Business Overview

Rufus is an Amazon-dedicated entity, powered by Initiative, and bolstered by critical discipline expertise from the entire Mediabrands and IPG networks. Our vision is to be a trusted, indispensable partner of Amazon. We are a collective who share an obsession with the convergence of media, creativity and data, through a branded cultural lens. We are one connected team. Many voices & many countries, with one shared culture based on pride, enrichment, balance, and growth for our people. Our mission is to become Amazon’s most client-first, customer-obsessed partner by consistently delivering strategic thought leadership, scalable, creative ideas that break boundaries and drive Amazon’s business forward, streamlined operations, and unparalleled media value.

Beyond Rufus, Initiative unlocks business growth for the world’s most ambitious brands. We believe in the power of media to reshape our industry and orchestrate a brand’s entire consumer experience, by balancing both what unites people and what makes them different. When brands unite people in culture, they build Fame, and when brands connect individuals to their unique journeys, they build customer Flow.

Media responsibility is at the forefront of everything we do, whether it’s creating media plans that reflect the diversity of our communities, promote brand safety, and foster sustainability. Our agency celebrates diversity in an inclusive environment where we make sure our 6,000+ talent across 90+ markets feel seen, heard, and valued.

Practice Overview

The Associate Director of Marketing Science is a pivotal role sitting within Rufus, reporting into the Head of Marketing Science. This role will be supported by a data scientist.

You will collaborate with the Head of Marketing Science to spearhead a newly created, proactive practice focused on media experimentation. This new practice will allow Amazon to continually assess innovative and impactful ways of leveraging media to drive business outcomes. This new practice will stay abreast of advancements in technology and media, collaborating with key clients and Rufus leaders to formulate comprehensive learning agendas and identify suitable campaign testing opportunities. The experimentation team's process will encompass establishing the burden of proof for adopting a new media fundamental within Amazon, configuring tests with optimal constructs and methodologies (such as A/B testing, pre-post analysis, correlation studies, etc.), selecting appropriate countries and campaigns for testing, analyzing results to derive key insights, and developing a first-pass solution for implementing the new fundamental. Given Amazon’s focus on growing core retail and Prime businesses, specifically with growth audiences, there is ample opportunity to set-up focused media tests to better understand what tactics/media formats/targeting/creative drives optimal performance.

Position Overview

As Associate Director of Marketing Science, you will be pivotal in managing the development and implementation of media experiments across client campaigns that directly contribute to the development of new media fundamentals to inform future planning. The AD will apply the agency’s proprietary ad effectiveness and measurement tools, as well as 3rd party vendor solutions, to assess the impact of advertising on the client’s business. This role supports a business partnership in which our clients are highly engaged, strategically minded, and reliant on our recommendations to best serve their business. The development and delivery of data-based insights is critical to how they operate. This role spans across internal and external clients globally.

Responsibilities

• Actively monitors industry trends/key topics
• Works with internal/external teams to develop learning agendas (top questions to answer)
• Coordinates with regional teams to identify appropriate campaign testing opportunities
• Writes protocols for regional implementation of tests (w/ data scientist and other internal stakeholders)

• Disseminates learnings from media fundamentals tests to comms design and LOB-specific analytics resources.
• Collaborates w/ Product org (Rufus/Initiative/Kinesso) for relevant tool enhancements
• Guides internal agency partners to understand client’s media strategy, design measurement approaches for cross-channel campaigns, work with internal and external partners to implement, track progress in-flight, lead reporting of performance to client
• Creates holistic analyses incorporating different campaigns and data sources that move beyond an explanation of ‘what happened’ to ‘what is important,’ ‘why it happened’ and ‘what should be done’ to help inform future strategy and aid in the development of new media fundamentals
• Designs and manages quantitative research studies on topics including brand lift, consumer behavior and the role of media, audience research and ad tracking studies
• Produces written reports on tests, their outcomes and resulting recommendations, together with the Head of Marketing Science.
• Presents measurement findings to internal stakeholders and senior clients on areas such as ad performance and consumer targeting

Required Skills and Experience

• Expertise around brand, advertising and media research and a deep curiosity about how advertising works
• Succinct and professional communicator at the client and agency
• Strong media math skills and statistical knowledge
• Working knowledge of programming languages such as Python, R, SQL
• Experience with 3rd party data providers, DMPs (e.g. Salesforce), and DSPs (e.g. DBM)
• Strong understanding of data and ad tech ecosystem, with a focus on digital environment
• Demonstrated success in helping clients take concrete action based on analytics and data
• Rufus does not require candidates to have a college degree.

Desired Skills and Experience

• 7-10 years of experience in agency or client-side digital media planning or media research & analytics preferred
• Demonstrated success managing multi-functional teams strongly preferred
• Refined client-facing skills with the ability to work well with multiple stakeholders
• Collaboration, including ability to drive clarity in a multi-stakeholder environment
• Experience managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders
• Strong written and verbal communication
• Experience with data visualisation partners, such as Tableau, Quicksight, PowerBI

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We See You

At IPG Mediabrands, we are unified behind a commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging. Together, we shine through a set of shared values and behaviors. We take pride in our responsibility to our clients, communities, and to each other. We embrace differences and recognize the unique value that each of us brings to our community.

We encourage you to apply, as unique backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences are welcomed.

We See You at IPG Mediabrands.

Wage and Benefits

We offer a Total Rewards package that includes medical and dental coverage, 401(k) plans, flex spending, life insurance, disability, employee discount program, employee stock purchase program and paid family benefits to support you and your family. To give you the ability to better meet your personal needs, and in support of your physical and emotional well-being, you will receive discretionary time off days and company-wide Appreciation Weeks and Wellness Days.

We also offer a competitive Total Compensation package, including a competitive salary and eligibility for an annual discretionary incentive award or a relevant incentive award.

The salary range for this position is posted below. Where an employee or prospective employee is paid within this range will depend on, among other factors, actual ranges for current/former employees in the subject position, market considerations, budgetary considerations, tenure and standing with the Company (applicable to current employees), as well as the employee’s/applicant’s skill set, level of experience, and qualifications.

Employment Transparency

It is the policy of Mediabrands, division of the Interpublic group, to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, veteran status, disability, or any other basis prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

The employer will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act of 1990. The job description will be reviewed periodically as duties and responsibilities change with business necessity. Essential and other job functions are subject to modification. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

For applicants to jobs in the United States: In compliance with the current Americans with Disabilities Act and state and local laws, if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation to apply for a position with Mediabrands, please email accommodation@mbww.com.

About IPG Mediabrands

IPG Mediabrands is the media and marketing solutions division of Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). IPG Mediabrands manages over $47 billion in marketing investment globally on behalf of its clients across its full-service agency networks UM, Initiative and Mediahub and through its award-winning specialty business units Healix, Kinesso, MAGNA, Mediabrands Content Studio, Orion Holdings, Rapport, and the IPG Media Lab. IPG Mediabrands clients include many of the world’s most recognizable and iconic brands from a broad portfolio of industry sectors including automotive, personal finance, consumer product goods (CPG), pharma, health and wellness, entertainment, financial services, energy, toys and gaming, direct to consumer and e-commerce, retail, hospitality, food and beverage, fashion and beauty. The company employs more than 18,000 diverse marketing communication professionals in more than 130 countries. Learn more at www.ipgmediabrands.com.