Merkle is a leading data-driven, technology-enabled, global performance marketing agency that specializes in the delivery of unique, personalized customer experiences across platforms and devices. For more than 30 years, Fortune 1000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations have partnered with Merkle to maximize the value of their customer portfolios. The agency’s heritage in data, technology, and analytics forms the foundation for its unmatched skills in understanding consumer insights that drive people-based marketing strategies. Its combined strengths in performance media, customer experience, customer relationship management, loyalty, and enterprise marketing technology drive improved marketing results and competitive advantage. With 9,600+ employees, Merkle is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with 50+ additional offices throughout the US, EMEA, and APAC. In 2016, the agency joined the Dentsu Aegis Network. For more information, contact Merkle at 1-877-9-Merkle or visit www.merkleinc.com.

The Customer Strategy Director joins a team of talented and experienced consultants and marketers focused on helping Merkle clients accelerate their level of marketing maturity through data-driven, customer centric programs, people/processes and technology platforms.

The Director operates as a key member of our consulting team helping to ensure that the recommendations we deliver are based on our deep understanding of our client’s business and strategic objectives.  You must also show the ability to build strong relationships in order to become a trusted advisor to the client and Merkle team.  This role requires you to be analytical as well as creative in your thought process and have the ability to be nimble in your thinking about client problems.  As a key leader inside of a team you must also demonstrate the capability to get others to believe in the ideas that you present and follow that belief through to execution.

At Merkle “Strategy” means a key idea that is informed, executable and provides results.  Those ideas need to be applicable to a variety of client scenarios and must cross any service that is necessary to achieve the client objective.  As an Director in the Customer Strategy team you must have demonstrate experience in planning across media and channels, development and management of campaigns that generate measurable ROI and have the ability to work across multiple of our core vertical markets (Insurance, Financial Services, Non-Profit, Retail, Travel, Media and Entertainment, B2B, High Tech).

The ideal candidate for this position must have a strong passion for problem solving, and a deep understanding of how businesses, brands and customers interact, with an advanced understanding of the rapidly evolving role that data and technology play in this relationship. Candidates must possess the ability to identify business growth opportunities and develop strategic recommendations to support the growth of client relationships.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive a compelling customer-centric, data-driven point of view to help clients better leverage customer insights across functions and channels.
• Lead consulting projects that leverage core Merkle capabilities in technology, data, analytics and agency services.
• Optimize clients’ customer relationship through customer journey mapping, customer insight development, customer-centric capability assessments and blueprints, transformational roadmaps and value case development, process redesign, and organizational transformation.
• Facilitate and drive client meetings and discussions, defining project objectives and approach, managing day to day delivery efforts.
• Lead and support business development activities including identification, proposal development, and other pursuit activities.
• Develop trusted, long-term relationships with key client contacts and executives.
• Ensure meaningful client value is delivered through a mix of best-practice solutions, skills, capabilities, and original thinking.
• Manage team members to deliver strategy projects correctly and on-time.
• Collaborate and develop relationships with internal Merkle teams (account management, operations, creative, analytics etc.), and partner agencies to understand the feasibility of cross-channel recommendations/ plans.
• Identify key data points and measurements to show the impact of our approach and strategy on the client’s business.

• Bachelor’s Degree required. Master’s degree preferred.
• 10-15+ years of cross industry consulting experience in integrated B2B marketing strategy (including ABM strategy), Business case, Digital Marketing, Operating model design and execution, Campaign/ Lead Nurture design and measurement strategy.
• 5+ years working in a top tier consulting firm and/or CRM agency with a focus on B2B clients.
• Deep knowledge of end to end consulting approach to solve client problems - from design, develop to execution of strategy.
• Extensive experience with assessing and recommending optimal team and process structures to facilitate integrated program execution, including familiarity with the application of Agile methodology to marketing.
• Understanding of data providers and marketing technologies (AdTech/MarTech etc) in the B2B space to orchestrate and activate customer experience.
• Experience in leading a team and delivering complex projects by providing actionable solutions for the clients.
• Provide thought leadership and deep knowledge of customer strategy to build overall customer experience and personalization.
• Proven experience in developing solutions to support the sale of new services to clients.
• Hands-on skills using data and research to drive decisions. Knowledge of data and analytics strategy is required.
• Strong writing, presentation and client facing communication skills. Experience translating data analysis into actionable marketing recommendations and presentations – proficiency in PowerPoint required.
• Ability to leverage business experience / acumen to identify new business and marketing opportunities.
• Self-starter high intellectual curiosity, drive, determination, and persuasion skills.
• Problem solving mindset and thrives in ambiguous and fast moving environments, and in informal, loosely structured and creative work environments.
• Comfort and experience working within a highly matrixed organization in roles with a wide degree of latitude.
• 20-50% travel required.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. Merkle fosters a diverse environment that encourages original thinking about our business and empowers us to communicate with a global world of customers. We embrace differences of opinion and diversity of thought as they help us challenge and refine our solutions. Merkle, as a best-in-class marketing agency, welcomes big ideas, and believes they can come from anywhere. 

#LI-KS1