Ovative Group · 2 weeks ago
Director, Retail Media Activation
Chicago, IL
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
$123K/yr - $228K/yr
10+ years expOvative Group is an independent, full-funnel media, measurement, and creative firm that helps brands transform their media and measurement programs. The Director, Retail Media Activation will lead the Center of Excellence for Retail Media, guide clients in optimizing campaigns, and drive enterprise-level success through innovative strategies and team leadership.
ConsultingConsumer GoodsLegalRetail
Responsibilities
Lead the COE for all RMA offerings (Search, Programmatic, Digital Shelf), setting standards that scale quality and impact
Define and publish “The Ovative Way” playbook. Facilitate healthy debate, align the team, and set a clear direction
Build the processes, workflows, and tools that operationalize the playbook across client teams
Communicate and train teams on the playbook, processes, and tools; drive accountability for consistent, standardized adoption. Develop processes and reporting to ensure consistent execution of playbook across all accounts
Lead the retail media tech stack strategy and partnerships (e.g., proprietary technology, Pacvue, and other third parties), ensuring fit-for-purpose solutions that advance our differentiation
Partner closely with the Measurement COE Director to embed best-in-class measurement, learning agendas, and enterprise impact frameworks into the playbook
Partner with RMNs to help define best practices, case studies, and develop relationships for Ovative
Own and grow executive level relationships as the trusted advisor and primary escalation point for full-funnel retail media, driving enterprise outcomes
Lead long range planning and integrated strategies across Retail Media paid and organic channels
Oversee performance from planning through optimizations to deliver measurable results and uphold standards across portfolios
Advance customer first, data driven segmentation, creative, and targeting within and across platforms
Manage strategic platform partnerships (e.g. Amazon, Walmart, Pacvue) to align roadmaps, unlock betas, and co-innovation
Champion test and learn and business development—prioritize high impact hypotheses and lead pitches that showcase Ovative’s differentiated approach
Build, lead, and develop a high performing team of retail media experts, fostering a culture of excellence, curiosity, and accountability
Recruit, onboard, mentor, and create growth paths that match evolving client and business needs
Shape integrated, multichannel media strategies in partnership with Media, Measurement, and Client Services teams
Translate industry trends into actionable POVs, playbook updates, and new opportunities that enhance Ovative’s capabilities
Lead cross-functional (non-direct report) teams for education and rollout of COE objectives
Qualification
Required
10+ years of experience managing enterprise-level advertising programs, with at least 5 years of experience in Retail Media
5+ years of experience leading and mentoring teams, fostering growth and excellence
Deep expertise in full-funnel Retail Media advertising, including Sponsored Ads, DSP, Digital Shelf
Strong business acumen and a proven track record of driving performance in retail, eCommerce, or related industries
Expertise in partner management and retail media tools, such as Amazon Ads, Pacvue, The Trade Desk, etc
Proven ability to develop cross-channel media strategies and deliver enterprise-level results
Benefits
Access to all office spaces in MSP, NYC, and CHI
Frequent, paid travel to our Minneapolis headquarters for company events, team events, and in-person collaboration with teams
Flexible paid vacation policy
401k match program
Top-notch health insurance options, inclusive of same sex partners
Family formation benefits including reimbursement options for fertility, pregnancy, and parenting needs
Monthly stipend for your mobile phone and data plan
Sabbatical program
Charitable giving via our time and a financial match program
Shenanigan’s Day
Company
Ovative Group
Digital strategy consultants serving the retail and consumer packaged goods industry
501-1000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Ovative Group has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (5)
2024 (2)
2023 (2)
2022 (3)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Dale Nitschke
CEO
Annie Zipfel
Executive Vice President of Media
Recent News
2025-02-26
Company data provided by crunchbase