Business Operations Strategy Associate Jobs in Chicago, IL

Company Description

Mars United Commerce is a global commerce marketing practice that aligns people, technology, and intelligence to make the business of our clients better today than it was yesterday. Our worldwide capabilities coalesce into four key disciplines - Strategy & Analytics, Content & Experiences, Digital Commerce, and Retail Consultancy - that individually deliver unmatched results for clients and collectively give them an unparalleled network of seamlessly integrated functions across the entire commerce marketing ecosystem. These disciplines are powered by our industry-leading technology platform, Marilyn, which helps marketers understand the total business impact of their commerce marketing activation, enabling them to make better decisions, create connected experiences, and drive stronger, measurable results. Learn more at https://www.marsunited.com/.

Job Description

Mars United Commerce is seeking a Director, Business Operations. This position ensures that the team operates in a highly efficient manner while maintaining the highest quality standards. Supports the Lead and team by managing scoping, client finances, and establishing processes and ways of working to consistently deliver a best-in-class product and service. Candidates must reside within a commutable distance to our Rogers, AR, Troy, MI, New York or Chicago office for a hybrid work schedule. 

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Business Management
• Financials
• Client Liaison
• Training

Performance Expectations:

Own financial stewardship for the business, encompassing budget governance, reconciliation, revenue recognition, invoicing, compliance, spend reporting, process automation, and strategic financial partnership across agency and client stakeholders.

Business Management & Client Engagement

• Serve as the primary financial liaison for client, supporting conversations related to reconciliation, invoicing, fiscal stewardship, and budget management.
• Deliver clear, proactive financial readouts that provide visibility into spend, forecasts, accruals, financial risks, and funding utilization.
• Build credibility and trust with client finance and marketing stakeholders through consistent financial transparency, ongoing communication and strategic recommendations.
• Partner with account leadership to ensure financial decisions support both client objectives and agency profitability.
• Proactively identify and communicate budget variances, financial implications, and reconciliation outcomes to both client and internal stakeholders.

Financials

• Provide monthly financial updates, with clear visibility into fiscal budget status, timing, risks, and required next steps.
• Ensure financial accuracy, compliance, and transparency across all client-related work associated with the fiscal budget, including aggregation of retailer plans, reconciliation, and financial changes in partnership with the balance of team.
• Manage compliance across quarterly reconciliation, client status reports, weekly finance meetings and related account financial processes.
• Own revenue recognition, invoicing accuracy, accruals, and reconciliation tied to the account.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation, consistent financial records, and strong internal controls across the account.
• Serve as the escalation point for discrepancies between delivery, billing, and client expectations, ensuring timely resolution and cross-functional alignment.
• Ensure alignment between clients fiscal calendar, agency financial reporting, delivery timelines, and vendor PO / client PO accuracy.
• Optimize funding and utilization based on monthly reports, reconciliations, scope movement, and approved budget changes.
• Review performance data to measure productivity, goal achievement, and areas needing improvement.

Process Optimization & Ways of Working

• Own ongoing evaluation and optimization of business and financial operations processes, reporting routines, and ways of working to improve consistency, accuracy, efficiency, and overall team effectiveness.
• Partner with Data Governance team to identify opportunities to streamline workflows, reduce manual effort, strengthen financial and operational reporting, and improve cross-functional alignment across internal and client-facing teams.
• Develop, document, and socialize improved processes, templates, and best practices that support scalable operations and a consistent delivery model across the account.

Skill Sets Required:

• Bachelor's degree in advertising, marketing, business or related field
• 8+ Years of Finance or Operations experience, agency experience preferred
• Interest in the Financial/Business Operations discipline
• Experience in retail is a plus
• Proficiency in Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to manage time, adhere to strict timelines, multitask and work well under pressure
• Ability to partner with Client Operations, Data Governance, Client Finance and Procurement
• Ability to lead and drive alignment across teams and seniority levels
• Proactive nature in the seeking of work/responsibility
• Dependability in execution of work and as member of assigned team
• Enthusiastic, solution-oriented attitude in accepting work/new challenges
• Desire to learn all aspects of the assigned client scope of work and tactics
• Effective interpersonal skills working well across functions
• Conscientious work ethic

Additional Information

The Power of One starts with our people! To do powerful things, we offer powerful resources. Our best-in-class wellness and benefits offerings include:

Paid Family Care for parents and caregivers for 12 weeks or moreMonetary assistance and support for Adoption, Surrogacy and FertilityMonetary assistance and support for pet adoptionEmployee Assistance Programs and Health/Wellness/Comfort reimbursements to help you invest in your future and work/life balanceTuition AssistancePaid time off that includes Flexible Time off Vacation, Annual Sick Days, Volunteer Days, Holiday and Identity days, and moreMatching Gifts programsFlexible working arrangements'Work Your World' Program encouraging employees to work from anywhere Publicis Groupe has an office for up to 6 weeks a year (based upon eligibility)Business Resource Groups that support multiple affinities and alliances

The benefits offerings listed are available to eligible U.S. Based employees, are reviewed on an annual basis, and are governed by the terms of the applicable plan documents.

We also offer medical and voluntary benefits to our freelancers and temporary employees. Voluntary benefit options include supplemental medical insurance, transportation, and parking benefits, legal benefits, pet insurance, and auto and home insurance. You must be actively employed for 90 consecutive calendar days in order to be eligible for Publicis medical and voluntary benefits. 

Mars United Commerce is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our employment decisions are made without regard to actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability, medical condition as defined by applicable state law, genetic information, marital status, military service and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances.

If you require accommodation or assistance with the application or onboarding process specifically, please contact usmttacompliance@publicis.com.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. 

 Compensation Range: USD $121,315.00 - USD $194,220.00/Annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. Temporary roles may be eligible to participate in our freelancer/temporary employee medical plan through a third-party benefits administration system once certain criteria have been met. Temporary roles may also qualify for participation in our 401(k) plan after eligibility criteria have been met. For regular roles, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be 8/21/2026.Employment Type: FULL_TIME