Commerce Growth Associate Director in London

Company Description

With a history that dates back over 80 years, Starcom is a global communications planning and media leader. We are an agency still grounded in our founding principle that people are at the centre of all we do. Each day, we apply this belief to harness the transformative power of data and technology to inspire and move people and business forward. With more than 7,000 employees in over 100 offices around the world, we are the flagship Publicis Media agency that uses our ‘Power of One’ business model, with teams that span multiple disciplines across clients such as Aldi, P&G, Primark, Samsung, Stellantis, and Visa. We place a huge focus on our People, and have driven flagship D&I and L&D programmes within Publicis Media; our goal is to help every individual reach their fullest potential, and we encourage everyone to make “Brave Plays” in how they approach their work and their own career development. As a result, we have an exceptionally energised and committed talent base, all of us proud of our welcoming and supportive culture, as evidenced by our recognition as one of Campaign’s Best Places to Work for five years in a row, Media Week's Agency of the Year 2025 and one of the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025.

Job Description

What will you be doing? Step into the driver’s seat of growth. At Publicis Groupe, we’re not just shaping the future of commerce...we’re building it. And we’re looking for a Commerce Growth Director who’s ready to make things happen for a 12-month FTC! In this role, you’ll be the spark behind our biggest opportunities, spotting them, shaping them, and turning them into real, measurable growth. From unlocking new potential within powerhouse clients like Mars United Commerce to collaborating with brands across our network, such as Starcom, Spark Foundry, and Digitas, you’ll be at the heart of where strategy meets action. You’ll lead the charge on exciting, game-changing initiatives, think in-store media innovation, cutting-edge shopper insights, and bold new go-to-market ideas alongside partners like Epsilon and PMX. Whether it’s growing existing relationships, cross-selling our commerce capabilities, or opening entirely new doors, you’ll be the one making it all click. We’re looking for someone who thrives on momentum: a strategic thinker with a background in commerce or shopper marketing, who knows how to juggle big ideas and complex projects, and bring people along for the ride. If you’re a natural connector, a confident communicator, and someone who loves turning ambition into action, you’ll fit right in.

Responsibilities

• Spot & Shape Growth Opportunities: Identify and define new commerce opportunities—whether expanding existing scope, launching new products, or unlocking new clients—aligning each with the wider Practice strategy.
• Own the Growth Pipeline: Manage and maintain the Commerce pipeline in Salesforce, ensuring all opportunities are tracked, updated, and progressed in line with business processes and timelines.
• Lead High-Impact Growth Initiatives: Drive priority, step-changing initiatives (e.g. in-store media, shopper thought leadership) that generate leads, strengthen collaboration, and unlock new business.
• Accelerate Agency & Groupe Collaboration: Partner with agency brands like Starcom, Spark Foundry, and Digitas, as well as Groupe partners such as Epsilon and PMX, to grow commerce integration and increase scope penetration.
• Drive Organic Growth Across Clients: Foster collaboration across capabilities to expand and cross-sell commerce solutions within key clients (e.g. Mars United Commerce), adding strategic value across media, data, tech, and creative.
• Lead Pitch & New Business Success: Oversee Commerce contributions across RFIs/RFPs and growth opportunities—from initial kick-off through to post-pitch strategy—while energising and supporting teams to deliver winning work.
• Champion Marketing, Partnerships & Team Growth: Elevate the Commerce profile through marketing initiatives (thought leadership, events, PR), build strong internal and external networks, and contribute to a collaborative, innovative team culture—including talent development and recruitment.

Qualifications

What are we looking for?

• Demonstrable experience within Commerce, creative, PR planning/strategy, integrated marketing, shopper marketing, or similar experience; background in business development in other verticals with cross-over skills.
• Self-starter who is curious and proactively thinks around corners, able to perform in a fast-paced and changing environment, under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Proven ability to guide cross-functional teams to a common vision.
• Fearless and confident leader in group settings and with executive leadership - setting expectations and flagging potential issues before they happen.
• Good communication (both written and verbal) and interpersonal skills.
• Able to navigate complex obstacles that arise during campaign/project execution and take informed actions to deliver results for clients.

Additional Information

Starcom offers a wide range of benefits to support our employees. Full details are shared when you join, but highlights include core benefits such as Pension, Life Assurance, and Private Medical cover, alongside enhanced policies like Reflection Days and Shared Parental Leave. You’ll also have access to a range of additional initiatives, including: Please check out the Publicis Career Page which showcases our Inclusive Benefits and our EAG’s (Employee Action Groups). Publicis Groupe works primarily from the office or our clients' office four days per week. Starcom, we are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, disability, age, citizenship, relationship status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic. We are committed to providing a fair, accessible, and inclusive recruitment process. If you have any access needs - for example, related to disability, neurodivergence, or a health condition - please let us know. We’ll work with you to ensure the process works for you. Sharing this information will never impact your application. Guided by our values, we listen with empathy, uplift each other, take responsibility and embrace change - building a culture where everyone feels seen, respected, and genuinely included.