Senior Director, Retail Media

Kepler is a leading omnichannel, full-funnel, full-service agency, powered by the proprietary Kip platform, specializing in media, creative, and data. We are at the forefront of digital innovation, helping our clients navigate the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, culture, and AI.

Kepler prides itself on being a great place to work. In fact, Digiday named Kepler the most innovative media agency in 2025, a recognition that speaks to the bold, forward-thinking work we do every day and the trust our clients place in us to drive meaningful business impact.

We're transparent with our employees. You'll hear updates on company financials, how we're performing against bonus goals, and how we're responding to challenges we face.

We're growing. For you, that means unparalleled growth opportunities and a role in shaping the direction of the company.

We're fun. You'll work with and learn from the smartest people in the industry and have a blast doing it.

The Role:

We are looking for a dynamic, entrepreneurial thought leader to serve as Kepler’s

Retail Center of Excellence

. This role is responsible for defining and refining Kepler’s capabilities, strategy, and partnerships across the retail media ecosystem, with a keen focus on Amazon Ads (SPA, DSP, AMC) in addition to Walmart Connect, Target Roundel, Instacart, Criteo, DoorDash, and the many other emerging Retail Media Networks (RMNs).

You will be a primary builder evangelist of Kepler’s “Retail 360” approach. The ideal candidate has a deep, nuanced understanding and passion for the expansive future of retail media within ads, measurement and the digital shelf, inclusive of SEO/content and sales operations. You must embody the view that retail media being a holistic, integrated, full-funnel business driver, not just a lower-funnel and siloed tactic.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Vision and Leadership
• GTM Strategy: Refine Kepler’s retail media narrative to help productize and differentiate our “
• Kepler Commerce
• ” services.
• Consumer Trends: Anticipate changes in consumer ecommerce behavior in ecommerce (agentic, LLM search, etc)
• Thought Leadership: Serve as one of the agency’s primary thought leaders in retail -- representing Kepler with clients, partners, press, and business development opportunities.
• Foster culture: Lead with creativity, never stop innovating, and be curious -- all in the name of excellence for Kepler and our clients.
• Strategic Partnerships, Business Growth, and Marketing
• Retailer Relations: Nurture relationships with RMN partners (Amazon, Walmart, etc.) to mature capabilities and co-develop new opportunities.
• Retail Media Tech Relations: Similar to the above, build relationships with Kepler’s preferred retail media tech partners to benefit prospects and clients.
• Consultative Selling: Act as a senior strategic partner for prospects, providing expert counsel on leveraging retail data (e.g., AMC, Scintilla) to achieve business outcomes.
• Sales Enablement: Co-develop high-impact marketing materials and "big idea" pitches that showcase Kepler’s unique value proposition.
• Industry Voice: Represent Kepler as a retail media subject matter expert (SME) at industry events, with press, and in senior-level client meetings.
• Product & Team Collaboration
• Innovation: Partner with Kepler’s product team to inform the development of tech solutions within the Kip platform, including AI-driven retail applications.
• Omnichannel Alignment: Collaborate with Media COE leads (Social/Entertainment/Culture, Search+, Programmatic, Video, etc) and Client Solutions to ensure retail media is integrated into broader omnichannel strategies.
• Client Team Support: Consult the Client Solutions team and clients as needed, providing thought leadership to drive innovation within client programs.

Qualifications:

• 8+ years of experience in digital advertising sales, with a proven track record of closing complex, multi-million dollar deals.
• Deep Expertise in the retail media landscape, including Amazon Ads (DSP, Sponsored Ads, AMC), Walmart Connect, and similar platforms; including Pacvue, Skai, and commerce acceleration platforms.
• Strategic Vision: Partner with the other Kepler Commerce and Retail Leads to develop 3-5 year growth plans for a retail media practice, considering the impact of AI and evolving consumer behavior.
• Communication: Exceptional presentation skills and the ability to explain complex data and technical features in "ordinary terms" for senior executives.
• Entrepreneurial Grit: A "do what it takes" mindset with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

What We Look For:

• A Growth Mindset: You are naturally curious, constantly identifying new opportunities and "breaking through" ambiguity.
• A Strategic Storyteller: You can craft compelling narratives that connect retail media spend directly to a client’s long-term business goals.
• An Inspiring Leader: You are passionate about building teams and fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.
• A Dynamic Business Driver: You are not afraid to dive into ambiguous situations that require deep optimization expertise, with an ability to level up communications to fit the audience.
• Transparency is fundamental to Kepler’s culture. Our compensation strategy is designed to attract, reward, and retain the talented employees that drive Kepler’s growth and success. We aim to offer competitive direct compensation and a rich indirect compensation program that demonstrates the value we place on our employees and their wellbeing.
• Total Compensation: Base Salary: $150,000 - $175,000
• Target Annualized Discretionary Bonus: 10% ($15,000 - $17,500)
• Target Total Cash: $165,000- $192,500