Data & Tech Manager

Company description Performics UK is the performance marketing arm of Publicis Media, committed to exceeding business goals by blending Data, Tech, Ops, and Talent to accelerate performance impact daily. With over two decades of experience, we harness technology and innovation to generate and convert consumer demand across search, social, display, and commerce channels. Embracing a deep understanding of consumer intent and behaviour, we thrive on data-driven insights, guiding our planning and optimisation processes through rapid trials, real-time enhancements, and intelligent analytics. As the world’s first Performance Orchestration agency, we have a proven track record of driving performance impact across diverse sectors and markets, leveraging our industry expertise to innovate and transform swiftly. Performics is dedicated to delivering award-winning results and empowering all Publicis Media UK clients.

Overview NextLab is the data and technology innovation hub for Publicis Next, focused on delivering high impact transformation for Sky. As one of the most sophisticated advertisers in the market, Sky requires bespoke solutions that go beyond standard industry tools. Our mission is to evolve Sky’s data infrastructure and customise proprietary technology to drive incremental business outcomes. We operate at the intersection of media, data, and engineering, designing new solutions that address the most complex challenges in the digital landscape. As the Data & Tech Solutions Manager, you are responsible for making this innovation stick. While our senior leads focus on high level solution architecture, you will own the day-to-day implementation and scaling of NextLab products and beyond. Reporting to the Data & Tech Solutions Director, you will be pivotal in turning prototypes into operational reality, ensuring every solution is adopted, refined, and optimised across diverse markets and senior client teams. This role is a perfect career pivot for an inquisitive digital practitioner, perhaps currently working in activation or planning, who is eager to move beyond the standard tech stack and into a world of AI driven innovation. While you are accountable for the later stages of the solution lifecycle, you will be heavily involved in the entire journey, from early-stage architecture to prototyping. This provides a unique environment to learn quickly and build deep expertise in custom technical delivery.

Responsibilities

• Implementing and scaling innovation: From design to production: Lead the hands‑on implementation of data and technology solutions once we have designed a prototype, managing the transition into full scale deployment across various Sky verticals.
• Product ownership and market scaling: Act as the day‑to‑day owner of live solutions, managing performance across different markets and ensuring high standards of delivery for senior client stakeholders.
• Driving the solution pipeline: Discovery and insights: Conduct stakeholder interviews and lead ideation workshops to identify opportunities to iterate and enhance our tools, feeding these requirements directly back into the technical solution design.
• Refinement and upskilling: Partner with engineering and data science teams to prioritise refinements, while leading the creation of actionable use cases and collateral to support the upskilling of the wider business.
• Measuring impact and growth: Evidencing performance: Support the Solutions Lead and Director by tracking usage and effectiveness metrics to prove the impact of our tools, which is crucial for solution retention and renewal.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Work closely with specialists across AI, growth science, testing, insights, and creative functions to ensure tools are deployed correctly and that technical foundations remain market leading and robust.

Qualifications

• Technical mastery and digital foundations: Digital practitioner experience: A background in digital media activation, planning, or ad tech. You are likely an expert in key digital platforms looking to pivot into a more technical, custom delivery role.
• Solutions oriented: A demonstrable interest in AI and emerging technology. You are an enthusiastic problem solver who naturally looks beyond the standard functionality to find more impactful ways of working.
• Data and media literacy: A solid understanding of data principles, the modern digital ecosystem, and the use of first‑party data for media planning and activation.
• Technical curiosity: Familiarity with cloud-based environments or analytics tools preferred, with a desire to learn how these facilitate advanced modelling and custom product development.

Professional excellence:

• Project coordination: Exceptional organisational skills with a proven ability to manage multiple deliverables and stakeholders simultaneously using project boards or similar systems.
• Effective communication: The ability to translate complex technical concepts into simple, engaging guidance for stakeholders through interviews, workshops, and actionable collateral.
• Proactive problem solving: A solutions focused approach with the confidence to work through ambiguity and the persistence required to see a technical build through to full adoption.
• Collaborative approach: An ambitious team player eager to work at the intersection of media, data, and engineering while learning the principles of solution architecture from a best‑in‑class team.

Additional information

Publicis Media has fantastic benefits on offer to all of our employees. In addition to the classics, Pension, Life Assurance, Private Medical and Income Protection Plans we also offer; WORK YOUR WORLD opportunity to work anywhere in the world, where there is a Publicis office, for up to 6 weeks a year. REFLECTION DAYS – Two additional days of paid leave to step away from your usual day‑to‑day work and create time to focus on your well‑being and self‑care. HELP@HAND BENEFITS 24/7 helpline to support you on a personal and professional level. Access to remote GPs, mental health support and CBT. Wellbeing content and lifestyle coaching. FAMILY FRIENDLY POLICIES We provide 26 weeks of full pay for the following family milestones: Maternity, Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental Leave. FLEXIBLE WORKING, BANK HOLIDAY SWAP & BIRTHDAY DAY OFF You are entitled to an additional day off for your birthday, from your first day of employment. GREAT LOCAL DISCOUNTS This includes membership discounts with Soho Friends, local restaurants and retailers in Westfield White City and Television Centre. Full details of our benefits will be shared when you join us!

Publicis Groupe operates a hybrid working pattern with full time employees being office‑based three days during the working week. We are supportive of all candidates and are committed to providing a fair assessment process. If you have any circumstances (such as neurodiversity, physical or mental impairments or a medical condition) that may affect your assessment, please inform your Talent Acquisition Partner. We will discuss possible adjustments to ensure fairness. Rest assured, disclosing this information will not impact your treatment in our process. Please make sure you check out the Publicis Career Page which showcases our Inclusive Benefits and our EAG’s (Employee Action Groups).