The CXM/Merkle COO will provide operational strategy and delivery needed to execute business strategy that drives and supports profitable growth in the Americas, while overseeing the daily operations of the company and all activities relating to business transformation and operational excellence.

Business Transformation:

• Development of a vision for the "operating system" that will power the business to enable employees at every level to effectively deliver their mission with as little friction as possible. This operating system will allow us to match client needs and revenue levels with the right team members and staffing levels. It will enable the right behaviors and collaboration across the organization, and it will enable us to move quickly to capture market opportunity.
• Implementation of the one dentsu operating model and effective migration of both Merkle and unintegrated brands to the BIS and technical platforms. This will include operationalizing and standardizing ways of working and product offerings across client teams while ensuring implementing and measuring primary metrics that define performance serve as the basis of performance assessment. As the overall business strategy and brand strategy are refined, evolving this model will require on-going evolutions in the day-to-day operations of the business. Additionally, the brand strategy will result in significant brand consolidation and simplification of the corporate legal entity structure in each market, requiring collaboration with the business functions to support the legal entity rationalization program.

Business Lifecycle:

• Supporting the Merkle/CXM Americas President in the annual planning and day-to-day management of the business lifecycle activity across strategy & planning, marketing, sales, account management, and service delivery. Participation in the monthly business review of the market performance against budget and quarterly forecasts determining root cause, tracking actions items and following up between reporting periods ensuring that root causes are being mitigated and recovery plans are in place. Ensure operating objectives and standards of performance are understood and owned by management and employees.

Financial Roadmap:

• Ensuring that there are clear business strategies and execution plans in place to achieve the Financial Roadmap with primary accountability for achieving GM%, SL Margin % and Revenue Growth. Ensuring the business is achieving Gross Margin % and SL Margin by effectively managing cost-to-serve in alignment with revenue forecast, when increasing or decreasing. Facilitating the annual planning process with each sub-practice lead, in accordance with the Merkle Americas CFO and the annual plan for cost-to-serve, and then delivering on the cost-to-serve budget. The cost-to-serve is the planned resource costs in accordance with revenue per resource which will vary by Service and Sub-Service for that market. The cost-to-serve will be planned to improve quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year and the primary drivers are client utilization, pyramid (span-of-control), compensation management and the placement of work in cost-effective location based on the overall Line of Business delivery strategy.

As a member of the Americas CXM/Merkle Executive Leadership Team, this position will report to the Merkle/CXM Americas President. This role will collaborate, and proactively work with the Americas Merkle/CXM Leadership team and their direct reports to implement and drive excellence in every area of business operations. This role will support the Dentsu Americas Chief Operating Officer in ensuring the effective execution of our business strategy, and that we have the required plans, metrics and targets in place to achieve our expected results.

Critical Role Priorities:

• Develop and refine, lead and deploy the operating model and organization blueprint
• Drive ongoing improvement of margins and ensure tracking to budget – managing margin challenges and ongoing work to improve
• Accountable for realization of all tactical and strategic gross margin management related initiatives at Merkle/CXM Americas practice area level working closely with dentsu counterparts and stakeholders including Operations, Finance, HR, IT and Solutions as well as the local executive leadership
• Ensure all investments into Product are channeled for approval according to policy through the Global Product Investment Council
• Implement the operating model, including the use of Salesforce for both new logo and existing client opportunities, and govern the new business process in the market
• Implement, drive adoption and use of global systems (Concur, D365, Salesforce, Workday)
• Implement the corporate time reporting process (Workfront) and enforce time reporting compliance by all employees, starting with client service delivery resources
• Establish consistent, repeatable and world-class services and integrated solutions that are data-driven, tech-enabled and ideas-led
• Define and rollout standard methods and estimating tools to speed time to delivery and enable dramatic productivity and quality improvement of services and integrated solutions
• Establish world-class delivery capabilities in cost-effective "centers of excellence" strategically located ensuring consistent, high quality services and integrated solutions
• Enable resourcing utilization management and increasing client utilization, as well as monitoring client profitability and management to drive profit improvement on clients underperforming expectations
• Ensure resources are mapped to the common career framework and enable basic compensation management, leveraging the newly defined merit management process and guidelines
• Improve financial forecasting using existing processes and tools, as well as enabling an automated, algorithm-based process as the opportunities are fully loaded and managed in Salesforce
• Enable resource demand and supply management and resource balance based on forecast variance to achieve gross margin %.
• Manage line of business cost-to-serve to increasing client utilization, pyramid, compensation management and use of cost-effective delivery locations
• Improve client satisfaction and retention through flawless delivery
• Reduce unmanaged attrition
• Drive brand integration, awareness and transformation change programs using proactive communications, engagement, education and enablement of our people
• Implementation of Global Contract Compliance program delivering strong governance, compliance, resourcing, processes and tools. Harmonizing and integrating all process and systems across market; this will ensure both Market Executive leadership and the Operations community is held accountable in delivering the necessary change initiatives.
• Define and run regular governance forum for Transformation programs representing all operating companies and report progress, issues and risks to the Merkle/CXM Leadership
• Lead the definition and implementation of stronger policies for operational excellence in the market reflecting external and industry best practice and accommodating special circumstances in each market
• Define standards for and provide input to due diligence activities during M&A transactions within the market

