Essence Data Strategy Manager

**About Essence**

Essence, part of GroupM, is a global data and measurement-driven media agency whose mission is to make advertising more valuable to the world. Clients include Google, Flipkart, NBCUniversal, L'Oréal and the Financial Times. The agency is more than 1,800 people strong, manages US$4B in annualised media spend, and deploys campaigns in 106 markets via 20 offices in APAC, EMEA and North America.

**About the role**

Data Strategy involves transforming the way our clients think about, organize and orchestrate data & technology to deliver more timely, engaging and meaningful brand experience for their customers. This involves thinking through their overall design of their ad stack, how they capture, manage and segment audience data, how they augment this with strategic partnerships, the shape of their reporting data pipeline and the things that need to flow through it, right down to the policies they need to adopt to govern the management of their data in a safe and compliant way.

This is an AUNZ role, with a strong focus on audience insights and data management for the Westpac account.

**Roles and responsibilities include but are not limited to**:

- Support the day-to-day program lead (Data Strategy Director) in delivering client audience insights and data management for the Westpac account.
- Support in both a consultative and executional role, devising solutions for the client by identifying and configuring the technology, data and processes that improve media targeting, and deepen analytical learning. This can encompass comprehensive audits of a client’s current setup, as well as leading data and tech partner evaluations, and defining measurement frameworks to capture the most valuable signals
- Support in designing audience segmentation programs in partnership with Essence client teams, improving their understanding of basic segmentation logic, rule building and the technologies that enable this
- Aid in data partner discovery, vetting, onboarding and cataloguing, providing the relevant Essence/GroupM teams with a view on the latest solutions in the market, as well as current trends and issues relating to data management and audience targeting
- Support the implementation of client audience data strategy programs, specifically how client data is captured, managed, enhanced (through partnerships), deployed and measured for effectiveness, working closely with adjacent disciplines in Strategy, Planning, AdOps, Activation and Analytics to ensure audience management best practices flow down and through all client media campaigns
- Directly responsible for managing and developing junior team member (assuming staffing)
- Maintain strong, effective relationships with key partners and suppliers within the ad/mar-tech data space
- Operating as in-agency expert / trusted advisor to clients on all data management issues, including regulatory trends, whilst showing an excellent understanding of the overall media landscape

**Desired background experience**:
Required
- 3-4 years experience in a digital media agency (most recently in a programmatic, product or data management team), or have commensurate experience in client-side digital roles, or at a technology company whose focus is advertising data management
- Demonstrable knowledge of the AUNZ ad tech and data landscape, including hands-on experience managing audience data, for your own company or your clients. This includes, a working knowledge of the leading data management platforms (DMPs), customer data platforms (CDPs), knowledge of data onboarding and cross-device matching approaches and an understanding of the tools and technologies that can activate this data (e,g, DSPs, social platforms)
- Strong analytical skills and a natural affinity for numbers is key; You must be able to analyze raw data, draw insights and develop actionable recommendations as needed
- Strong organization and time management skills. Able to prioritize recurring deliverables against ad hoc requests. Mindful of personal deliverables and projects without needing reminding from line manager
- Exceptional verbal & written communication skills, able to build and develop strong relationships with, and communicate effectively with people at all levels of seniority; in-agency, client-side, and in the supplier space.
- The ability to think on your feet, present well, and effectively influence those around you
- Strong organizational skills, including experience with resource management, to effectively manage smooth flow of work through agency
- Exceptional diligence and attention to detail as well as resourcefulness and quick, practical thinking in a demanding environment
- A passion for everything digital, with an active interest and understanding of digital marketing/advertising industry trends

Desirable
- Strong knowledge of the AUNZ ad tech ecosystem, in particular local trends and key differences in platform availability and functionality specific to the market.
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