Associate Director, Retail (Marketplace)

Job Description

Job Description

About January Digital 

January Digital is the Marketing Leadership Company. We solve business challenges through media excellence, strategic guidance, and actionable analytics. Our agency team handles full funnel media planning, execution, and optimization while our consulting team offers true strategic leadership for building successful marketing agencies. All our work is supported with a strong foundation of data and actionable insights which ensure our clients are as successful as possible.

As a company, our motto is to build a company that improves the lives of our clients, our people, and the world around us. We support this mission through a number of efforts including our WORKS program. Good Works is our philanthropy program that ensures we have an outsized impact on our surrounding communities through financial and volunteering efforts. Our Well Works program focuses on the mental, physical, and spiritual health of our employees through required minimum PTO, an annual wellness stipend, fully paid health care, fully paid counseling services, extended parental leave, and much more.

Between our work and our culture, January Digital has been recognized more than 125 times, including being named a Best Place to Work by INC four times, Dallas Business Journal three times, one of Ad Age's Best Places to Work in 2025 and 2026 , a 2024 NRF Partner of the Year, a seven-time INC 5000 fastest growing company, and numerous awards for our tactical and strategic excellence with innovative partners like Carhartt and Steve Madden.

Our Team is AI-enabled

At January Digital, we combine deep expertise, creativity, and AI innovation to deliver meaningful results. Our team advances through continuous training that keeps us and our clients ahead. We seek candidates with proven AI skills in developing and refining AI inputs, effective use of key tools, and the ability to apply AI to real business challenges. Equally important are sharp critical thinking and a commitment to using AI responsibly to create lasting impact.

About the role

Team January Digital is looking to fill an Assocaite Director, Retail Media for our agency team. This role is a strategic, client-services-focused leadership position responsible for shaping the future of January Digital's Retail Media practice while driving growth, innovation, and executive-level client partnerships. The ideal candidate is strategic, data-driven, and has a proven track record in managing successful Retail programs and development of people. You will drive communication around retail industry trends and be a thought leader within your team and for your own clients. This role involves building and managing a team of media experts as well setting the strategy and execution guidelines for the retail practice across the agency. 

Responsibilities

• Serve as a strategic Retail Media lead across assigned client accounts, with a strong emphasis on Amazon and other key Retail Media Networks (RMNs).
• Develop and execute retail media strategies that align with client business objectives and drive measurable growth across ecommerce and retail channels.
• Partner closely with Client Services, Analytics, and Performance Media teams to deliver integrated, full-funnel media plans and recommendations.
• Build strong client relationships through a deep understanding of each client's business, objectives, and competitive landscape.
• Lead retail media planning, forecasting, budget allocation, and performance optimization efforts across assigned accounts.
• Drive account success through development of quarterly business reviews, annual planning, strategic recommendations, and ongoing performance analysis.
• Provide thoughtful guidance on Amazon Sponsored Ads, Amazon DSP, and broader Retail Media Network opportunities to support client growth.
• Identify testing opportunities, emerging platform capabilities, and industry trends to continuously improve client performance.
• Collaborate with internal teams to develop measurement frameworks and ensure retail media insights are translated into actionable business recommendations.
• Support new business opportunities by contributing retail media expertise during pitches, proposals, and organic growth conversations.
• Mentor and support junior team members through coaching, feedback, and development opportunities while fostering strong team collaboration.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the evolving Retail Media landscape, including emerging RMNs, platform innovations, and industry best practices.
• Ensure a high standard of client communication, strategic thinking, and service delivery across all assigned accounts.
• Travel Requirements: This role requires up to 10% travel. Must be able and willing to travel between NY & Dallas offices and to client and other company meetings within the U.S., as needed. 

Qualifications

• 7+ years experience within digital media agency function and/or digital media vendor/ad technology platform with a focus on eRetail, Retail Media Networks, or CPG
• 3+ years' experience managing teams
• Deep strategic leadership expertise in Amazon is required, including experience with upper- and lower-funnel solutions such as Amazon DSP.
• Working knowledge of Target's Roundel required; experience with additional RMNs (e.g., Walmart Connect, Instacart, Criteo, etc.) is a plus.
• Strong understanding of paid media channels including search (organic and paid), social, display, programmatic, and video.
• Proven ability to build, scale, and lead a retail media practice, including internal enablement and revenue growth.
• Demonstrated success moving from hands-on execution to executive-level strategic leadership.
• Strong consultative client presence with experience influencing senior stakeholders and guiding long-term retail media investment strategy.
• Analytically minded with the ability to troubleshoot complex performance issues and drive continuous improvement.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Positive, collaborative leader with a track record of team development and growth.
• Bachelor's degree

Benefits & Perks 

• Competitive and equitable pay, 401k matching, and bi-annual bonus eligibility
• Flexible PTO and Half-Day Fridays
• Philanthropic Efforts and Paid Time Off to Volunteer
• Fully covered medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Annual Wellness Stipend
• Currently a hybrid work environment with stunning NYC & Dallas offices
• Suite of parental benefits, including generous paid leave, 529 scholarship fund, Milk Stork, and fully stocked mother's room

January Digital is committed to providing our employees with flexible work options that allow them to balance their professional and personal responsibilities. As such, we offer a hybrid work policy that allows employees to divide their time between working in the office and working remotely. Under this policy, employees are required to work in either our Dallas or NYC office at least 5 days per month, however you are welcomed to come in as often as you'd like! These days will be determined by your manager and/or team.

The base salary range for this role in Dallas is $100,000 to $125,000, depending on experience. Our salary ranges are based on paying competitively for our size and industry and are one part of the total compensation package that also includes a bi-annual performance bonus, free health insurance, annual wellness stipend, company 401k contribution, & more.

#li-hybrid