Retail Media Associate Director

Company description With a history that dates back over 80 years, Starcom is a global communications planning and media leader. We are an agency still grounded in our founding principle that people are at the centre of all we do. Each day, we apply this belief to harness the transformative power of data and technology to inspire and move people and business forward. With more than 7,000 employees in over 100 offices around the world, we are the flagship Publicis Media agency that uses our ‘Power of One’ business model, with teams that span multiple disciplines across clients such as Aldi, P&G, Primark, Samsung, Stellantis, and Visa. We place a huge focus on our People, and have driven flagship D&I and L&D programmes within Publicis Media; our goal is to help every individual reach their fullest potential, and we encourage everyone to make “Brave Plays” in how they approach their work and their own career development. As a result, we have an exceptionally energised and committed talent base, all of us proud of our welcoming and supportive culture, as evidenced by our recognition as one of Campaign’s Best Places to Work for five years in a row, Media Week's Agency of the Year 2025 and one of the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025. Overview Retail Media Associate Director Publicis Commerce (UK) We are hiring a Retail Media Associate Director to help shape standout retail media strategies and turn them into measurable results for our clients. You’ll combine strategic thinking with hands-on knowledge of activation, working closely with clients, partners and multidisciplinary teams across Publicis Commerce. It’s a role with real breadth: from developing client roadmaps and improving campaign performance to nurturing talent and identifying new opportunities for growth. You’ll join a collaborative team that values curiosity, fresh thinking and great work. Responsibilities What will you be doing? Shape innovative eRetail and retail media strategies that connect client business objectives with shopper needs and commercial outcomes. Provide strategic direction for campaigns across platforms such as Amazon Advertising, Epsilon Retail Media and Criteo, turning performance insights into clear optimisation opportunities. Build trusted client relationships, managing scopes, expectations and delivery while ensuring work is timely, accurate and high quality. Define meaningful KPIs, monitor performance and translate data into actionable recommendations that improve retail media effectiveness and return on investment.Develop strategic client roadmaps, bringing relevant commerce capabilities, market developments and emerging retail media opportunities into client conversations. Collaborate across Retail Media, Commerce Strategy, Solutions and wider agency teams on integrated client solutions, quarterly business reviews, pitches, case studies and thought leadership. Guide and support team members across London and India, while overseeing budgets, financial reconciliation, quality assurance and effective campaign delivery. Qualifications What are we looking for? Strong experience in retail media and/or an agency environment, including practical experience with platforms such as Amazon Advertising, Epsilon Retail Media or Criteo. A strong understanding of retail search and Amazon Advertising strategy, alongside knowledge of areas such as attribution, conversion optimisation, retail readiness and consumer behaviour. Experience managing significant client accounts and building positive relationships with stakeholders at different levels. The ability to move comfortably between strategic thinking and campaign detail, using data and insight to identify opportunities and make clear recommendations.Clear communication and presentation skills, with the ability to make complex information accessible and relevant to different audiences. Experience supporting, developing or managing colleagues and fostering an inclusive, collaborative working environment. Curiosity about the evolving commerce landscape, paired with confidence using Excel and PowerPoint; experience or certifications across Amazon Advertising, Amazon DSP, Vendor Central, Brand Analytics, Epsilon Retail Media, Criteo or other retailer platforms would be an advantage. Additional information Starcom offers a wide range of benefits to support our employees. Full details are shared when you join, but highlights include core benefits such as Pension, Life Assurance, and Private Medical cover, alongside enhanced policies like Reflection Days and Shared Parental Leave. You’ll also have access to a range of additional initiatives, including: 📖 Please check out the Publicis Career Page which showcases our Inclusive Benefits and our EAG’s (Employee Action Groups). Publicis Groupe works primarily from the office or our clients' office four days per week. At Starcom, we are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, disability, age, citizenship, relationship status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic. We are committed to providing a fair, accessible, and inclusive recruitment process. If you have any access needs - for example, related to disability, neurodivergence, or a health condition - please let us know. We’ll work with you to ensure the process works for you. Sharing this information will never impact your application. Guided by our values, we listen with empathy, uplift each other, take responsibility, and embrace change - building a culture where everyone feels seen, respected, and genuinely included. #LI-ER1
What will you be doing? Shape innovative eRetail and retail media strategies that connect client business objectives with shopper needs and commercial outcomes. Provide strategic direction for campaigns across platforms such as Amazon Advertising, Epsilon Retail Media and Criteo, turning performance insights into clear optimisation opportunities. Build trusted client relationships, managing scopes, expectations and delivery while ensuring work is timely, accurate and high quality. Define meaningful KPIs, monitor performance and translate data into actionable recommendations that improve retail media effectiveness and return on investment.Develop strategic client roadmaps, bringing relevant commerce capabilities, market developments and emerging retail media opportunities into client conversations. Collaborate across Retail Media, Commerce Strategy, Solutions and wider agency teams on integrated client solutions, quarterly business reviews, pitches, case studies and thought leadership. Guide and support team members across London and India, while overseeing budgets, financial reconciliation, quality assurance and effective campaign delivery.
What are we looking for? Strong experience in retail media and/or an agency environment, including practical experience with platforms such as Amazon Advertising, Epsilon Retail Media or Criteo. A strong understanding of retail search and Amazon Advertising strategy, alongside knowledge of areas such as attribution, conversion optimisation, retail readiness and consumer behaviour. Experience managing significant client accounts and building positive relationships with stakeholders at different levels. The ability to move comfortably between strategic thinking and campaign detail, using data and insight to identify opportunities and make clear recommendations.Clear communication and presentation skills, with the ability to make complex information accessible and relevant to different audiences. Experience supporting, developing or managing colleagues and fostering an inclusive, collaborative working environment. Curiosity about the evolving commerce landscape, paired with confidence using Excel and PowerPoint; experience or certifications across Amazon Advertising, Amazon DSP, Vendor Central, Brand Analytics, Epsilon Retail Media, Criteo or other retailer platforms would be an advantage.