Location: London preferable, open to someone who can work in SMG office hubs
Salary: From £60,000 + 10% discretionary bonus
Level: Director-level, leading complex global consultancy and senior client relationships

Who are we?

We’re the original pioneers in connected commerce marketing. Since 2008, we’ve been partnering with major retailers, powering global brands, and building meaningful connections with shoppers.

We simplify the mind-boggling complexity of today’s retail media landscape. We deliver impactful campaigns that connect with people where it matters. We create seamless and personalised shopping experiences. Above all, we deliver amazing results for our partners, driven by our unshakeable desire for growth. Time after time, we change the game. SMG is home to a world-class suite of commerce advertising capabilities powered by data and cutting-edge technology. We constantly push ourselves, our tech and our industry to discover innovative new ways to connect, sell and grow.

About the role

We are looking for a Global Consulting & New Business Director to join our Global Consulting & New Business Team.

You’ll lead high-profile consultancy projects for retail and commerce partners, predominantly across North America and the UK, helping them advance their commerce advertising capabilities. From defining the opportunity and creating future-facing strategies to building commercial models and presenting recommendations to C-Suite stakeholders, you’ll own complex projects from end to end.

This is a highly strategic and commercial role at the gateway to SMG’s future client growth. You’ll turn consultancy engagements into trusted, long-term relationships and help build a new global consulting capability with ambitions to become a leading authority on commerce media networks.

What you’ll do

• Lead complex global consultancy projects from initial scoping and discovery through to strategy, delivery and commercial conversations.

• Develop bespoke, evidence-based strategies for retail and commerce partners, including opportunity sizing, market positioning, strategic vision and detailed operational plans.

• Build compelling business cases and commercial models that help clients understand and unlock the potential of their commerce media capabilities.

• Create future-facing strategic plans, typically looking three to five years ahead, combining commercial opportunity with innovative and sustainable solutions.

• Build high-impact presentations that turn complex analysis into clear, compelling stories tailored to audiences ranging from specialist teams to C-Suite leaders.

• Develop deep, trusted relationships with senior retail and commerce stakeholders, presenting recommendations credibly and acting as an expert consultant.

• Work with SMG’s market leads to develop the future client pipeline and help convert consultancy engagements into longer-term SMG partnerships.

• Play an active role in commercial modelling and negotiations for prospective partners.

• Help build and evolve SMG’s consulting capability, from market benchmarking and opportunity-sizing methodologies to operating models, change management and competitor analysis.

• Project manage complex, cross-functional work involving specialist and local teams across SMG, ensuring successful delivery and seamless handover when new partnerships are won.

• Bring market insight back into the business, helping shape SMG’s global strategy, governance and best practice as our international model evolves.

What we’re looking for

• Strong knowledge and experience of the US and/or UK retail and commerce media landscape.

• A proven track record of developing high-quality, innovative strategic proposals that challenge client thinking and create commercial impact.

• Experience leading complex, high-profile projects with significant commercial value and impact on large-scale businesses.

• Excellent strategic thinking, with the ability to translate complex analysis into a clear vision, compelling narrative and actionable plan.

• Experience developing bespoke, future-facing and sustainable solutions rather than relying on one-size-fits-all approaches.

• Strong experience engaging and influencing senior stakeholders, including building trusted relationships with C-Suite audiences.

• The ability to lead complex, cross-functional projects end to end while managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced growth environment.

• Confidence using data to develop evidence-based recommendations and communicate the implications clearly.

• Strong commercial acumen, including experience with budgeting, financial or commercial modelling and business cases.

• The ability to independently create and deliver high-impact presentations with complex strategic narratives.

• An entrepreneurial and curious mindset, with the confidence to challenge established thinking and create new approaches.

• Clear, confident communication and the ability to adapt your approach for different audiences while balancing strategic vision with detail.

• The ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy while collaborating effectively across specialist, local and global teams.

We're looking for people who enjoy the buzz of change, the satisfaction of building something better, and the joy of working with a close-knit, values-driven team. If you love variety, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and embrace change with energy, this could be your right role.

Don’t meet every single requirement? We still want to hear from you. If you believe you’d thrive in this role, your unique perspective might be just what we’re looking for.

Why SMG?

At SMG, we hire for the future, which is fast-moving and changing shape. Do you have the potential to help shape our business? We’re looking for brilliant, diverse talent who want to grow with us - people who are curious, ambitious, and eager to learn, whether as specialists or across teams.

We value those who take ownership of their growth and bring fresh perspectives. That’s why we’re committed to equity, inclusion, and building a place where everyone feels empowered to grow. At SMG, it’s not just about filling a role but building the future together.

• 10% discretionary bonus

• £1,800 yearly wellbeing fund (on top of your salary!)

• Free Headspace subscription

• £500 yearly “Uni Fund” for learning

• 4 extra Wellbeing Days off per year

• Annual Summer conference + year-round celebrations

• 4pm finishes every Friday

• Flexible and hybrid working

Explore all our benefits here

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