Merkle is a leading data-driven, technology-enabled, global performance marketing agency that specialises in the delivery of unique, personalised customer experiences across platforms and devices. We call it ‘people-based’ marketing, and with over 25 years’ experience, we are proud to be recognised as a global leader.

Merkle’s heritage in data, technology and analytics is the foundation for our understanding of consumer insights that drives our people-based marketing strategies. Combined with our expertise in performance creative and media, we can then offer our clients content-driven, contextual and compelling customer experiences that drive business growth.

In 2016, the agency joined dentsu, one of the world’s biggest media companies to form the Customer Experience Management (CXM) Line of Business.

The Role

We are looking for an experienced Dynamic Creative Lead to join our ever-growing Creative department. This individual must have an obsession for personalised advertising and marketing and be able to project manage award-winning, industry leading work. Reporting to the Creative Director, you will be a key member of the creative department, working alongside creatives, designers, developers and writers.

The Dynamic Creative Lead will:

•  Act as the driver & leader in all of our agency DCO projects, from design to production and delivery, collaborating with creative teams, developers, media and strategy
• Be the go-to for DCO within the agency regarding new creative briefs
• Actively working to improve processes and client relationships and maintaining a full overview of all work going through the team and ensuring full ownership
• Manage DCO client relationships, campaign and testing roadmaps
• Thought leadership - Keeping pace with the industry, on top of new developments and technologies.

Life as a Dynamic Creative Lead at Merkle

Project management:

• Managing DCO briefs from initial creative development, audience planning and production process, reviewing and feeding back to wider teams to clarify any unclear or missing requirements
• Inputting and collaborating into DCO proposals and strategy
• Preparing and briefing in work into creative & developer teams ensuring they have everything required to complete the work
• Keep client team up to date regarding production plan, status and upcoming work to ensure all requirements and deadlines are met to a high standard
• QA of all produced material against brand guidelines and checklists relevant for account and campaign
• Delivery of approved assets according to required specifications
• Regularly review and provide feedback to clients and account teams and report issues for ongoing and completed projects to ensure ongoing improvements are made to the account
• Be proactive with day-to-day account decisions
• Challenge current ways of working/processes
• Ensuring all late briefs or requirements are discussed with all relevant team members before committing to client
• Being a calm and respected member of the creative team

Finance & resourcing:

• Booking jobs into relevant resource managers, keeping on top of statuses and costs and invoicing and logging financial status for account once completed
• Managing the cost overview for account; time spent versus invoiced and report on that as required
• Flagging any budget issues or cost changes to account team and / or clients as required
• Ensuring team invoicing is completed on a regular basis
• Ensuring team is logging their time against jobs to get a good understanding regarding profit / loss across each campaign

Client relationships:

• Maintaining excellent client, external agency and internal team communication ensuring all parties are kept up to date on process status and implications regarding delays
• Gaining trust, authority and respect from our clients at all times and strive to exceed their expectations
• Developing an excellent understanding of the client’s business, brand and processes
• Managing client expectations across all digital work.
• Seen as the technical DCO expert to our clients
• Being able to act in a professional manner at all times and in stressful situations
• Attending external client meetings
• Being aware of the bigger picture of the total account and share best practice with the team and the client

A few of the benefits

Whether it’s the joy of working with people at the top of their game or the Merkle social calendar, people love working here – and we hope you will too

• Career development through Merkle University and other tools; with access to courses, textbooks and mentorship
• Private Medical Insurance, Company Pension, life insurance and other corporate benefits
• A selection of other benefits including ability to buy additional holiday, season ticket loan and 2 volunteer days

Diversity & Inclusion

At Merkle, we believe that a diverse and inclusive environment improves us as a community and as a business. We want to foster an environment of growth, where ideas and contributions are actively encouraged. We need this culture of courage to continue to thrive in our fast-paced industry.

We have created six Diversity and Inclusion Pillars. Each pillar is made up of a community of members who serve as role models and spread a message of inclusion throughout our global workplace. Pillar members are responsible for planning initiatives, events and training, along with championing change within our business. These pillars are Gender, Ethnicity, Mental Health, Religion, Disability, LGBT+.

Merkle is a place that embraces differences of opinion. To be an advocate for real change we really encourage applications from women, candidates with disabilities and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as we recognise that these groups are currently underrepresented in our marketing/technology industry.

What we are looking for in you

• Circa 3 years’ experience in a similar DCO role
• A strong understanding of DCO processes & strategy
• Strong project management skills, taking projects from brief through to delivery
• A great collaborator & project driver
• Good understanding of digital media formats across display & social
• Great understanding of DCO tech platforms; Google Studio & Flashtalking
• Great at building & maintaining client relationships
• Great attention to detail
• Ability to juggle multiple hats – account manager & project manager roles

At the point of application, the candidate must have the legal right to work in the UK as we are unable to sponsor visas as this time.

Merkle does not discriminate against job applicants on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Experience stipulated in this job description serves as a guide only and all applications will be considered on their merits, irrespective of experience. 

As part of our Diversity and Inclusion agenda, and as an Equal Opportunities employer, if you require reasonable adjustments during the selection process please engage directly with your Recruiter.