Analytics – Director

Merkle is a leading data-driven, technology-enabled, global performance marketing agency that specialises in the delivery of unique, personalised customer experiences across platforms and devices.

We call it ‘people-based’ marketing, and with over 25 years’ experience, we are proud to be recognised as a global leader.

Merkle’s heritage in data, technology and analytics is the foundation for our understanding of consumer insights that drives our people-based marketing strategies.

Combined with our expertise in performance creative and media, we can then offer our clients content-driven, contextual and compelling customer experiences that drive business growth.

In 2016, the agency joined dentsu, one of the world’s biggest media companies to form the Customer Experience Management (CXM) Line of Business.

Job Description:

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity for an internal candidate to take the next step in their Merkle career.

The ideal candidate for this role will have a good grounding in customer analytics and experience leading teams to ensure clients expectations are met and the work is delivered to a high standard.

You will be required to lead a team of analysts, building good working relationships to ensure that the team can gain trust and loyalty from the client, embedding the team within the client organisation.

This director role is to primarily support our North & London based Analytics teams, while also undertaking client analytics obligations.

We are open to location on this role but there may be some requirement for face to face meetings in London / Edinburgh / Manchester / Derby so flexibility on travel (post Covid) is required.

Life as a Director
– Analytics at Merkle

Best Practice:

• Work closely with the Solutions Analytics VP in setting up processes, promoting best practice and providing strategic insight across the Analytics team
• Leading strategic initiatives to promote innovation & upskilling
• Strong focus on sharing team successes to Leadership and across the team and wider organisation
• Ensure compliance practices with GDPR are active within business to mitigate against compliance breaches.

  Work with Solutions Analytics VP to ensure appropriate training and guidance available across the team

• Ensure communication within department is optimum and where relevant escalated to Solutions Analytics VP when required

Team Management:

• Daily coaching and mentoring of team of Senior analytics Managers, Lead Analytical Consultants and Analysts.
• Drive training needs within you team, aligning with the market and client needs
• Highlight success of team via recognition tools, including during department scoring and at leadership team meetings.
• Assist People Clan with investigations when required. Assist Senior managers and LACS through performance improvement processes.
• An understanding of budgeting and goal-setting across key metrics (KPIs) – e.g.

  training budgets, attrition targets

Team Development:

• Collate the appropriate information from senior managers & LACs, plus get direct feedback as necessary from other parts of the business to feed into team development discussions and succession planning
• Ensure resourcing impacts within Clan is raised and make recommendations for resource request to Solutions Analytics VP
• Working closely with Solutions Analytics VP to recruit and lead a team of Data Scientists and Analysts as we grow and integrate with the wider business
• Responsible for co-ordination of regional graduate recruitment (can be delegated, but ownership remains with elders)

Solutions Development:

• Represent Merkle internally & externally, at conferences and events, positioning the business as a leader in the Analytics space
• Represent VP when required.

  Devise solution planning & resource estimations

• Ensure sign-off in relation to timelines and requirements for new SOW and/or pitches to new clients
• Support wider team to generate & promote thought leadership in data science
• Deliver high impact analysis to client engagements

Generally, when working within Merkle you will strive to develop:

• A forward-looking vision, leading and inspiring at all levels of the organization.
• A highly engaged team of talented Analysts, by proactively appointing, retaining and developing top level talent that inspires the trust and confidence of our clients – leading by example
• Proactively contributing to improve and drive more efficient ways of working 

A few of the benefits

Whether it’s the joy of working with people at the top of their game or the Merkle social calendar, people love working here – and we hope you will too

• Career development through Merkle University and other tools; with access to courses, textbooks and mentorship
• Private Medical Insurance, Company Pension, life insurance and other corporate benefits
• A selection of other benefits including ability to buy additional holiday, season ticket loan and 2 volunteer days

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Merkle, a dentsu company, we believe that creating diverse and balanced teams is not just a moral imperative, it is a business imperative.

To help our clients reach millions of different people every day, we need our people to reflect the society that we represent.

We aim to create an inclusive culture where all talent thrives, and we champion meaningful progress in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for our people, clients and partners.

DEI is firmly embedded into our shared values
– the 8 Ways to Never Before
– and our Leadership Framework, which applies to all of our people.

And our Global DEI Principles reflect our pledge to be an organisation that promotes wellbeing and inclusivity for everyone
– regardless of ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, gender (incl.

gender identity and gender expression), age, neurodiversity or physical ability. 

We are proud of what makes us different and encourage applicants from all different backgrounds to apply to join us.

We are always happy to discuss all flexible and agile approached to working and should you have any reasonable adjustment needs arising from a disability or medical condition to fully participate in the recruitment process, please discuss this with our recruitment teams.

What we are looking for in you

Essential Skills and Experience:

· Professionally qualified/relevant degree

· Extensive experience in an analytical role, with demonstrable management experience

· A good grounding in customer analytics with demonstrable leadership and/or consultancy experience

· Highly proficient in R, Python with extensive knowledge of data science practices & appreciation of ML ops/productionising analytics

· QA and Governance understanding related to sector

· Strong presentation skills, with the ability to present complex concepts to a wide range of audiences, to different levels within an organization (technical & non technical)

· Able to set a forward-looking vision, in order to lead and inspire at all levels

· Build strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, working cross-functionally and regionally throughout the organisation

· Anticipate project risk and constraints and implement appropriate solutions, delegating as appropriate

· Managing priorities across a complex stakeholder matrix

· Mentoring and/or Coaching for a variety of roles across an organisation

· Leading highly engaged teams of top talent, including hiring, retaining, developing and engaging employees, across all levels of the organisation

· Experience of managing the financial aspects of the business

· Client portfolio experience including the client strategy, tactics, forecasts, budget, projections, and performance metrics

[LT1] Add to the below (with a %?) just to make it clear client engagement is still a part of the role

Qualifications:

What we are looking for in you:

Essential Skills and Experience:

• Extensive experience in an analytical role, with demonstrable management experience
• A good grounding in customer analytics with demonstrable leadership and/or consultancy experience
• Highly proficient in R, Python with extensive knowledge of data science practices & appreciation of ML ops/productionising analytics
• QA and Governance understanding related to sector
• Strong presentation skills, with the ability to present complex concepts to a wide range of audiences, to different levels within an organization (technical & non technical)
• Able to set a forward-looking vision, in order to lead and inspire at all levels
• Build strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, working cross-functionally and regionally throughout the organisation
• Anticipate project risk and constraints and implement appropriate solutions, delegating as appropriate
• Managing priorities across a complex stakeholder matrix
• Mentoring and/or Coaching for a variety of roles across an organisation
• Leading highly engaged teams of top talent, including hiring, retaining, developing and engaging employees, across all levels of the organisation
• Experience of managing the financial aspects of the business
• Client portfolio experience including the client strategy, tactics, forecasts, budget, projections, and performance metrics

Additional Information:

At the point of application, the candidate must have the legal right to work in the UK as we are unable to sponsor visas as this time.

Merkle 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.

Our Culture: Merkle’s energy and personality lives through everything we say and do.

Learn all about what defines our people and our vibe.

Experienced Hires: Leverage your expertise, challenge the status quo and grow your career at Merkle.