Head of Retail – U.S. & Global

dentsu•New York, NY

10d•Hybrid

About The Position

Dentsu is an integrated growth and transformation partner to the world’s leading organizations. Founded in 1901 in Tokyo, Japan, and now present in over 145 countries and regions, it has a proven track record of nurturing and developing innovations, combining the talents of its global network of leadership brands to develop impactful and integrated growth solutions for clients. Dentsu delivers end-to-end experience transformation (EX) by integrating its services across Media, CXM, and Creative, while its business transformation (BX) mindset pushes the boundaries of transformation and sustainable growth for brands, people, and society. Role: We are seeking a visionary Head of Retail Media, US & Global to lead and scale our agency’s retail media practice focused on Commerce and New Stream. This role is ideal for a strategic thinker with deep expertise in commerce media, shopper marketing, and omnichannel retail ecosystems. You’ll be responsible for building client solutions, driving innovation, and leading a cross-functional team to deliver measurable business outcomes for top-tier brands. This role sits at the intersection of modern media. To bridge dentsu’s buy-side (on-site and off-site), sell-side, and in-store retail activities, the EVP will also sit on the leadership team of dentsu’s Retail Media Solutions group, which encompasses dentsu’s retail sell-side practice. This position will report to Will Swayne, US & Global Practice President, Media, and Beth Ann Kaminkow, dentsu CEO, North America.

Requirements

3+ years’ experience either working for a Retail Media Network or a Brand executing retail media
5+ years’ experience in professional services
15+ years’ experience in digital marketing
Proven track record of converting retail media into business results
Demonstrable knowledge of the US retail environment, including the AdTech required to execute retail media advertising
Demonstrated success in building and managing complex business processes across multiple internal teams in a high-growth environment

Responsibilities

Actively participate in the development and communication of dentsu Media’s forward-looking vision for commerce and retail media.
In alignment with the agency’s overall goals & business objectives, define and deliver the holistic commerce & retail media strategy, inclusive of onsite and offsite media.
Identify emerging trends, technologies, and opportunities in commerce & retail media to stay ahead of the curve and shape agency priorities, perspectives, and solutions.
Champion innovation efforts spanning all aspects of the practice, from ideation through execution, bringing first-to-market solutions, tools, and processes to remain at the forefront of the retail industry.
Manage a large, distributed team of strategic leaders and practitioners within the network, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration that encourages continuous learning and improvement.
Recruit (and retain) top talent that possesses the expertise needed to deliver on the vision.
Oversee the implementation and execution of best-in-class commerce and retail media planning and buying, with an emphasis on operational excellence and customer-centricity.
Run a profitable and operationally sound business that is well-positioned for growth into the future.
Support business development efforts and play a key role in new & organic growth; maintain executive-level visibility into growth pipeline.
Navigate a highly matrixed organization with several ‘hands” touching commerce and retail across the network.
Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and cross-functional capability leaders to identify partnership, integration, and upselling/cross-selling opportunities.
Collaborate with creative, analytics, and product teams to unlock and facilitate holistic commerce & retail solutions that address market & client needs.
Manage and grow strategic partnerships with media vendors and technology partners to advance dentsu’s vision and create value for our organization and clients.
In partnership with Trading teams, advise and lead Joint Business Plan (JBP) negotiations with relevant media partners and RMNs (Retail Media Networks).
Serve as primary point of contact for retail leaders within client organizations, gaining a deep understanding of their needs and providing tailored solutions. This includes C-level clients, retail media leaders, and Retail executives who own the core partnerships and relationships with retailers (controlling distribution, merchant strategies), etc.
Conduct regular client reviews and meetings to assess client satisfaction and address any concerns or issues.
For key client accounts, provide exec-level guidance on integrated media planning efforts such as budget allocations, on-site and off-site buying strategies, closed-loop analysis, and more.