High Tech Vertical Lead

Company Description

Merkle is a leading data-driven, technology-enabled, global performance marketing agency that specializes in the delivery of unique, personalized customer experiences across platforms and devices. For more than 30 years, Fortune 1000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations have partnered with Merkle to maximize the value of their customer portfolios. The agency’s heritage in data, technology, and analytics forms the foundation for its unmatched skills in understanding consumer insights that drive people-based marketing strategies. Its combined strengths in performance media, customer experience, customer relationship management, loyalty, and enterprise marketing technology drive improved marketing results and competitive advantage. With 9,600+ employees, Merkle is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with 50+ additional offices throughout the US, EMEA, and APAC. In 2016, the agency joined the Dentsu Aegis Network. For more information, contact Merkle at 1-877-9-Merkle or visit www.merkleinc.com.

Dive... is embedded in who we are and all that we do: our mindset, our solutions, and in our teams to empower an inclusive, equitable environment. We put our people at the center, creating space for growth, understanding and learning so they can thrive. Our differences make us richer and enable stronger relationships with each other and foster greater impact for our clients. We engage with our communities to drive positive social impact by fostering equity and working to create a digital society that works for all. Merkle is an agency of dentsu.

Job Description

The Vertical Lead (VL) is a results-based business executive capable of growing a portfolio of accounts with a combined net revenue between $80-$200MM, leading teams within a matrix environment of complex practice areas and driving integrated customer experience programs for clients. The VL has a diverse set of skills to build the business including P&L management, strategic vision, executive engagement, and solution-oriented strategic selling. The VL is entrepreneurial in spirit with a relentless focus on growth.

The VL defines, creates, and implements the long-term vision for the High Tech vertical as well as a value proposition for solutions designed to support the business needs of clients. This leader creates long term, profitable growth for the High Tech Vertical, Merkle and dentsu by building senior, trusted relationships with clients and identifying opportunities for the vertical to solve their biggest customer experience problems.  The VL leads Senor Client Partners, Client Partners, and client teams to achieve high levels of client satisfaction, retention, and growth.  They deliver value to clients’ business by creating growth strategies and plans for clients, engaging with and developing strong and collaborative relationships with top level clients and ensuring we are exceeding expectations in all that we do.  The VL is accountable for increasing our market presence in the High Tech industry through creation of an industry POV and engagement in the market through industry events, client events, and publications.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Thinking/Vision: Understands the challenges faced by clients; develops and delivers unique customer experience strategies to help address them.
• Vertical Expertise: Thought leader in vertical; understands the overall marketing dynamics of the vertical, client needs specific to those dynamics and the solution trends that will drive our business.
• Executive Engagement & Strategic Counsel: Carries significant senior/executive level marketing presence; leads client engagements and provides strategic counsel to growing multi-national clients. Ability to build value-based relationships with client senior level clients. 
• Growth: Leads business development; proactively grows existing client business and develops new business opportunities. Develops new business and key relationships at the most senior levels of Merkle’s Clients.
• Business Acumen: Manages a P&L effectively; forecasts growth; ability to deliver on financial goals and targets.
• Teams Leadership: Understands the importance of leading, hiring, and keeping A-players. A leader who can also act as a player/coach who works closely with team. Understands that cultivating the teaming dynamic is as crucial as closing seven and eight figure accounts. Facilitates sourcing, qualifying, and closing top talent to the vertical. Keenly focused on engaging and keeping existing A-players, focused on commitment to career pathing and skill development for their employees.
• Driving Execution: Translates goals into operational reality. Breaks down strategic priorities or business initiatives into key tasks and identifies accountabilities. Aligns resources to ensure effective implementation and delivery of required results.
• Creativity/Innovation: Stays ahead of industry trends. Constantly looking for new solutions to client challenges. Aware of innovations at Merkle and finds ways to leverage them for the specific vertical practice.
• Thought Leader: Positioning Merkle as a “thought leader” in people-based marketing and accomplishes that by forming and advocating a strong point of view. Takes advantage of opportunities to share that point of view in articles and speaking engagements and encourages the team to do so as well.
  

Qualifications

• Business Builder: Experienced business builder. Skilled at leading business development efforts and managing an 8-9 figure P&L to deliver on growth and profit goals. Experience with strategic business planning and proposal development.
• Global Scale Client Management: Highly proficient at large scale client management with global responsibilities.
• Vertical Expertise: High Tech Vertical expert. Strong point of view on the challenges and opportunities faced within High Tech. Adept at creating a value proposition where Merkle can meet those opportunities.
• Industry Influencer and Marketing Strategist:  Reputation as an industry influencer and driver. Possesses a strong point of view on that marketing strategy and shares this viewpoint through articles, blogs, and speaking engagements.
• Client Satisfaction: Proven track record of creating satisfied customers. Owns overall client satisfaction and the continuing growth and evolution of the clients.
• Leadership: Fifteen plus years’ experience as both a strategic and tactical leader, substantial experience within the High Tech industry. Business leadership experience includes P&L experience. Successful with influence versus authority.
• Motivation: Passion towards data driven marketing and a belief in the power and potential of people-based marketing; Intuitive curiosity about technology and the ability it gives clients to create more seamless and valuable customer experiences. “Get it done” mentality. Entrepreneurial spirit.
• Leads, Develops, and Retains High Performance Talent: Successful track record of hiring and developing staff and building high performing teams; Ability to manage teams in a distributed work environment. Leads in direct/matrix environments. Successful exerts Influence (versus Authority.)
• Sale Orientation: Adept at driving new business and developing existing clients.
• Bachelor’s Degree at minimum. Advanced degree is a plus.
• Agency management experience a plus.
  

Additional Information

Dentsu is a modern marketing solutions company. Our mission is to help clients navigate, progress and thrive in a world of change. Businesses rely on our integrated network of agencies and specialized practices to champion meaningful progress through creative, media, commerce, data and technology. Part of Dentsu Group, our global network comprises 66,000 diverse people in 143 countries, who are dedicated to teaming for growth and good. Some of our award-winning agencies include 360i, Carat, dentsumcgarrybowen, DEG, dentsuX, iProspect and Merkle. Follow us on Twitter @DentsuUSA and visit dentsu.com/us.

Employees from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds encouraged to apply.

Dentsu (the "Company") is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee of the Company, on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, veteran or military status, genetic information, or any other legally-recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done that will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing an undue hardship on the Company. Please contact [email protected] if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process or to request or discuss an accommodation in connection with a job at the Company to which you are applying.

For individuals assigned to and/or hired in Colorado, the anticipated salary range for this position is$168,032-$256,991, which is based on a wide range of factors that include relevant experience, knowledge, skills and other job-related qualifications. Pay ranges in locations other than Colorado may differ based on labor market wage rates in those locations.Additionally, this position is eligible for discretionary bonus compensation. The company’s bonus compensation plan is subject to change. A range of medical, dental, vision, 401(k) matching, paid time off, and/or other benefits also are available. For more information regarding dentsu benefits, please visithttps://dentsubenefitsplus.com/