Key KPI's and Deliverables:

• Deliver plans to achieve financial goals: revenue, profit margin and cost reduction KPI's
• Design plans to deliver TRR (client satisfaction) scores
• Develop plans to improve employee satisfaction scores (Glint Check-In survey)
• Organic and new business Y.O.Y growth

Qualifications:

Education

• Bachelor's degree (required), Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) or a related field (preferred)

Experience

• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience, including at least 7 years in senior-level operational roles in a marketing, technology, advertising, or creative services agency. Experience at C-Level preferred.
• Proven track record of scaling agency operations for an entity with multiple acquired companies and with scale more than $500mm.
• Experience implementing best in case tools to build an operating system that drives collaboration across sales, delivery and core business functions (Resource Management, HR, Recruiting, Finance and Legal)
• Deep expertise in project management and project delivery.
• Experience designing and implementing operational frameworks that increase efficiency across fast-paced, project-based environments.

Preferred Leadership Characteristics:

• High Learning Agility - unbridled curiosity and the ability to discover trends ahead of time ("look around corners") and glean valuable insights; not merely an effective executor of initiatives, anticipatory in her / his approach and provokes senior level conversation
• Making Complex Decisions and Problem Solving - Practical, pragmatic, driven and resilient with high emotional intelligence; can solve even the toughest and most complex of problems; great at gleaning meaning from whatever data is available; is a quick study of the new and different; adds personal wisdom and experience to come to the best conclusion and solution, given the situation; uses multiple problem-solving tools and techniques
• Outstanding Organizational Skills - is well organized and resourceful; effective and efficient at marshalling multiple resources to get things done; lays out tasks in sufficient detail to mark the trail; is able to get things done with less and in less time; can work on multiple tasks at once without losing track; foresees and plans around obstacles
• Dealing with Challenge and Conflict - fearlessly takes on all issues, challenges, and people; comfortably confronts and works through conflict; delivers negative feedback and messages without hesitation; deals promptly and fairly with problem performers; lets everyone know where they stand; thrives in crises and is energized by tough challenges; not afraid to make negative decisions and take tough action; challenges the status quo
• Focusing on Action and Outcomes - attacks everything with drive and energy with an eye on the bottom line; not afraid to initiate action before all the facts are known; drives all projects to completion
• Fostering a Positive Culture and Inspiring Others - Confident, ambitious, highly professional and visible, able to interact easily at all levels; Excellent interpersonal skills; Skilled at influencing individuals, teams, and an entire organization to perform at a higher level and to embrace change; negotiates with skill to achieve a fair outcome or promote a common cause; communicates in a compelling vision and is committed to what needs to be done; inspires others; builds motivated, high-performing and diverse teams; understands what motivates different people and builds team spirits
• Acting with Ethics, Honor and Character - Is a person of high character; is consistent and acts in line with the Dentsu values; deals and talks straight; walks the talk; is direct and truthful but at the same time can keep confidences; passionate about people and solutions and championing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in our organization
• Being Open and Receptive - at ease and relaxed; easy to talk to and get to know; listens attentively; is an open book; has a positive sense of humor; deals calmly with stress and gives people a chance to catch up.

Additional information:

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $300,000-$400,000. Salary is based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, knowledge, skills and other factors permitted by law. Additionally, this position is eligible for discretionary incentive compensation. The company's incentive 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 visit www.dentsubenefitsplus.com.

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