Associate Director, Commerce

Company description

Starcom is the world's first standalone media agency, a storied innovator that continues to lead the way for many of the world's best brands.

Starcom has long been the professional birthplace and proving ground for marketing leaders – CEOs, CMOs, sales leaders, and technology pioneers – and we continue to drive the industry with peerless talent and relentless innovation.

From the start, we've known that achieving growth for our clients requires understanding and connecting with real people where they live and work, in ways they value.

In an AI era, we remain ""Guided By Humanity,"" a phrase that describes our foundational belief that human expertise must remain in the driver's seat, supported by the best processes and technology.

With our proprietary capabilities and Publicis Media's industry‑leading resources and clout, we create ideas that move people and drive transformative business outcomes for brands.

The Associate Director, Commerce will serve as a strategic lead across Paid Search and Display media, with a strong emphasis on retail media and marketplace advertising. This role requires a highly independent, self‑motivated leader who can confidently guide client conversations, drive strategy, and oversee campaign performance while remaining comfortable being hands‑on in platform execution when needed.

The ideal candidate will bring strong team leadership experience and deep expertise in Commerce media. Our Commerce team supports a diverse portfolio of clients across multiple industries, including some of the agency's largest and most dynamic accounts. We are seeking a motivated and strategic leader who thrives in a fast‑paced environment and is eager to immerse themselves in a variety of high‑impact initiatives.

• Lead the development and execution of integrated Search and Display media strategies, with the majority of the investment focused on Paid Search
• Act as a subject matter expert across retail media platforms, with deep expertise in Amazon Ads and Chewy advertising solutions
• Drive campaign performance through strategic optimizations, budget management, forecasting, and reporting
• Provide leadership and direction to Search, DSP, and Analyst team members while ensuring high‑quality execution across all campaigns
• Partner with internal cross‑functional teams to align media strategies with broader client business objectives
• Serve as the primary client‑facing lead, confidently presenting recommendations, performance insights, and strategic opportunities
• Own campaign performance reviews, identifying growth opportunities and translating data into actionable recommendations
• Maintain a hands‑on understanding of campaign activation and optimization, stepping into platform management when business needs require
• Oversee process development and execution management
• Assures quality control of all media planning and implementation
• Implement planning process for the assigned accounts and holistic media planning across paid and display platforms and initiatives
• Coordinate efforts across different digital media channels to drive optimized recommendations
• Continuously evaluate and improve upon all digital media opportunities
• Embrace and encourage a culture based on team work, collaboration, and intellectual curiosity
• Motivate, lead, and manage internal teams, working collaboratively to drive programs that meet our clients’ performance and business objectives
• Drive adoption of stated account management best practices through example setting positive reinforcement and behavioral correction
• Conduct performance reviews and career path plans
• Provide training to direct reports as needed
• Facilitate the development and documentation of best practices for improving operational…