Senior Specialist, Retail Media Strategy & Activation

Kepler executes engineered marketing, where every message and ad delivered helps create a more personalized and productive relationship between brands and their consumers. We do this by acting as clients’ agency of record, as their in-house team, or some hybrid of the two – and by harnessing data and technology across all paid digital media and data-driven CRM channels.

Kepler prides itself on being a great place to work. In fact, we’re proud to share that AdAge recognized Kepler among the Best Place to Work in 2022, validating our investment in our team and our clients.

• We're transparent with our employees. You'll hear updates on company financials, how we're performing against bonus goals, and how we're responding to challenges we face. 
• We're growing. For you, that means unparalleled growth opportunities and a role in shaping the direction of the company. 
• We're fun. You'll work with and learn from the smartest people in the industry and have a blast doing it. 

THE TEAM

Kepler’s Strategy & Activation team is comprised of forward-thinking media architects who blend technical platform mastery with high-level marketing intuition. We design integrated media ecosystems across a variety landscapes. Our team stays ahead of data privacy shifts and emerging tech to ensure our clients aren't just participating in the market—they’re defining it.

THE ROLE

As a  Senior Specialist, Retail Media Strategy & Activation , you will be a key driver in translating client business objectives into sophisticated, commerce-driven media blueprints. You will oversee the full lifecycle of a campaign—from strategic ideation and tactical planning to hands-on optimization and insight generation.

We are looking for a "Strategic Trader"—someone who understands the  why behind the  how , leveraging data to tell a retail performance story, and pivoting tactics across paid social and retail networks in real-time to drive incremental growth.

What You Will Do:

• Partner with clients to map brand business goals to advanced retail media activation strategies across Walmart Connect, Target Roundel, and emerging commerce platforms.

• Lead the end-to-end execution of complex retail media campaigns, ensuring seamless integration between sponsored products, display banners, and on-site/off-site placements.

• Own hands-on activation, pacing, and optimization within retail aggregation networks, specifically requiring deep operational excellence in Criteo.

• Go beyond basic metrics to analyze the "so what." Use retail sales data, digital shelf metrics, and ROAS to uncover deep consumer insights and optimize for long-term value (LTV).

• Develop and execute robust A/B testing frameworks (bidding strategies, keyword match types, and creative formats) to constantly push the boundaries of what’s possible on retail platforms.

• Act as a strategic consultant for your clients, translating technical retail platform updates and network shifts into actionable business opportunities during weekly and monthly performance reviews.

Desired Skills and Experience:

• 1–3+ years of full-time experience in digital media optimization, with a clear focus on Retail Media Networks (RMNs) or performance e-commerce.
• Hands-on experience activating retail media through Criteo. Strong experience or familiarity with Walmart Connect and/or Target Roundel is highly preferred.
• Familiarity with managing product feeds, item-level/SKU management, and inventory-driven optimization variables.
• Familiarity with retail media management tools such as Pacvue, Skai, or similar commercial ad tech platforms is a strong plus.
• Proven ability to move beyond execution into "Activation Strategy"—understanding how product margins, creative assets, and retailer first-party audience segments work together.
• Advanced analytical skills with the ability to turn complex Excel datasets (pivots, data analysis) into compelling slide decks and strategic performance narratives for clients.

Transparency is fundamental to Kepler’s culture. Our compensation strategy is designed to attract, reward, and retain the talented employees that drive Kepler’s growth and success. We aim to offer competitive direct compensation and a rich indirect compensation program that demonstrates the value we place on our employees and their wellbeing.

Total Compensation:        

• Base Salary: $63,000 - $78,000

Benefits:

• Healthcare/Dental/Vision
• Unlimited PTO
• Group RRSP Contributions
• $75/mo Wellness Stipend
• $100/mo Mobile Phone Stipend
• $50/mo Internet Stipend
• $500/yr Annual Learning Stipend
• $2,000/yr Annual Tuition Stipend
• One-time $200 New Hire Home Office Equipment Stipend
• Parental Leave - 16 week primary caregiver / 6 week secondary caregiver leave
• Annual Work From Anywhere 4 weeks per year

Kepler is a people first organization. If this role piques your interest but you may not check every box, we still encourage you to apply! Studies show that imposter syndrome can prevent women and people of color from applying unless they meet every single qualification. We welcome all who are interested to apply, you just might be a great candidate for this role or others. 

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