Commercial Lead

Stagwell Media is a global media agency that delivers performance built to unlock ambition on every platform. As part of Stagwell, the challenger network transforming marketing through AI, Stagwell Media is transforming media through an agile, integrated model that powers growth and helps brands navigate an evolving marketplace. Powered by next-generation agentic technology, including "The Media Machine", its AI-native operating system, the agency accelerates optimization, maximizes media investment efficiency and drives higher-quality audience engagement. With more than 2,300 experts across 50+ markets, Stagwell Media delivers transformative results for leading global brands including Lenovo, DP World, and P&G.

Role Overview

The Commercial Manager sits within the global Commercial team at Stagwell Media and is a support role to the senior Commercial team, working to the Commercial Directors across new and existing client activity. The role provides the analysis, modelling and commercial input behind decisions on strategy, risk and profitability, and will take ownership of smaller, less complex tasks and activity where appropriate. The role reports to the Global Head of Commercial and works across markets with regional finance, client and legal teams. The role covers pricing and resource/FTE models, rate cards, ECRs and commission structures, margin analysis, scenario modelling, revenue and cost forecasting, commercial risk assessment, contract alignment, internal approvals and process improvement, across both new business and existing clients.

Key Responsibilities

• New business pitches: Work closely with Commercial Directors, New Business and Client Leads to support the design and implementation of the commercial strategy, taking ownership of smaller, less complex pitches and workstreams where appropriate. Build the pricing, resource/FTE and margin models behind the fee proposal, develop the recommended commercial position with the client team, and prepare it for internal approval and client submission. During a pitch process the Manager will be expected to work with the pitch team, resolving commercial issues, challenging assumptions and testing scenarios so the fee proposal balances competitiveness with profitability and acceptable risk. Support all commercial considerations on a pitch: highlight commercial risks, make recommendations to the Commercial Directors, elevate where required and help ensure the deal meets agreed profitability and governance requirements. This will often mean working to tight deadlines. Act as a day-to-day point of contact on commercial matters, supporting the Commercial Directors with pitch, client, finance and legal stakeholders across markets and articulating the agreed commercial position.
• Existing clients: Support Commercial Directors and Client Leads on each account to design, implement and refine the commercial strategy, taking ownership of smaller, less complex accounts and activity where appropriate. Analyse/interpret client revenue and cost data reports for global commercial management. Liaise with client teams within Stagwell Media and collect the information needed to support commercial analysis and decision-making. Support the Commercial Directors in discussions with clients’ procurement teams and, on smaller, less complex accounts, act as the main contact: explaining and negotiating rate cards, fee structures and commercial terms, and holding the agency’s commercial position with confidence. Support client profitability reporting and forecasting — margin analysis, revenue and cost forecasting and scenario modelling — highlighting where performance moves away from plan and recommending corrective action.
• Commercial Governance & Innovation: Work with the Global Head of Commercial to build commercial models that support the development, pricing and scaling of key Stagwell Media tools and technologies. Partner with the legal and finance teams so client contracts accurately reflect the commercial relationship, minimise risk and support a clear understanding of client profitability, working with regional finance and client teams across markets and legal entities. Identify commercial risks, make recommendations to the Commercial Directors and escalation where required, helping ensure deals meet agreed profitability and governance requirements. Drive process improvement for both new business pitches and existing clients.

Requirements

• Around 3-5 years’ professional experience in a commercial, pricing or analytical role.
• Excellent financial and numerical capability, with demonstrable experience analysing and modelling commercial data.
• Experience in advertising or media is desirable.

Skills and attributes

• Commercial awareness and desire to develop further in this area, coupled with an interest in the advertising industry.
• Advanced Excel and financial modelling capability, with the ability to turn complex analysis into a simple, clear recommendation.
• Excellent communication skills – you're someone who can get your point across in a positive, honest and constructive way.
• Real focus and a structured style of working with excellent attention to detail and used to hitting tight deadlines.
• Plenty of enthusiasm and drive – you'll be committed to achieving both personal and team success.
• A proactive, diligent, and forward-thinking approach.
• The confidence to challenge assumptions and hold a commercial position with senior stakeholders, internally and with clients.
• Sound commercial judgement and comfort with ambiguity, balancing competitiveness against profitability and risk.
• Comfortable operating in a global matrix, across markets, regional teams and different legal entities.

Assembly is an advocate for equal opportunity in the workplace. We are committed to ensuring equal opportunities regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability and gender identity. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.