Dentsu Aegis Network.

The Media Director, B2B Strategy will help lead the strategy for our clients that are in the business of driving change and pushing the boundaries of B2B media and marketing. Do you have experience leading a transformative client? Developing B2B strategies? Guiding cross-functional teams and working together with regional account leadership? If you have the background, experience and vision, Merkle B2B would like to hear from you.

You will provide the strategy to help architect the right media plans and customer experiences in partnership with the media planning teams and channel activation experts. You will work with the clients to provide thought leadership, innovation, and new ways of using media to build great customer experiences. You will gather deep insights on target audiences, helping media teams understand new audiences, inclusive of using syndicated research and digital tools to define audiences and create insights on media consumption, attitudes, and content preferences. You will understand how data, tech, content, and media intersect for the ultimate experiences. You will have a knowledge base of the media landscape for B2B and an understanding of all possible media and marketing channels including social, programmatic, search, TV, video, and email. You will have B2B activation knowledge (high-tech a plus) with understanding of ABM, Email Automation, Lead Gen tactics, and Brand to Demand go-to-market strategies.

Strategy Development

• Lead global media strategy development, from campaign planning to client recommendations
• Create omni-channel and digital strategies for global client briefs, ensuring that recommendations and decisions are consistent with clients' global and regional KPIs
• Lead discussions with regional agency leadership on all planning efforts, channels and timelines, ensuring there is full transparency and clarity
• Convey marketplace insights and competitive knowledge to the global planning process, injecting insights into all client discussions and ensuring all angles are considered
• Experience developing rich audience insights, working with first party and syndicated resources
• Lead competitive analyses and derive insights to inform investment strategy and identifying white space opportunities

Client Management

• Cultivate senior media and marketing client relationships, guiding strategic discussions and managing all global timelines
• Partner with the agency's regional client leadership, strengthening their communications with Intel leadership
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of our client landscape, competitors and B2B media marketplace
• Understand buyer personas, roles in purchase decisions, and media intersection with their content consumption
• Client presentation experience is mandatory

Agency Relationship Development

• Be the agency champion for all client discussions, ensuring your meet Merkle B2B expectations and those expected of an industry leader
• Work with all regional agency leadership and ensure the communication is clear, input is accurate, and there is a healthy relationship between the agency and client
• Oversee and foster growth in the relationships with our agency partners
• Be an active industry leader - attend annual conferences, participate in speaker panels and contribute to industry blogs

• 8 years' applicable B2B industry and agency experience, with at least 3 years focused online
• Management experience – can partner with and lead both agency and client teams
• Track record in B2B technology and financial services accounts and understanding of relevant client challenges
• Experience developing B2B media strategies guided by audience insights, data and market conditions
• Experience in audience sizing, applying 1st and 3rd party data to build segments
• Experience with digital media channels and buying models such as programmatic, paid social, ABM, and mobile
• Excellent understanding of the global media business and its daily operations, especially for B2B
• Oversee department/agency initiative recommendations and implementation. Promote multiple disciplines across our media and marketing business.
• Experience maintaining multiple client engagements at once
• Ability to build relationships with clients of all levels
• Experience with new business development

The anticipated salary range for this position is $150,000-$160,000. Salary is based on a wide range of factors that include relevant experience, knowledge, skills, other job-related qualifications, and geography. A range of medical, dental, vision, 401(k) matching, paid time off, and/or other benefits also are available. For more information regarding dentsu benefits, please visit https://dentsubenefitsplus.com/

Employees from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds encouraged to apply.
Dentsu (the "Company") is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee of the Company, on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, veteran or military status, genetic information, or any other legally-recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done that will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing an undue hardship on the Company. Please contact recruiting@dentsuaegis.com if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process or to request or discuss an accommodation in connection with a job at the Company to which you are applying.