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 5,500 employees, Merkle is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with 24 additional offices in the US and 25 offices in Europe and APAC. In 2016, the agency joined the Dentsu Aegis Network.

We are looking for detail-oriented people for Merkle B2B’s Media Operations and Ad Technology team. This team is responsible for the implementation and activation of ads for display, programmatic, video, and paid social advertising. You will have the opportunity to be a part of an innovative, fast growing team focused on revolutionizing digital media planning and buying, in the context of a multi-channel data driven approach.

The Global Director of Ad Ops and Ad Tech main responsibilities includes preparation, implementation and management of digital media campaigns, directly project manage numerous campaigns and work with creative, media, analytics, and clients to develop and manage project timelines, identify roles/responsibilities and key stakeholders, facilitating the gathering of assets, traffic instructions and creation of ad serving tags. 

This position is essential in the day-to-day running of the Media Operations function on their designated accounts. This position requires an individual that works well in a team-based, fast-paced, detail-oriented environment. The individual is expected to be resourceful and demonstrate the initiative to participate in advanced projects.

The position is responsible for working with the creative, digital analytics and media teams to identify additional workstreams needed to support the client needs, provide consultative support from a technical and operational perspective to the creative and media teams, help develop/identify “Best Practices” for their accounts, as well as a mentor to help apply it towards other Merkle accounts. In addition, the candidate must have a strong understanding of ad serving capabilities, tag management systems, rich media, VAST/VPAID implementation, mobile implementation, creative process, dynamic ads, tasks involved in campaign implementation & execution, and digital media planning & buying process. 

Global Director of Ad Ops and Ad Tech team members must have strong troubleshooting skillsets, and help oversee the implementation and integration of new emerging tools and/or technologies that will enable the Merkle B2B Media Services group to work effectively and efficiently as an organization. This role is expected to be a client-facing role, and must be able to be articulate in meetings, representing media operations capabilities and issues as it relates to ad serving and data enablement. 

As a member of the team, each individual is expected to provide product and technology expertise and solutions in all phases of digital advertising campaigns. The team works closely with the media services, analytics and technology teams, which together plan, execute, measure, and optimize advertising initiatives for our clients. We’re looking for an analytical and web-savvy problem solver to help launch, troubleshoot, and measure client campaigns across multiple industry leading ad platforms, all while improving existing processes through initiatives of automation, documentation and scale. The ideal candidate is curious and tenacious in solving problems, as well as an expert communicator – comfortable translating complex details to audiences of different technical knowledge. 

• Fluency in ad tech (CM360, DCO, DSPs, ad verification), mar tech (CDPs, DMPs) and URL/UTM parameter structure (and implications)
• Manage campaign timelines and deliverables across internal and external teams
• Implement, QA, and troubleshoot ad campaigns using leading third party and Merkle platforms
• Understand systems integrations and implications based on client ad tech stack
• Act as in-house platform expert and escalation point on product and technology issues
• Document best practices and seek out opportunities to improve existing processes
• Assist in the development of new internal products and in the vetting and onboarding of new third-party ad platforms

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

·        Ownership of entire trafficking process, tagging strategy (partner/platform pixels, floodlight tags, etc), URL/UTM structure and ad verification process

·        Enforcement of taxonomy across client lines of business

·        Lead offshore trafficking teams

·        Tight collaboration with internal teams inclusive of:

o   Analytics: Continued management and optimization of the naming convention doc/Trafficking Sheets

o   Media Team:  Ensuring campaign set up results in proper data flows into dashboard; partnering to troubleshoot data inconsistencies

·        Auditing vendor pixels and floodlight tags; own process of requesting/generating new pixels and submission process

·        Augmentation and continued adoption of campaign launch checklist in collaboration with Project Management teams

·        7+ years of media/ad ops/digital industry experience

·        Experience with ad servers and mobile measurement partners required (e.g., DoubleClick/DCM/DFA and AppsFlyer)

·        Must be able to troubleshoot any issues that arise

·        Strong project management skills required

·        Proficient Third-Party Ad Servers (e.g., Campaign Manager360) and rich media technology (e.g., FlashTalking, Jivox)

Employees from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds encouraged to apply.
Dentsu (the "Company") is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee of the Company, on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, veteran or military status, genetic information, or any other legally-recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done that will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing an undue hardship on the Company. Please contact [email protected] if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process or to request or discuss an accommodation in connection with a job at the Company to which you are applying.