Director Strategy

Socket.dev; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

VML seeks a Director, Commerce Strategy to lead client work from insight to impact across omnichannel retail and commerce. You will translate complex data into compelling strategic narratives, align teams, and drive growth for top brands while advancing AI-enabled workflows.

You will mentor strategy talent, shape the strategic framework, and partner with Client Engagement, Creative, Strategy, and Media to deliver high-impact programs in a hybrid work setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in advertising, communications, marketing, or related field.
• 2–3+ years of formal people management experience.
• 7–10 years in omnichannel retail strategy or related field.
• Experience with channel and communications planning across physical and digital touchpoints.
• Strong retail IQ with US market understanding.
• Applied skills with MRI Simmons, Mintel, Infegy, and sales/panel data.
• Exceptional storytelling to translate strategy for senior audiences.

Responsibilities

• Set the strategic agenda for client portfolios and growth levers.
• Advise clients with a provocative, consultative perspective.
• Translate insights into compelling narratives and actionable jobs to be done.
• Direct synthesis of complex challenges into clear strategic frameworks.
• Lead research with MRI Simmons, Mintel, Infegy, and YPulse for trends.
• Develop omnichannel retail/engagement strategies across touchpoints.
• Identify case studies for industry awards to showcase impact.
• Review performance with analytics teams and translate findings into recommendations.
• Mentor and grow the strategy team and maintain project timelines.

Skills

Strategic thinking

People management

Client engagement

Storytelling

Omnichannel strategy

Education

Bachelor’s degree in advertising

Tools

MRI Simmons

Mintel

Infegy

YPulse

Job description

Who We Are

VML is a global creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce to create connected brands that drive growth. Guided by a Human First philosophy, VML is known for its innovative work for brands and consistently ranks among the world’s leading creative companies, including the WARC Creative 100. VML’s global network spans 55+ markets with principal offices in Buenos Aires, Kansas City, London, New York, São Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore.

VML is part of WPP, the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. Powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform WPP Open, WPP unites cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, creativity, production, enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel.

For more information, please visit www.vml.com and follow along on LinkedIn #WeAreVML.

Who we are looking for: VML is seeking a Director, Commerce Strategy to be the primary strategic lead and consultant for our client partners. You are a master practitioner and people leader who defines the standard of strategic excellence for your clients. You bridge the gap between high-level business transformation and rigorous execution, owning the total integrity of the strategic output while actively mentoring the next generation of strategic talent to ensure every provocation is both bold and commercially grounded.

Key Responsibilities:

Individual

Strategic Product

• Strategic Contribution:
• Set the strategic agenda for your client portfolio, identifying the long-term levers for brand growth and business transformation.
• Act as the senior strategic advisor to clients, providing a provocative and consultative perspective that challenges their business models and identifies untapped commerce opportunities.
• Storytelling & Narrative:
• Translate complex insights into compelling strategic narratives and actionable "jobs to be done" for brands, retailers and key channels that inspire both clients and creative teams.
• Strategic Craft:
• Set and uphold the standard for strategic rigor, ensuring that every brief, roadmap, and narrative produced by the team is of the highest quality and driven by a clear, defensible point of view.
• Direct the synthesis of complex business challenges into elegant strategic frameworks that provide clarity for both internal teams and senior client stakeholders.
• Research Tools & Strategic Intelligence:
• Conduct thorough market research and competitive audits using database tools such as MRI Simmons, Mintel, Infegy, and YPulse to identify trends, potential threats and white-space opportunities.
• Leverage sales and shopper panel data to uncover core business problems and size market opportunities.
• Strategic Activation & Omnichannel Planning Support:
• Develop comprehensive retail and engagement strategies that translate brand objectives into actionable plans across in-store, online, social, and email platforms.
• Awards & Recognition:
• Identify and draft compelling case studies for industry awards (e.g., Effies, WARC, Cannes Lions) to showcase the agency’s best-in-class commerce work and the impact and effectiveness for our clients.
• Measurement & Optimization:
• Partner with Media and Growth Strategy teams to review performance reports and translate analytical findings into insights that drive strategic and actionable recommendations.
• AI Engineering & Prompting:
• Integrate VML and WPP Open’s proprietary AI tools and emerging technologies into the strategic workflow to increase speed-to-insight and creative innovation.

Strategic Process

• Business Development Contribution:
• Identify and communicate opportunities to grow client business, contributing to the overall success of the agency. Supports new business pitches by developing strategic insights, contributing to pitch presentations, and providing strategic inputs for RFIs/RFPs.
• Briefing & Ideation:
• Own the briefing process for major workstreams, bridging the gap between strategy and creative to ensure ideas are grounded in shopper reality.
• Knowledge Sharing & Thought Leadership:
• Contribute to the agency’s collective "Retail IQ" by developing and sharing points of view on emerging commerce trends and retailer innovations.
• Time Management Support:
• Oversee and effectively manage timelines and deliverables for multiple projects simultaneously, following up on outstanding issues to remove blockers and obstacles to move work forward.

Management

People Management

• Client Engagement:
• Serve as a key strategic point of contact for clients, managing expectations and providing a consultative perspective to ensure strategic alignment and that work aligns with broader business goals.
• Lead the presentation of strategic work to senior stakeholders, focusing on the "So What" of the data to drive confident business decisions.
• Navigate complex client feedback with a solutions-oriented mindset, defending strategic integrity while remaining flexible to business realities.
• Internal Collaboration:
• Act as a strategic voice within the agency, collaborating closely with Client Engagement, Creative, Strategy, and Media teams.
• Work closely with Creative and Media teams to provide the strategic "proof points" and retailer insights needed to bridge the gap between creative ideas and commerce results.
• Mentorship & Guidance:
• Accountable for the health and long-term career development of the team, fostering a culture of curiosity, provocation, and commercial accountability.
• Review and refine the work of the broader strategy team, ensuring that every deliverable is elevated beyond the table stakes to provide true competitive advantage and differentiation for our clients.

Qualifications

• Education:Bachelor’s degree in advertising, Communications, Marketing, or a related field.
• Leadership Experience:2-3+ years of formal experience managing direct reports, with a proven track record of coaching team members through performance management and career pathing.
• Strategy Experience:7-10 years of experience in omnichannel retail strategy, engagement marketing, or a related field. Proven experience with channel and communications planning, including developing and executing integrated marketing campaigns across physical and digital/ecommerce channels and touchpoints. Demonstrated ability to apply structured strategic frameworks to solve business challenges and a track record of identifying data-driven growth opportunities.
• Industry Background:Experience within an agency, CPG company, research company, or consulting firm is preferred.
• Retail IQ:Demonstrated experience working on top U.S. retailers with a strong understanding of their business models and marketing strategies.
• Technical Skills:Applied experience with database tools (MRI Simmons, Mintel) and sales/panel data platforms.
• Communication:Exceptional storytelling skills; ability to command a room, handle difficult client questions, and translate complex strategy into clear business logic for senior audiences.

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.