Head of Identity & Data, Products

Job Description: The Head of Identity & Data Products is responsible for shaping and executing the strategic vision for dentsu's identity and data product suite. This role leads the development and delivery of enterprise identity and data capabilities that drive business transformation, sitting at the intersection of data strategy, identity resolution, artificial intelligence, and product management. At dentsu, identity and data sit at the heart of everything we do - transforming first-party, and strategic third-party data, B2C, B2B, B2B2C and others into actionable insights and intelligent identity solutions that fuel smarter decisions, personalized experiences, and measurable impact. It's not just a step in the process; it's the engine that powers innovation and growth across every stage of our client journey. The incumbent will own a portfolio of identity and data products, define detailed product strategies and features, prioritize initiatives based on business value, and ensure successful execution across global teams. This includes stewarding firmographic, professional, and consumer-level identity data for comprehensive use cases such as account-based marketing (ABM), sales and lead generation, CRM management, data hygiene and enrichment, audience segmentation, and enterprise identity management. Partnering closely with dentsu leadership and the global Solutions group, this role ensures alignment of product roadmaps across dentsu.connect and consistency in strategy execution. Additionally, this role may support high-profile and/or large client pitches and solutioning efforts, demonstrating how identity and data platforms solve complex client challenges and drive competitive advantage. Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership Define and execute market leading enterprise identity and data product strategy aligned with organizational objectives and market opportunities. Ensure identity resolution, data quality, and AI capabilities are reliable, reusable, transparent, and measurable. Influence long-term investments in identity platforms, data infrastructure, machine learning, and AI governance aligned with evolving regulatory landscapes (CCPA, GDPR, etc.). Collaborate with data science and engineering teams to operationalize machine learning models, generative AI, and predictive analytics use cases that enhance identity resolution and data activation. Shape and manage a portfolio of identity and data products, from ideation through enterprise-scale deployment. Ensure explainability, ethical AI use, responsible data stewardship, and model performance monitoring in partnership with governance and risk teams. Maintain deep expertise in identity resolution capabilities, firmographic and professional data, consumer data enrichment, audience segmentation, and enterprise data applications. Product Ownership & Delivery Own the end-to-end lifecycle of identity and data products—from ideation through delivery and adoption. Maintain and prioritize the strategic backlog, balancing innovation, data quality, technical debt, and user impact. Translate complex identity and data capabilities into actionable tools and experiences for business users, marketers, and enterprise clients. Partner with engineering to ensure scalable, secure, well-architected, and compliant solutions that meet enterprise standards. Establish client and industry feedback loops to ensure continuous product evolution and market relevance. Define and track success metrics (adoption rates, revenue impact, retention, client satisfaction) to measure product effectiveness. Lead cross-functional teams through agile development processes, ensuring alignment on technical requirements and delivery timelines. Stakeholder Engagement & Change Leadership Serve as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders, shaping how identity and data inform strategy, personalization, and operations. Evangelize data-driven and AI-enabled decision-making across the organization, with particular focus on identity-first approaches. Act as a strategic liaison between Global Data & Technology and business development teams, identifying and qualifying new business opportunities aligned with identity and data capabilities. Proactively identify how dentsu's identity, consumer data, data clean room, and AI-powered solutions solve real client challenges. Collaborate with Media leadership, CXM, Creative, and agency network partners to integrate identity and data solutions across the full customer journey. Team Leadership and P&L Management : Manage a team of globally distributed product and technical employees, including the Director, Product Owner - B2B Connect. Provide dynamic and visible leadership to the Identity & Data Products team, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Develop and mentor junior team members, building a modern, agile workforce capable of adapting to and leading in a rapidly changing technological landscape. Set clear objectives and performance expectations, providing regular feedback and recognition to drive team success. Foster cross-functional collaboration with engineering, data science, sales, marketing, and executive teams. Department P&L Management inclusive of personnel, data, and infrastructure. Required Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Business, Computer Science, Data Science, or related field; Master’s or advanced degree in analytics, AI, or technology management preferred. 12+ years of experience in data product management, identity solutions, B2B or B2C data platforms, or strategy, including at least 5+ years in a senior or leadership role with solid project management experience across the full product lifecycle (strategy, roadmap, delivery, optimization). Proven experience leading large-scale identity, data, or AI initiatives, translating complex business needs into technical requirements and actionable user stories. 