Manager, Media Strategy

Mars United Commerce is seeking a Manager, Commerce Media to support our Grocery business, with a primary focus on Kroger and secondary support for Publix and The Home Depot. This role is responsible for RFP’ing, briefing, execution and management of managed service media. This role will also brief and partner with the self service media team to partner on reviewing, optimizing and reporting on media executions.

Location & Work Model

Candidates must reside within commutable distance to one of our offices in Chicago or Cincinnati for a hybrid work schedule.

This role requires regular in-person engagement with client teams, with a minimum of one day per week, increasing to two days per week in alignment with broader Publicis in-office expectations. These are minimum expectations and may increase based on business and client needs.

Primary Responsibilities

Kroger Retail Media Network (Primary Focus)

• Lead activation recommendations within Kroger’s managed service ecosystem, including Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM) and 84.51.
• Apply strong working knowledge of Kroger Ad Platform (KAP), Prism, and CAAM.
• Own strategy and executional focus for Targeted Onsite Ads (TOAs) as a primary driver, with secondary emphasis on offsite display and paid social executed through Kroger-managed service platforms.
• Ensure campaign setup, targeting, creative specifications, pacing, and measurement are compliant with retailer requirements and optimized for performance.

Cross-Retailer Support (Secondary Focus)

• Provide secondary retail media support across Publix (including experience via The Goodway Group) and The Home Depot, including Orange Apron Media.
• Apply cross-retailer learnings while accounting for differences in execution models, reporting, and media capabilities.

RMN-First Activation & Complementary Third-Party Media

• Lead recommendations that prioritize retailer-owned RMN capabilities, layering in relevant third-party partners only when they strengthen the shopper or promotion-led strategy.
• Maintain familiarity with complementary partners that support shopper and promotion-led activation (e.g., Ogury, Promopoint, RRD, Fetch, Hip2Save, Krazy Coupon Lady), while ensuring RMNs remain the foundation of all plans.

RFP Leadership & Strategic POV

• Lead retailer and vendor RFP processes, developing inputs, evaluating proposals, and delivering clear client POVs with supporting rationale on how best to proceed.
• Manage annual vendor and retailer partnerships to ensure competitive rates, strong added value, and test-and-learn innovation opportunities.

Budget Ownership, Measurement & Optimization

• Own detailed budget allocation, flighting, and governance across programs.
• Ensure all client-facing documentation is accurate and all savings and value-adds are clearly documented.
• Define KPIs and measurement frameworks aligned to RMN reporting, monitor in-market performance, identify optimizations, and deliver insights-driven performance readouts with clear recommendations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with the Retail Consultancy team and in-store media activation partners to define the end-to-end shopper and consumer journey.
• Collaborate with creative, strategy, analytics, and client leadership teams to bring media thought starters, RMN solutions, and innovation ideas to life at retail.

Note: Search activation is not a core responsibility for this role.

Qualifications – Required

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, advertising, communications, business, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 3-5 years of experience in retail media, shopper marketing, or consumer promotions within an agency or client-facing environment.
• Kroger retail media experience required, including familiarity with Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM) and 84.51; hands-on activation experience strongly preferred.
• Retail Media Network (RMN) experience is foundational, including managed service execution and retailer-specific workflows.
• Strong ability to deliver client-ready recommendations, with clear communication, strong POV development, and confident presentation skills.
• High attention to detail with strong quantitative skills and advanced proficiency in Excel/Sheets and PowerPoint/Slides.

Qualifications – Preferred

• Experience with Publix retail media, particularly through The Goodway Group.
• Experience with The Home Depot retail media, including Orange Apron Media.
• Familiarity with third-party platforms that complement promotion-led retail media activation.