Associate Director, Commerce, UK

3093 - Associate Director, Commerce - UK

Role Summary and Impact 

As a Commerce Associate Director, you will lead the strategy, delivery, and performance of retail media activity across a portfolio of clients, driving measurable business growth through best-in-class execution. Combining deep expertise across platforms such as Amazon, Criteo, and CitrusAd with strong commercial and strategic understanding, you will develop insight-led solutions that support client objectives and unlock new opportunities.

You will act as a trusted client partner, leading cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality work, optimise performance through data-driven recommendations, and embed retail media within broader marketing strategies. Through strong leadership, stakeholder management, and a focus on operational excellence, you will develop team capability, drive innovation, and deliver sustainable growth for clients and the business.

Responsibilities

• Account Leadership & Delivery
  Lead the end-to-end output of the team across client-facing work and operational delivery. Ensure consistently high standards, with strong adherence to processes, controls, and best practices.
• Strategic Planning & Business Understanding
  Develop a deep understanding of the client’s business, objectives, and KPIs. Apply this to shape effective, insight-led retail media strategies that drive measurable outcomes.
• Retail Media Platform Expertise (Amazon, Citrus, Criteo)
  Demonstrate strong experience working across key retail media platforms including Amazon, CitrusAd, and Criteo. Apply platform expertise to guide planning, optimisation, and performance, ensuring best-in-class execution across channels.
• Innovation & Proactive Thinking
  Stay informed on industry trends, platform developments, and new product releases. Proactively identify and introduce opportunities to enhance client performance and maintain a competitive edge.
• Client & Partner Relationship Management
  Build and maintain strong relationships with key client stakeholders and media partners. Act as a trusted point of contact, confidently contributing insights and recommendations beyond immediate scope.
• Team Leadership & Development
  Support and develop a high-performing team, fostering a collaborative and accountable working environment. Take an active role in coaching, performance management, and career progression.
• Communication Leadership
  Lead day-to-day communications across clients, partners, and internal stakeholders, ensuring clear alignment and effective delivery. Engage senior leadership when required.
• Operational Excellence & Process Improvement
  Continuously identify opportunities to improve efficiency through better processes, automation, and adoption of tools and technology.
• Financial & Process Ownership
  Oversee activation-related financial processes, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely delivery across all campaigns.
• Measurement & Performance
  Maintain a strong understanding of measurement frameworks and partner capabilities. Use this knowledge to guide optimisation strategies and performance discussions with clients.
• Workshops & Strategic Contribution
  Lead and contribute to client workshops and planning sessions, bringing structured thinking, insight, and strategic direction.
• Cross-Team Collaboration
  Work closely with cross-functional teams (including GOC) to ensure seamless integration and consistent, high-quality execution across all workstreams.
• Retail Media Integration
  Play a key role in embedding retail media within broader client strategies, identifying opportunities to connect activity across the wider marketing mix.
• Partner & Product Development
  Support the development and testing of commerce products and solutions in collaboration with partners such as Skai, ensuring continued innovation and relevance.
• Personal Development
  Set clear objectives with your line manager and demonstrate ongoing growth in leadership, strategic thinking, and client impact.

Skills and Experience 

At WPP Media, our culture and people are at the heart of everything we do. In this role, it is essential to embody WPP and WPP Media’s core values:

• Be Extraordinary by leading collectively to inspire transformational creativity.
• Create an Open Environment by balancing people and client needs, cultivating trust and collaboration.
• Lead Optimistically by championing growth and development to drive progress across the business.
• Experience in eCommerce and retail media, including campaign set-up, management, optimisation, and reporting across both media owner and technology vendor platforms.
• Excellent understanding of the strategic and tactical application of retail media and digital marketing, with the ability to translate this into effective client solutions.
• Proven hands-on experience across the Amazon ecosystem, with a solid understanding of the wider UK retail landscape (e.g. Tesco, Sainsbury’s, ASDA, Morrisons, Ocado) and quick commerce partners (e.g. Deliveroo, Uber Eats).
• Experience working with bid management platforms such as Skai and Pacvue.
• Demonstrated project management and team leadership experience, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams and deliver against deadlines.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience coordinating across clients, internal teams, and external partners.
• High level of data literacy, with the ability to interpret performance data and translate insights into clear strategic recommendations.
• Strong attention to detail, ensuring accuracy and quality across all outputs.
• Confident communication and storytelling skills, able to present ideas and strategies clearly and persuasively to a range of stakeholders.
• Effective team management capabilities, including workload prioritisation, clear communication, and supporting team development.
• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset with the ability to remain calm under pressure and navigate complex or fast-paced environments.
• A genuine drive to elevate work beyond the expected, bringing energy, curiosity, and continuous improvement to the role.

Life at WPP Media & Benefits 

Our passion for shaping the next era of media is powered by our commitment to Be Extraordinary, investing in our employees to inspire transformational creativity. We also Lead Optimistically, firmly believing in and Championing Growth and Development for every individual. This commitment allows WPP Media employees to leverage the extensive global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, build vital professional connections, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising.  

We Create an Open environment built on trust and respect, where everyone feels they belong and has opportunities to progress. This inclusive culture is fostered through a variety of employee resource groups and frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects this commitment, including competitive medical, group retirement plans, vision, and dental insurance, significant paid time off, preferential partner discounts, and employee mental health awareness days.  

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection in this open and supportive environment. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.  

Please note this is a UK based role and requires individuals to have the right to work in this location 

Please read our Privacy Notice (https://www.wppmedia.com/pages/privacy-policy) for more information on how we process the information you provide. 

While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.  

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