Retail Media Associate Director

BRAND: Starcom
Job Function: Client Management
Location: London, United Kingdom
Experience Level: Specialist
Workplace Type: Hybrid

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

We're hiring a Retail Media Associate Director to help shape how some of the world's most recognisable brands grow within retail media.

This is a senior, hands-on role where strategy meets execution leading teams, guiding clients, and turning insight into measurable commercial impact. You'll sit at the heart of a fast-evolving commerce landscape, partnering closely with retailers, platforms and clients to solve complex challenges. If you're motivated by progress, collaboration and meaningful outcomes, we'd love to hear from you.

Responsibilities

What you'll be doing

• Leading the strategic direction and delivery of retail media programmes across key platforms, with clear ownership of performance and growth
• Building trusted, long-term client partnerships through thoughtful leadership, clear communication and strong delivery
• Guiding, supporting and developing a team of retail media specialists to do their best work and grow their careers
• Shaping account growth plans and innovation roadmaps that unlock new opportunities for clients
• Overseeing campaign quality, optimisation and performance insights to drive continuous improvement
• Working closely with cross-disciplinary teams to deliver integrated, joined-up commerce solutions
• Managing budgets, forecasting and financial processes to ensure campaigns deliver strong return on investment

Qualifications

What are we looking for?

• Strong experience within retail media, eCommerce or agency environments, with a track record of leading complex accounts
• Confidence working with major retail media platforms such as Amazon Advertising, Epsilon Retail Media or Criteo
• A strategic mindset, balanced with the ability to translate insight into practical, effective action
• Experience leading and supporting people, with a collaborative and inclusive leadership style
• Clear, confident communication skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at different levels
• Commercial awareness, including budget management and performance measurement
• Curiosity, adaptability and a genuine interest in how commerce and retail media continue to evolve

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.

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