Associate Media Director - Retail Media

Title: Associate Media Director - Retail Media

Location: Remote

Job Description:

Who We Are

Goodway Group is one of AdAge's 2025's BEST PLACES TO WORK!  As an independent and remote-first media and marketing services firm with a 90+ year history, Goodway Group has the security of an established company combined  with a start-up feel.  With leading data-driven and technology-enabled digital media and marketing services firm with teams in the U.S. and the UK, our diverse team of digital strategists, media practitioners, technologists and data scientists have won the most prestigious awards for innovative marketing technology, impactful work and inclusive remote-first places to work including being honored as a multiyear winner in Ad Age Best Places to Work, Ad Exchanger's Best Use of Technology by an Agency Award and two MarTech Breakthrough Awards and a certified service partner to The Trade Desk.

The Associate Media Director (AMD) of Retail Media Networks (RMNs) is a client-facing leader responsible for the strategic direction, activation, and performance of retail media investments across owned, operated, and offsite ecosystems. This role oversees a team of Media Managers spanning programmatic, search, social, and ad operations, ensuring data-driven, commerce-focused activation that drives measurable sales outcomes and maximizes retailer and brand value.

The AMD will ensure that all RMN strategies leverage retailer first-party data, align with client business and shopper marketing objectives, and integrate with broader omnichannel marketing plans. This leader will mentor teams, strengthen client relationships, and act as a thought leader in the rapidly evolving retail media landscape.

 

What You Will Do: 

 

Strategic Media Activation:

 

• Lead end-to-end strategy and execution across retail media networks (e.g., Amazon Ads, Walmart Connect, Kroger Precision Marketing, Roundel, Albertsons Media Collective, etc.).
• Oversee and review Media Managers' strategic media activation planning and buying across multiple channels for a portfolio of clients, ensuring high-quality and flawlessly executed campaigns that meet client objectives and performance metrics before they're submitted or presented to the client.
• Maximize return on investment by ensuring that media implementation and activation strategies and plans, including budget allocation and target audience optimization, are strategically and holistically executed, aligned with the consumer journey, and supported by audience insights.
• Utilize client and proprietary data to enhance targeting, provide insights, and maximize campaign performance.
• Demonstrate zoom fidelity by making informed choices that align with the communication strategy and client's business-level goals.
• Ensure selection of platforms, publishers, and channels based on meticulous analysis of capabilities and desired client outcomes.

People Leadership:

 

• Manage and mentor a team of media managers, providing guidance and support and holding them accountable to the highest standards of performance.
• Build RMN expertise within the team through structured learning, certifications, and ongoing education on emerging retail and commerce trends.
• Train, motivate, grow, and evaluate team members, ensuring they follow best practices.
• Maintain overall control of workflow and assigned team responsibilities and priorities, identifying, and addressing issues and helping determine staffing needs for appropriate allocation of personnel.
• Support personal development through goal setting, on-tracks, and accountability.
• Optimize how we leverage the expertise we have today and build expertise for tomorrow.

Client Leadership:

 

• Serve as the senior retail media lead for key accounts, translating business objectives into measurable RMN strategies.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams to understand client needs and develop media activation plans aligned with their objectives. Listen, participate and learn what’s important to them and translate those needs and expectations for the team.
• Provide senior-level strategic media activation leadership and maintain strong client relationships.
• Ensure high-quality media activation plans exceed client objectives, offering smart and thoughtful understandings of how strategic media activation can help achieve and exceed goals.
• Maintain an in-depth knowledge of client business, from both current and historical perspectives.
• Participates and presents in New Business efforts and presentations, where appropriate

Cross-functional Collaboration:

 

• Collaborate with Strategy, Planning, BD, and CX to develop strategic and innovative media plans that deliver maximum impact.
• Collaborate with Strategy/Planning on overall channel optimizations, beta/test & learn opportunities, ensuring zoom fidelity (direct SPR peer = Director, Strategic Planning).
• Work with Investment on channel best practices, providing them feedback on client and beta needs.

Thought-Leadership

 

• Stay current with trends in retail media, shopper data monetization, commerce platforms, and retail tech.
• Provide thought-leadership internally & externally by staying up to date on the media industry and trends identifying opportunities to improve campaign performance.
• Showcase deep marketplace understanding and explain the strategic benefits of investment and activation choices (ex. inventory, platforms, channels, etc.)
• Manage relationships with media vendors/publishers and negotiate rates for best client value, as relevant.
• Identify and encourage calculated risks and innovative initiatives rooted in the communication strategy.

What You Bring:

 

• 8+ years of experience in media, with a proven track record of delivering outstanding results for clients, with at least 3 years focused on retail or commerce media.
• Skilled in conducting meticulous analysis of platforms, publishers, and channels to select the most suitable options for desired client outcomes.
• Proven expertise managing RMN campaigns across multiple retailer platforms.
• Experience overseeing flawless execution of campaigns across all channels that meet client objectives and performance metrics.
• Ability to develop and execute strategic media activation plans across multiple channels.
• Ability to effectively manage and mentor a team of media managers, ensuring adherence to performance standards and best practices.
• Proficiency in maintaining overall control of workflow, assigning responsibilities, and addressing issues.
• Skill in supporting team members' personal development through goal setting, accountability, and tracking progress.
• Skill in maintaining strong client relationships and providing senior-level strategic media activation leadership.

#usremote

 

Check us out at www.goodwaygroup.com to learn more!

If you identify as a female candidate, and feel you can do this role even if there are a few things perhaps you've not done, please apply anyway!  Goodway Group is 70% Female!  We realize that men tend to apply for jobs when they can meet around 60% of the requirements for the role, where women tend to only apply when they know they meet 100% of the requirements.  

Goodway Group is human-first, constantly working to become more inclusive and to make sure our employee population reflects our desire to constantly add to our diversity in all ways.  We want applications from everyone, regardless of race, creed, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, citizen status, age, disability, military or protected veteran status, genetic predisposition or carrier status or any other legally protected status.