Analytics & Data Strategy Director

Job Description:

About Merkle

Merkle, a dentsu company, is a dynamic leader in delivering cutting-edge analytics and data solutions. We partner with brands to elevate their marketing and customer experience strategies through insightful data-driven approaches. With more than 16,000 employees, Merkle operates in 30+ countries throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. Join us to shape the future of analytics and consulting with a team dedicated to innovation and excellence.

The Role

Are you a passionate analytics expert with a knack for driving growth and retention through strategic consultancy? We’re looking for an Analytics & Data Strategy Director to be at the forefront of our analytics division. In this pivotal role, you will spearhead our efforts to enhance client analytics capabilities, foster strong relationships, and deliver transformative results within a multi-award-winning team.

What you’ll help drive and shape

• Client Engagement & Strategy: You’ll be working with super amazing clients (you’ll know them!) in a rapidly growing area. Lead the charge in developing analytics roadmaps that drive client maturity and success making a difference for customers across a wide range of industries. Work closely with the VP of Analytics Solutions and Analytics Growth Directors to drive analytical growth through combined services, analytics products and consulting. Help integrate analytics solutions and services into the wider Dentsu and Merkle services, pitches and delivery.
• Consultancy & Solutions: Act as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for larger analytics projects, particularly for new clients. Guide our clients/internal analytics teams to develop solutions for complex (and at times) unclear or ambiguous needs. Ability to translate these into actionable strategies with clear routes to activation that drive demonstratable business outcomes using analytics and data rather than focusing on one-off or technical solutions.
• Analytics Expertise: Provide expert data strategy consulting, helping existing and potential clients unlock value from their customer and other first-party data sources as well as essential analytical requirements like measurement, segmentation, churn, and LTV modelling. Generating strategies and delivery solutions to grow, enrich and activate client data.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Working as the conduit from Analytics & Data into our wider strategy community to identify opportunities, ensuring Analytics and Data are represented in Strategy, CX and BX propositions. Responsible for analytics growth and retention through paid and pre-sales consultancy, developing roadmaps that build ongoing client maturity over time which deliver successful customer and consumer outcomes. Building strong relationships with above teams to identify potential clients for analytics growth through consultancy.
• Innovation & Learning: Ongoing development of consulting and maturity frameworks to drive engagement with our clients, within Analytics and across BX propositions. Ongoing evolutions of the Analytics Data Strategy (ADS), Data Strategy and Customer Experience Blueprint. Leveraging transferable learning across verticals onto client engagements – refreshing and evolving the Merkle Analytics UK point of view on new developments in the Analytics & Data and CX spaces, identifying key customer focus areas within each vertical.
• Community & Development: Using your analytics expertise, supporting client pitches and proposals to grow client capability over time. Assist in developing and inspiring our analytics community by mentoring and guiding the team (mix of senior managers, technical, analytical and early career folk), ensuring our solutions resonate across various stakeholders. Working with the Head of Analytics and Business Intelligence (BI) to identify individuals that we can develop as analytics and data strategy consultants, alongside their analytical delivery, working with them on projects to develop the skill base and give Merkle UK a flexible strategy consulting team.

What you’ll need/experience

• Strategic Thinking: Align research and analysis with business goals, identifying opportunities to leverage Data & Tech for competitive advantage, crafting strategies aligned with company objectives.
• Technical Proficiency: Deep knowledge of analytics and data strategies across a range of verticals or sectors.
• Communication & Collaboration: Exceptional communication skills to convey complex data and analytics concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Proven ability to collaborate effectively across diverse teams.
• Industry Knowledge: Extensive understanding of how customer, demographic, and other data sources drive value for brands.
• Leadership: Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to guide and influence across various teams and levels. You’ll work closely with our leadership teams across CXM and EMEA, harnessing their key industry knowledge and product expertise to form strategic alliances.
• Strategic Mindset: Critical thinking abilities and anticipation of future needs with a robust understanding of ethical and legal implications in data usage.
• Experience across Agency and client-side: Proven track record in driving business value from data and analytics engagements.

Why Join Us?

• Innovative Environment: Be a part of a multi-award-winning, forward-thinking team that values creativity and strategic impact.
• Career Growth: Opportunities for professional development and advancement within a global leader in analytics and consulting.
• Dynamic Culture: Collaborate with a diverse group of experts and contribute to high-impact projects that shape industry standards.

