Group Director Data Strategy

VML; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 125,000 - 295,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a visionary Group Director of Marketing Analytics to spearhead data-driven initiatives for a key automotive manufacturing client. This pivotal role requires a strategic leader adept in analytics and data activation, ensuring that impactful marketing actions are powered by actionable insights. You will define the analytics vision, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and lead the implementation of a comprehensive data strategy. Join a collaborative environment that values creativity and innovation, and make a significant impact on client marketing strategies while mentoring a team of talented professionals.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in marketing data and analytics with a strong consultative mindset.
• Ability to influence and partner with business stakeholders effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead data strategy and infrastructure to align with marketing objectives.
• Oversee performance metrics and ensure accountability in marketing initiatives.
• Mentor a team of data strategists and analysts, fostering innovation.

Skills

Marketing Data and Analytics

Statistical Modeling

Cloud Data Platforms

Data Products

Business Partnering

Consultative Mindset

Excellent Communication

Tools

Data Management Platforms (DMPs)

Customer Data Platforms (CDPs)

Job description

Who We Are:

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse.

Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Group Director of Marketing Analytics to lead our data-driven initiatives for a key automotive manufacturing client. This role requires a strategic leader with a deep understanding of analytics, data activation, and actionable marketing insights. You will be responsible for setting the analytics vision and strategy, driving data activation, and delivering consultative insights that power impactful marketing actions. In this role, you will also provide thought leadership, consultative frameworks, and implement an end-to-end data platform and analytical output for media, advertising, creative, and CX.

Key Responsibilities

1. Data Strategy & Infrastructure
   
   • Define and drive a comprehensive data strategy that aligns with the automotive client's marketing objectives, ensuring the right data is utilized across the marketing spectrum.
   • Collaborate with IT and data engineering teams to architect scalable and secure data storage and infrastructure solutions, enabling seamless data accessibility and analysis.
   • Lead the selection and integration of data management platforms (DMPs, CDPs) to centralize and activate data, supporting a unified customer view.
2. Marketing Data Governance
   
   • Develop and implement data governance frameworks that ensure data accuracy, consistency, and compliance with industry regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
   • Establish and enforce data quality standards and best practices, maintaining integrity across data sources and ensuring marketing data is ethically collected and managed.
   • Conduct regular audits and lead data governance workshops to improve data stewardship within client and agency teams.
3. Integrated Marketing Performance Analytics & Insights Activation
   
   • Oversee the development of robust analytics capabilities to measure and optimize marketing performance across digital, social, CRM, and offline channels.
   • Lead integrated measurement frameworks, including multi-touch attribution and marketing mix modeling, to provide a holistic view of campaign effectiveness and ROI.
   • Translate complex analytics into actionable insights, guiding client marketing teams on data-driven strategies that enhance customer engagement, personalization, and loyalty.
4. Data-Driven Marketing Consulting
   
   • Act as a consultant on data-driven marketing, providing thought leadership and expert guidance to the client's marketing stakeholders.
   • Lead data activation workshops and provide consultative support to empower client teams with actionable insights and improve their data literacy.
   • Deliver regular presentations and insights reports to senior client leadership, advising on data-informed marketing strategies that maximize impact.
5. Reporting & Performance Management
   
   • Develop and oversee performance metrics to measure the success of marketing initiatives, ensuring accountability and transparency.
   • Establish a cadence of performance reporting that provides real-time insights into marketing KPIs, campaign effectiveness, and ROI.
   • Utilize advanced analytics techniques such as predictive modeling, segmentation, and multi-touch attribution to provide a comprehensive view of campaign performance and customer behavior.
6. Team Leadership & Collaboration
   
   • Lead and mentor a team of data strategists, analysts, data scientists, and data governance specialists, promoting a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and accountability.
   • Work closely with cross-functional agency teams-including creative, media, technology, strategy, and other WPP OpCos-to integrate data into the heart of campaign planning and execution.
   • Foster close collaboration with client-side teams, building trusted relationships and aligning on key business objectives and performance metrics.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required:

You would thrive in this role if you embody these values and have at least some of these skills:

Values:

• Desire to learn from feedback, mistakes, and those around you.
• Ambition to relentlessly improve and innovate.
• Initiative to ask questions, make suggestions, and follow through on commitments.
• Creativity to join dots in ways not done before.
• Curiosity to really understand the data, business context, and their links.

Skills:

• Best in class background in marketing data and analytics, which includes statistical modeling, cloud data platforms, and data products.
• Knowledge across the marketing acquisition funnel from media to CRM through to CX and loyalty.
• Strong business partnering and ability to influence.
• Consultative mindset and previous experience in the field.
• Excellent communicator (written and verbal) at all levels.

Compensation:

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, click WPP Benefits for more details.

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$125,000-$295,000 USD

At VML, we are committed to fostering an all-inclusive work environment that is both rewarding and career-forward. Our Inclusion, Equity & Belonging initiatives, alongside the VML Foundation, reflect our dedication to giving back and making a positive impact in our communities and beyond. Our people are the heartbeat of our organization-creators, doers, innovators, makers, and thinkers-who drive not just marketing, but meaningful experiences that resonate in every action and interaction.

VML is a WPP Agency. For more information, please visit our website, and follow VML on our social channels via Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.