Director, Sponsored Advertising

Apply Description Description ABOUT THE COMPANY We've been building businesses on Amazon for more than 15 years and we continue to be on the forefront as Amazon platforms evolve. We're uncomfortable calling ourselves experts - since Amazon is always changing, we're constantly adapting - but the breadth of our knowledge is vast and our team's diverse experiences elevate our partners' businesses. We're marketers, advocates, data scientists, supply chain managers, Amazonians, advertisers and merchants. But most importantly, we're brand builders. Let's build brands together. Position Overview The Director, Sponsored Advertising owns the strategic vision, operating health, and growth of GO's Sponsored Ads practice across multiple pods. You lead a multi-tiered organization — Sr. Managers, Managers, Sr. Strategists, Strategists, and Associates — ensuring every level of the team has the coaching, tools, and strategic direction needed to deliver best-in-class retail media outcomes for our most complex and highest-value clients. This is a player-leader role at the intersection of people leadership, client strategy, and business growth. Reporting to the VP, Advertising, you translate the broader retail media vision into practice-level strategy and execution, own delivery against targets set in partnership with the VP, and serve as the first-line escalation point and executive sponsor for GO's largest accounts. The ideal candidate is a seasoned people leader who has managed managers, thrives operating with significant autonomy and ambiguity, and combines deep platform expertise with the executive presence to influence senior stakeholders internally and externally. Team You'll Lead The Director leads the full Sponsored Ads team structure below the VP, Advertising, providing direction and accountability across every level: • Sr. Manager, Sponsored Advertising — owns portfolio strategy and results across pods; manages Media Specialists and drives platform/tooling adoption • Manager, Sponsored Advertising / Marketing Media Specialist Lead — leads day-to-day pod management, mentorship, and account planning for a team of Media Specialists or Strategists • Sr. Sponsored Ads Strategist — senior individual contributor and subject matter expert who owns GO's most complex accounts and mentors junior talent • Sponsored Ads Strategist — owns end-to-end campaign strategy and execution for a portfolio of accounts • Associate Media Specialist (LEaPs Program) — entry-level talent progressing through GO's structured Learning, Excellence, and Preparedness training pipeline What You'll Do Team & Organizational Leadership • Provide direct management, coaching, and career development to Sr. Managers and Managers, and indirect leadership across the full Sponsored Ads bench • Own the overall health, structure, and staffing of the Sponsored Ads organization, including workload distribution, pod design, and resourcing decisions • Set performance expectations and standards across the team; lead performance management, calibration, and promotion decisions for direct and extended reports • Translate leadership goals into clear priorities across pod organizations, direct reports, and clients, and hold the team accountable to those priorities • Build, lead, and develop a multi-layered team of Sr. Managers, Managers, and Strategists, fostering growth in strategic thinking, client leadership, and tactical excellence; establish career development paths and succession plans within the team • Foster a culture of mentorship, accountability, and continuous learning across all levels of the team Strategic Client Leadership • Serve as the first-line escalation point and executive sponsor for GO's largest, most strategic, and highest-complexity client relationships, looping in the VP, Advertising on the highest-stakes or highest-risk situations • Partner with account and brand leadership to ensure Sponsored Ads strategy is fully integrated with each client's broader e-commerce and omnichannel objectives • Present advertising strategy, performance results, and growth recommendations directly to client and internal senior leadership • Identify and champion retail media growth opportunities beyond Amazon (Walmart, Instacart, etc.) at a portfolio level Practice Strategy & Innovation • Define and evolve GO's Sponsored Ads practice standards, playbooks, and best practices across all pods • Maintain a point of view on the full suite of Amazon and retail media ad products, and translate emerging opportunities (new ad products, betas, AMC/OCM, incrementality measurement) into practice-wide adoption • Champion adoption and innovation in ad management and analytics platforms (Skai, Intentwise, Downstream, and others) across the team • Drive continuous improvement of campaign management processes, reporting standards, and tooling to increase efficiency and consistency across pods Cross-Functional & Executive Leadership • Partner closely with the VP, Advertising on annual planning, org design, and headcount decisions for the Sponsored Ads practice, and execute against the broader retail media vision the VP sets • Partner with leaders across Sales, Retail, Content, Data, and other departments to ensure Sponsored Ads strategy is cohesive with broader account and company strategy • Represent Sponsored Ads in agency-wide leadership forums alongside the VP, contributing thought leadership on the evolving role of retail media in client growth • Translate goals set by the VP and senior leadership into clear priorities for pod leaders, direct reports, and clients • Navigate ambiguity at a senior level, solving complex, cross-functional problems and making sound decisions with incomplete information • Act as an internal thought leader and driver of initiatives that elevate Sponsored Ads capabilities across the agency Performance & Financial Accountability • Own delivery against revenue, retention, and growth targets for the Sponsored Ads practice set in partnership with the VP, Advertising; forecast and report on business performance on a regular cadence • Monitor budget management and performance against KPIs across all pods, ensuring efficient use of ad spend and internal resourcing • Flag risks to targets, resourcing gaps, or org-level issues to the VP proactively, with recommended solutions • Manage through ambiguity, balancing competing priorities across clients, pods, and internal initiatives Knowledge & Skills • Deep expertise across the full suite of Amazon Advertising products (Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, Sponsored Display) and other retail media platforms • Proven ability to lead and develop a multi-tiered team, including experience managing managers • Strong executive presence with the ability to influence senior internal and external stakeholders • Sophisticated understanding of full-funnel, multi-channel marketing planning and measurement, including incrementality (AMC, OCM) • Advanced analytical skills with the ability to translate large, complex data sets into clear business narratives • Skilled negotiator with superior organizational, planning, and prioritization skills • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint) and familiarity with Skai, Intentwise, Tableau, and similar reporting/automation platforms Requirements • Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or related field; MBA preferred • 8+ years retail media search experience (Amazon and Walmart required, Instacart, Target a plus) • 5+ years of people management experience, including experience managing managers or multi-tiered teams • 2–4 years' experience with Google Ads/paid search, enough to manage strategy and oversee a specialist or agency partner • Demonstrated track record of scaling a team or practice while maintaining strong client and business outcomes • Experience owning revenue, growth, or P&L accountability for a book of business • This position requires up to 25% travel Preferred • Amazon DSP and cross-retailer media experience (Walmart Connect, Instacart Ads, Target Roundel, Criteo/Citrus Ads) • Background in retail media or an agency environment supporting Amazon brands at scale • Familiarity with A/B testing and incrementality measurement methodologies • Experience building or scaling a talent pipeline or training program We are currently considering candidates who reside in the following states: CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, NH, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, and WI Equal Opportunity Employer Sponsorship for work visa unavailable Salary Description $170,000 - $230,000 + Variable