Ready to Make an Impact?

If you’re excited about leveraging your analytics expertise to drive client growth and success, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now to join the Merkle/dentsu family and take the next step in your career

Responsible for analytics growth and retention through paid and pre-sales consultancy, developing roadmaps that build ongoing client maturity over time and deliver successful customer and consumer outcomes. Requires building of strong relationships across CXM, Strategy & Transformation, and Client Services to identify potential clients for analytics growth through consultancy.

Specialising in common analytical requirements for marketing and customer experience, such as measurement, segmentation, churn and LTV modelling, but also specialised in data strategy consulting: working with clients and prospective clients to understand how they can drive value from their customer and other first party data sources. Generating strategies and delivery solutions to grow, enrich and activate client data

The role will work closely with the VP Analytics Solutions and Analytics Growth Director to drive analytical growth through combined services, analytics products and consulting. Help integrate analytics solutions and services into the wider Dentsu and Merkle services, pitches and delivery.

Acting as a SME on larger analytics delivery, particularly on new clients, where Analytics & Data maturity is tied to the successful outcome of the project. Guiding our client and our internal analytics teams to develop solutions that drive clear demonstrable business value, that form part of a story of capability evolution, rather than delivery of one and done projects. Confident translating unclear or ambiguous needs and requirements into tangible briefs linked to clear routes to activation and business outcome. Focusing on how we drive the business outcome through the use of analytics and data, rather than focusing on the technical solution.

Leveraging transferable learning across verticals onto client engagements – refreshing and evolving the Merkle Analytics UK point of view on new developments in the Analytics & Data and CX spaces, identifying key focus areas for customers within each vertical. Working as the conduit from Analytics & Data Services into our wider Strategy Community, to identify opportunities for analytics from these wider engagements, and to ensure that Analytics and Data are represented in development of Strategy, CX and BX propositions. Ongoing development of consulting and maturity frameworks that facilitate conversations with our clients, within Analytics and across BX propositions, including the ongoing evolutions of the Analytics Data Strategy (ADS), Data Strategy and Customer Experience Blueprint. Support on client pitches and proposal as an Analytics & Data SME, engaging how we grow client capability over time. Assisting the development of our analytics community, guiding on how our solutions will resonate most within our clients across different stakeholders and audiences. Working with the Head of Analytics and BI to identify individuals that we can develop as analytics and data strategy consultants, alongside their analytical delivery, working with them on projects to develop the skill base and give Merkle UK a flexible strategy consulting team.

Professional Skills

• Strategic Thinking: The capability to align research and analysis with business goals and identify opportunities to leverage Data & Tech for competitive advantage, crafting strategies aligned with company objectives 
• Technical proficiency: you will possess in-depth knowledge of analytics and data strategies across a range of verticals or sectors. 
• Communication and Collaboration: Effective communication skills to articulate complex Data and Analytics concepts and ideas to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. 
• Excellent collaboration skills are crucial for working cross-functionally with key stakeholders 
• Industry Knowledge: A deep understanding of how customer, demographic and other data sources create value for brands
• Proven excellent leadership and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across diverse teams. 
• Strategic mindset with the ability to think critically and anticipate future needs with robust understanding of ethical and legal implications 
• Agency and client-side experience in driving real business value from data and analytics engagements.

What we’ll give to you

This is a permanent role. The team is based in our London office but operates under flexible working arrangements. The team are in the office twice a week. Whether it’s the joy of working with people at the top of their game or the Dentsu social calendar, people love working here – and we hope you will too

• Flexible hybrid working with wonderful central London office location
• Career development through Dentsu University and other tools; with access to courses, textbooks, mentorship, and external training funding
• Private Medical Insurance, Company Pension, life insurance, and other corporate benefits
• A selection of other benefits includes 3 wellness days, birthday day off and 2 volunteer days.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Dentsu does not discriminate against job applicants on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Experience stipulated in this job description serves as a guide only and all applications will be considered on their merits, irrespective of experience.

As part of our Diversity and Inclusion agenda, and as an Equal Opportunities employer, if you require reasonable adjustments during the selection process please engage directly with your Recruiter.

Location:

London

Brand:

Merkle

Time Type:

Full time

Contract Type:

Permanent

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