Data Associate Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Company Description

Spark Foundry was built during the most transformative time in the history of advertising and marketing. We deliver everything a traditional media agency has to offer and have grown into one of the world's most successful agencies by helping brands evolve their marketing by leveraging identity, commerce, artificial intelligence, and more to connect with people. Transformation is part of our DNA. Spark Foundry's start-up spirit delivers high-touch approaches and a never-ending desire to challenge the status quo. Combined with Publicis Media's powerhouse soul leveraging connected data assets, advanced AI applications, and investment clout, we "Bring HEAT to Brands." No other agency possesses the expertise that we do to address today's most pressing challenges to drive business transformation through media.

Job Description

The Audience Design team is at the core of what we do at Spark Foundry. The Data & Platforms team of data and marketing technology specialists have deep expertise in the ever-changing universe of ad technology, data management, data-driven marketing, and enable a data-first strategy throughout our planning and buying process.

The Associate Director will be integral in driving ad/mar tech and data integration conversations and strategies on behalf of our clients and then implementing these strategies with the Strategy, Activation, and Operations teams as well as clients themselves. The Associate Director will become an expert in the data landscape and will consult with internal teams and clients on partner/vendor selection, data onboarding, platform integrations, audience activation and testing framework, and audience reporting/insights.

This highly motivated, detail-oriented individual will work with both the client and internal stakeholders to educate them on the myriad uses of data and to drive innovation in the use of data and technology for the client, think things like clean rooms, CDPs, advanced audience strategies, full-funnel measurement, etc. They will also generate insights and audience profiles to align with strategic planning and will work with third-party data vendors and publishers to maximize the data opportunity for the client and go beyond what is currently available. Successful candidates will have a well-rounded knowledge base of the digital advertising and data landscape and a passion for working with marketers to drive advertising value.

Responsibilities

• Manage data strategy for advertising clients, communicating strategies/recommendations to clients using a consultative approach
• Understand how platform/data technologies work and offer the ability to explain technical concepts in ordinary terms (be technically savvy - understand the opportunities and limitations)
• Identify opportunities - industry learning, meet with vendors and provide a POV, with a client lens and in desired format -- education/evangelize the findings
• Oversee relationship with the Identity Resolution platforms, CDPs, or other AdTech solutions and project manage the deployment and activation of data technology solutions
• Partner with internal Programmatic and media investment arms to support campaign activation as well as advanced data use cases
• Oversee, author and/or constructively edit and review the writing of media documents (timelines, POVs, RFPs, plans, agreements, client memos, and correspondence from within and outside the agency).
• Share knowledge with client and internal teams regarding audience insights and results to impact business needs
• Provides input to client business-related decisions

Client Responsibilities:

• Ownership of day-to-day client relationship (mid-level)
• Anticipates risks and prepares multiple resolutions
• Actively manages client care strategies
• Builds strong client relationships

Management Responsibilities:

• Accountable for manager and associate level deliverables
• Provides clear and concise direction and messages
• Has "Intellectual Capital", understands people want to hear a point of view
• Showcases the ability to manage & mentor others
• Accountable for onboarding and team readiness

Qualifications

• 5+ years of prior digital advertising experience in a client-services capacity
• 2+ years managing 2+ direct reports
• In-depth technical knowledge of ad and marketing technology, including ad servers, rich media, dynamic creative, streaming video, OBA, ad verification, customer data management platforms, identity resolution solutions, DSPs, etc
• Strong project management skills and keen ability to delegate
• Strong understanding of digital media planning and management processes
• Expert knowledge and experience with Identity Solution tools (eg. Epsilon, Liveramp, Neustar)
• Expert understanding and usage of CDP (eg. Salesforce, Adobe, Treasure Data)
• Expert understanding data flow within adtech/martech ecosystem.

Additional Information

Our Publicis Groupe motto "Viva La Difference" means we're better together, and we believe that our differences make us stronger. It means we honor and celebrate all identities, across all facets of intersectionality, and it underpins all that we do as an organization. We are focused on fostering belonging and creating equitable & inclusive experiences for all talent.

Publicis Groupe provides robust and inclusive benefit programs and policies to support the evolving and diverse needs of our talent and enable every person to grow and thrive. Our benefits package includes medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401K, as well as parental and family care leave, family forming assistance, tuition reimbursement, and flexible time off.

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.

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 Compensation Range: USD $88,540.00 - USD $127,155.00/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 8/4/2026.Employment Type: FULL_TIME