3+ years of experience in B2B product management, strategy, or solutions within identity, firmographic data, martech, adtech, or data platforms. Demonstrated expertise in building, launching, and scaling identity and data products for enterprise and mid-market clients. Track record of successful pitch leadership and client-facing solutioning for complex, high-value opportunities. Strong understanding of identity resolution technologies, identity graphs, and first-party and third-party data strategies. Deep knowledge of firmographic, professional, and consumer data attributes, signals, and activation platforms. Working knowledge of modern data ecosystems (Snowflake, Databricks, Azure, AWS) and analytics/activation platforms (Tableau, Looker, Customer Data Platforms). Proficiency with B2B data and identity solutions, including account-based marketing (ABM), lead generation, and CRM applications. Advanced knowledge of data governance, privacy frameworks (CCPA, GDPR, CCPA), and responsible AI principles. Understanding of data enrichment, audience segmentation, and audience analytics techniques to identify and activate high-value segments. Working knowledge of machine learning lifecycle management (MLOps, model governance) and emerging AI/ML applications. Expertise in dashboarding, visualization, and storytelling using BI and analytics platforms. Familiarity with media workflow integration and how identity and data solutions enhance planning, activation, and measurement across channels. Exceptional stakeholder management, storytelling, and influence skills, with ability to communicate complex concepts to diverse audiences. Demonstrated ability to balance strategic vision with executional excellence and agility. Experience working with agile development teams and technical leadership. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking abilities with a data-driven mindset. Proven ability to build strong relationships across the organization and with external partners. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment with a proactive and growth-oriented approach. High accountability, ownership, and a collaborative mindset focused on partnership and innovation. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong presentation and storytelling capabilities. Ability to work through ambiguity and complexity while maintaining focus on priorities. Preferred Qualifications Experience defining enterprise AI strategy or building AI-enabled identity and data products. Familiarity with LLMs, NLP, and generative AI use cases in marketing and identity contexts. Participation in SCRUM or other agile ceremonies and proficiency with Agile Product Management tools (Jira, Rally, etc.). Experience with pricing and commercial strategy development for data and technology solutions. Knowledge of the competitive identity and data solutions landscape, including DMPs, CDPs, and marketing cloud platforms. Background in media, marketing, or consulting with exposure to client-side challenges and priorities. Experience mentoring and developing product and technical talent at scale. The annual base salary range for this position is $196,000 - $350,000 . Placement within the salary range is based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and other factors permitted by law . Additionally, this position is eligible for discretionary incentive compensation. Benefits available with this position include: • Medical, vision, and dental insurance, • Life insurance, • Short-term and long-term disability insurance, • 401k, • Flexible p aid t ime o ff, • At least 15 paid holidays per year, • Paid sick and safe leave, and • Paid p arental leave . Dentsu also compl ies with applicable state and local laws regarding employee leave benefits, including, but not limited to providing time off pursuant to the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, in accordance with its plans and policies . For more information regarding dentsu benefits, please visit www.dentsubenefitsplus.com. To begin the application process, please click on the “Apply” button at the top of this job posting. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and qualified candidates will be contacted for next steps. At dentsu, we believe great work happens when we’re connected. Our way of working combines flexibility with in-person collaboration to spark ideas and strengthen our teams. Employees who live within a commutable distance of one of our hub offices, currently located in Chicago, metro Detroit, Los Angeles, and New York City, are required and expected to work from the office three days per week (two days per week for employees based in Los Angeles). Dentsu may designate other Hub offices at any time. Those who live outside a commutable range may be designated as remote, depending on the role and business needs. Regardless of your work location, we expect our employees to be flexible to meet the needs of our Company and clients, which may include attendance in an office. #LI-Hybrid #LI-AB2 Location: New York - 150 E 42nd Brand: Merkle Time Type: Full time Contract Type: Permanent Dentsu is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees. We do this without regard to race, color , national origin, sex , sexual orientation, gender identity, age, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, ancestry, physical or mental disability, marital status, political affiliation, religious practices and observances, citizenship status, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Dentsu is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to, among others, individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans. 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