Director, Activation

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Activation Director will lead and grow a high performing and market leading team that is responsible for delivering Xaxis products through best-in-class activation expertise. 

This role is critical as it will lead multiple pods of activation specialists who deliver our core promise to our clients: Business outcomes through programmatic media. Operating as one team, the Activation Director will lead an onshore and offshore team of programmatic activation experts.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Activation Leadership
• Process, Automation and Offshoring
• Performance
• People & Culture 

• Lead multiple pods of activation experts that represent the voice of activation across the business, providing deep insight and expertise as programmatic experts.
• Drive the creation and adoption of data driven, multi-channel brand safe programmatic best practices to deliver client outcomes from campaign set up to reporting and reconciliation.
• Promote and enable the highest quality activation by partnering with Product & Platform Operations and Business Excellence and other Activation Directors to ensure systems, tools and processes are in place to govern quality and performance.
• Foster an environment that combines rigour and continuous improvement in best practice and process with an agile, test and learn mindset to empower the team to shrewdly push the boundaries of programmatic activation.
• Promote knowledge sharing with the rest of the business.
• Ensure the smart use of data, AI analytics is deeply embedded in the campaign lifecycle.
• Build a self-sufficient activation team that can troubleshoot and resolve activation issues.

2) Processes, Automation and Offshoring

• Ensure the continuous iteration and adoption of process and best practices that drive quality, efficiency, and accuracy across all campaigns.
• Drive quality and efficiency through, but not limited to, the adoption of automation and offshoring, specialist training and certification programs partnering with Business Excellence, Product & Platform
• Ensure onshore and offshore hub operate as one team and work effectively to deliver client campaigns.
• Partner with Business Excellence to ensure business processes are compatible for the activation team and are adhered to by your teams.
• Work with Marketing Science to define and deploy data, AI and advanced analytics solutions.

3) Performance

• Develop working practices that aid a collaborative dynamic with Client Leadership and wider Operations team drive performance for clients.
• Enable use of systems and tools to monitor all campaign delivery and report and solve for recurring issues and challenges
• Work with Marketing Science to prioritise initiatives and investment needs. Shape and embed standards, processes and culture around data management and governance.
• Actively set up sessions with your team with key partners, vendors, and suppliers to create a culture of curiosity and learning and to continuously advance your team’s programmatic knowledge and expertise.

4) People & Culture

• Lead by example on the Xaxis core values and inspire and coach others to do the same.
• Ensure the support systems and best practices across DEI, Recruitment, Onboarding, Career Growth & Development that are in place are adopted.
• Instill a collaborative and effective ‘one team’ ethos with the wider Xaxis, GroupM UK and Xaxis Global and EMEA business to deliver client growth.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR FROM YOU

• Strategic, action-focused and inspire and coach teams to continuously excel
• Demonstrated ability to embrace the core Xaxis values.
• An expert in the deployment of data, AI and analytics to drive campaign performance, increase profitability and revenue, and ultimately deliver value to clients.
• Ability to leverage market knowledge to push the boundaries of activation practices and inspire your team to do the same.
• Empower teams to drive quality, efficiency and effective in activation practices by proactively identifying and resolving for performance improvement opportunities.
• Strong and effective communicator across all levels (including C-level)
• Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships both internally and externally
• Ability to translate technical and complex points to non-technical audiences and coach others to do the same.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

• Experience leading large and diverse programmatic teams.
• A data-driven and performed-focused programmatic expert
• An expert in the use of data, AI and analytics to drive campaign performance, increase profitability and revenue, and ultimately deliver value to clients.
• An expert in programmatic cross channel operations with a deep understanding of the use of data from planning to activation through to reporting, measurement, and insights.
• Prior experience with integrating an offshore and onshore operation effectively is preferred.
• Passionate about driving operational effectiveness and efficiency.
• Proven ability to build strong relationships beyond your direct team to deliver against client needs.

CORE XAXIS VALUES

DE&I: Proactively develop diverse teams and implement and promote diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that reflect the diversity of Modern Britain. Serves as a role model for inclusion and holds teams to account for inclusive behaviours.

Innovative: Recognise and celebrate innovation, instilling excitement in others about what can be accomplished by bravely going beyond.  Challenge existing ways of working, bringing in external thinking to identify and implement solutions that have the potential to improve the work delivered by teams.

Accountable Role model accountability for results and empowers others to take ownership, investing high levels of energy to deliver critical initiatives and motivate teams. Display the determination, drive and ambition to drive multiple teams forward and achieve excellent results.

Collaborative: Engages effectively with multiple teams and business leaders who are critical to success through formal and informal relationship-building opportunities. Role model and reward collaborative behaviours and commitment to business objectives across multiple teams.

Focused: Role models and rewards commitment to getting the job done and establishes expectations for teams to focus and deliver on outputs. Sets clear priorities for multiple teams to deliver to internal and external stakeholders.

REPORTING LINES

Reporting to Operations, Managing Partner.

About Xaxis

Xaxis is The Outcome Media Company. We combine unique brand-safe media access, unrivalled programmatic expertise, and 360-degree data with proprietary artificial intelligence to help global brands achieve the outcomes they value from their digital media investments. Xaxis offers managed programmatic services in 47 markets, including North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. For more information, visit www.xaxis.com.