Director, Commerce Media

Mars Advertising, Inc.; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative marketing agency in Toronto seeks a Director of Commerce Media. The role involves leading omnichannel marketing strategies tailored to clients, particularly leveraging the Amazon Advertising ecosystem. The ideal candidate has extensive experience in retail marketing, strong analytical skills, and a proven record of client relationship management. This position offers a dynamic work environment focused on growth and innovation.

Benefits

Comprehensive group health plans

Parental leave program

Flexible paid time off

Employee assistance program

Qualifications

• 10+ years experience in commerce, and/or retail marketing.
• 3–5+ years Canadian retail experience in shopper or retail media marketing.
• Hands-on expertise with various marketing platforms.

Responsibilities

• Translate channel insights into actionable omnichannel marketing plans.
• Lead the development of data-driven shopper marketing strategies.
• Evaluate market trends and campaign results to provide insights.

Skills

Retail media strategy

Analytical skills

Client management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Advertising, Marketing, or related field

Tools

Amazon Marketing Services

Amazon Vendor Central

Instacart

Criteo

Skai

Pacvue

Job description

Overview

Mars United Commerce is an award-winning, independently owned global commerce marketing practice with a growth-for-clients focus. With talent spanning the Americas, Europe and Asia, we create breakthrough, connected commerce solutions by balancing the smartest humanity with the latest technology. The agency’s latest MarTech platform, Marilyn, is the industry's first and only end-to-end commerce advisor.

We’re looking for a Director, Commerce Media to create impact and help our clients navigate the dynamic, fast-changing Commerce landscape. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in the Amazon Advertising ecosystem, as well as partners in the retail media space (i.e., WMC, Advance, Instacart) and several other retail media partners, understanding how to translate retail strategy into effective and scalable shopper marketing programs. This position is responsible for maintaining in-depth knowledge and strong relationships within Amazon and key retail partners and channels, working closely with internal and external teams, and creating strategies and tactics to help clients grow their commerce business. As part of the greater Commerce team, this position will lead the development of annual omnichannel marketing plans, track key performance indicators, report on program results, and deliver actionable insights. The ideal candidate will have deep knowledge of the retailer and their media capabilities, have relationships within that retailer’s organization and have proven strategic abilities.

Must be in the GTA and willing to travel to client meetings in Mississauga and downtown Toronto.

The Director will:

• Translate channel, shopper, and category insights into actionable omnichannel marketing plans, leveraging Amazon Advertising (Amazon Ads, Retail Opportunities, Branded & Custom Shopping Experiences, AMC & Ad Tech) and Canadian retail media partners.
• Serve as the single point of contact for Amazon end-to-end client work, including Retail Operations, Digital Shelf, Media, and Analytics/AMC.
• Understand the Amazon and retail consumer journey and use shopper marketing plans to define media touchpoints with audience-specific value propositions across the funnel (awareness, consideration, purchase), both on- and off-platform.
• Lead the development of data-driven shopper marketing strategies that deliver measurable results.
• Act as the main client lead for assigned accounts, ensuring quality and excellence across all deliverables.
• Manage and mentor direct reports; collaborate with cross-functional teams (eCommerce, Media, Creative, Planning, Analytics) to align execution to strategic plans.
• Oversee flawless execution of campaigns and programs.
• Lead program post-mortems (KPIs, effectiveness, key learnings) for clients, internal teams, and external partners.
• Evaluate market trends, shopper insights, and campaign results using proprietary tools (Marilyn Commerce, Amazon Vendor Central, AMC, Instacart Data Hub, Last Mile partner tools).
• Continuously vet new retail media capabilities and share innovation opportunities (Amazon, Advance, WMC, Instacart) with clients.

Advisory & Leadership

• Collaborate with the Connected Commerce team to ideate, plan, and execute omnichannel programs.
• Deliver POVs and learnings on Amazon and retail media performance to optimize enterprise-level strategies.
• Partner with Commerce leaders to track and enhance retailer capabilities, loyalty programs, digital sampling, and omnichannel solutions.
• Identify white space opportunities and new areas for client growth.
• Monitor retail forums, investor calls, and industry updates to provide relevant POVs to clients.
• Ensure financial responsibility around client scope, staffing, and hours management.

What You Bring

• 10+ years’ experience in commerce, and/or retail marketing.
• 3–5+ years’ Canadian retail experience in shopper or retail media marketing.
• Bachelor’s degree in Advertising, Marketing, or related field.
• Hands-on expertise with Amazon Marketing Services, Amazon Vendor Central, Instacart in-platform, Criteo, Skai, Pacvue.
• Strong analytical skills: ability to synthesize data, extract insights, and develop actionable recommendations.
• Proven ability to lead client relationships in agency and brand settings.
• Confident presenter and clear communicator (verbal and written) of complex data and strategies.
• Collaborative leader with the ability to work in a fast-paced, integrated agency environment.
• Proactive, organized, and growth-minded, with a strong work ethic and passion for innovation.

Mars United Commerce is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job classifications without regard to race, ancestry, creed, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, or handicap, HIV, veteran, marital or family status, or any other status or condition protected by applicable state and/or federal laws, except where a bonafide occupational qualification applies.

Mars United Commerce has developed a wide variety of inclusive benefit plans and policies that address and promote the needs of all employees and their family members, including comprehensive group health plans, a parental leave program that includes paid maternity and paternity benefits for pregnancy, adoption, and surrogacy, flexible paid time off, a broad and confidential employee assistance program, ongoing wellness support initiatives, trusted financial health advice and guidance, promotion of education through tuition support and assistance, and a flexible and supportive work environment and culture.