Associate Director, Retail Media Search

Wpp; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

WPP is seeking an Associate Director, Commerce Search to lead retail media strategy and activation for a beauty-focused client portfolio, across specialty retailers and department stores.

You will translate insights into media recommendations, own keyword strategy, manage campaigns, and build relationships with clients, retailers, and internal teams. Strong retail media experience and beauty/luxury retail background preferred; leadership and communication are essential.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in retail media or paid ecommerce.
• Beauty or luxury brand experience preferred.
• Experience with specialty retailers/department stores (e.g., Ulta, Sephora, Macy’s).
• Hands-on management of retail media/search campaigns toward business goals.
• Experience across Amazon Ads, Criteo, Walmart Connect, Pacvue, Skai.

Responsibilities

• Lead search and retail media strategy across retailer environments.
• Own keyword strategy, bidding, budgeting, optimization, testing, and reporting.
• Build relationships with client stakeholders, retailer partners, and internal teams.
• Translate inventory, promotions, and demand into media recommendations.
• Oversee campaign operations, including trafficking and data integrity.
• Develop direct reports and strengthen activation and strategic capabilities.
• Stay ahead of developments across retail media platforms and ad products.

Skills

Retail media

Commerce search

Campaign optimization

Client-facing

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Amazon Ads

Criteo

Walmart Connect

Pacvue

Skai

Job description

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. With exceptional talent, trusted data and intelligence, and world-class partnerships – all united by ourpioneeringagentic marketing platform, WPP Open – we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity, and deliver transformational growth.

WPP Media is WPP's AI-driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data, and partnerships to deliver creative personalisation at scale. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, clients see exactly where, how, and why their media investment is working.

The Associate Director, Commerce Search will lead retail media search strategy and activation for abeauty-focused client portfolio, with an emphasis on navigating the unique commerce ecosystems of specialty retailers and department stores.

We’re looking for a commerce marketer who understands that retail media goes beyond Amazon and Walmart. The ideal candidate brings experience working with beauty, luxury, fashion, or similarly retail-driven brands and understands how brands engage consumers across retailers such as Ulta Beauty, Sephora, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and other specialty and department-store environments.

In this role, you’ll translate retailer, consumer, product, inventory, and performance insights into smart search and commerce activation strategies. You’ll lead campaign strategy and execution, develop keyword and optimization approaches, manage retail media investments, and partner directly with clients, retailers, and internal teams to drive measurable business results.

You’ll also manage and develop a team while helping clients navigate an increasingly complex retail media landscape. Strong retail media experience is essential; beauty or adjacent specialty retail experience is highly preferred.

What You’ll Do

• Lead search and retail media strategy and activation across multiple retailer environments.
• Own keyword strategy, campaign setup, bidding, budgeting, optimization, testing, and performance reporting.
• Bring a strong understanding of specialty and department-store commerce, particularly how brands drive growth across retailer partners.
• Translate retail considerations such as inventory, product availability, demand, profitability, promotions, and seasonality into media recommendations.
• Build strong relationships with client stakeholders, retailer media partners, and internal teams.
• Identify opportunities to connect retail search with the broader commerce and media ecosystem.
• Use performance data to identify trends and translate them into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Lead cross-channel testing and optimization strategies.
• Manage and develop direct reports, helping strengthen both their activation expertise and strategic capabilities.
• Stay ahead of developments across retail media platforms, ad products, technology, and measurement.
• Oversee campaign operations, including trafficking, billing/reconciliation, and data integrity.

Experience

• 5+ years of retail media, commerce search, paid ecommerce, or biddable performance media experience, with substantial hands-on retail search experience.
• Strongly preferred: experience supporting beauty, cosmetics, luxury, fashion, or another category heavily connected to specialty and department-store retail.
• Experience working with specialty retailers and/or department stores. Beauty retailer experience is especially relevant.
• Hands-on experience managing retail media/search campaigns and optimizing toward business and performance objectives.
• Experience across retail media and commerce platforms such as Amazon Ads, Criteo, Walmart Connect, Pacvue, and Skai, or comparable platforms.
• Strong understanding of how inventory, profitability, product availability, promotions, forecasting, and demand influence commerce media decisions.
• Ability to look beyond media metrics and connect campaign performance to retail and commercial outcomes.
• Strong client-facing communication and presentation skills.
• Experience managing and developing direct reports.
• Ability to operate effectively across clients, retailer partners, platform partners, and internal teams.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a bias toward action, problem-solving, and continuous improvement.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.

Life at WPP Media & Benefits
Our passion for shaping the next era of media is powered by our commitment toBe Extraordinary, investing in our employees to inspire transformational creativity. We alsoLead Optimistically,firmly believingin andChampioning Growth and Developmentfor every individual. This commitment allows WPP Media employees toleveragethe extensive global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, build vital professional connections, and learn at thecutting edgeof marketing and advertising. WeCreate an Open environmentbuilt on trust and respect, where everyone feels they belong and has opportunities to progress. This inclusive culture is fostered through a variety of employee resource groups and frequent in-office eventsshowcasingteam wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects this commitment, including competitive medical, group retirement plans, vision, and dental insurance, significant paid time off, preferential partner discounts, and employee mental health awareness days.
WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We believe the best work happens whenwe'retogether, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection in this open and supportive environment.That's why we've adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process. Please note that while our philosophy is the same across WPP, benefits may vary by office/country.
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The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package, go to https://mybenefits.wpp.com/public/welcome for more details.

US Pay Range

$75,000 - $180,000 USD

Please read our Privacy Notice for more information on how we process the information you provide.