Portfolio Lead, Director

Job Overview

Associate Director, Messaging role, reporting to the SVP, Messaging Delivery Lead, provides guidance and leadership support to cross‑functional digital marketing delivery teams, proactively identifies or clarifies challenges, and makes recommendations to resolve challenges. The Associate Director, Messaging leads daily program operations for a portfolio of accounts, including project scope, deliverables, resource and capacity planning, and client and project profitability. This person will work closely with the discipline leads to assess quality control checks and process improvements.

The Associate Director, Messaging will also be responsible for the digital execution and will support escalation management in partnership with Director‑level leadership, primarily engaging day‑to‑day client contacts to resolve program issues and ensure delivery continuity. Success is measured through client satisfaction, employee satisfaction, continued improvement to process, project effectiveness, and profitability KPIs.

• Client Satisfaction
  • Partner with discipline areas to support client marketing strategy, developing an understanding of brand‑consumer dynamics that drive client growth.
  • Serve as a messaging subject matter resource, applying channel best practices and executional expertise across assigned programs.
• Communication
  • Ensure all internal teams and partner agencies have the information needed to successfully execute their responsibilities.
  • Communicate consultatively with team members across project management, technical, and marketing disciplines.
  • Build and maintain effective working relationships with day‑to‑day client contacts and internal partners, with growing exposure to senior client stakeholders under Director guidance.
• Quality
  • Ensure the client's performance objectives are met for their program while also overseeing completion of deliverables and adherence to timelines.
  • Partner with clients to clearly understand and define program goals, requirements, and success criteria.
  • Own the remediation process for client‑facing incidents, including driving investigation efforts and formal root cause analysis.
• Program Planning
  • Own and maintain the program plan across all participating organizations, ensuring it reflects current priorities and accurate milestone status.
  • Provide regular, proactive updates on program progress, risks, and milestone completions to internal and client stakeholders.
  • Participate in cross‑functional planning with capabilities, account management, partner agencies, and the client to help identify and resolve issues and remove obstacles.

• 6‑8+ years of experience in marketing program/project management or technology, with a focus on digital marketing program delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across teams while contributing to the growth and development of peers and junior team members.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting to clients and cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously without sacrificing quality or accuracy.
• Able to bridge technical and non‑technical audiences, translating complex requirements into clear, actionable direction for marketing and business partners.
• Experience supporting or coordinating project or development teams across digital marketing programs.
• Proven experience in client‑facing or client management roles, with a demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong relationships and be viewed as a reliable day‑to‑day partner.
• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• Extensive hands‑on experience with one or more enterprise messaging platforms, including Salesforce Marketing Cloud/Next, Adobe Campaign/Journey Optimizer, or Braze.
• Willingness to travel up to 10‑30% based on client and business needs.

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Short‑term and long‑term disability insurance.
• 401(k).
• Flexible paid time off.
• At least 15 paid holidays per year.
• Paid sick and safe leave.
• Paid parental leave.

USA – Remote – Kansas – Central Time. Full time, Permanent. Contract Type:
Permanent. Brand:
Merkle.

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