Director, Digital Shelf Strategy

Who We Are

VML is a global creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce to create connected brands that drive growth. Guided by a Human First philosophy, VML is known for its innovative work for brands and consistently ranks among the world’s leading creative companies, including the WARC Creative 100. VML’s global network spans 55+ markets with principal offices in Buenos Aires, Kansas City, London, New York, São Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore. 

VML is part of WPP, the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. Powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform WPP Open, WPP unites cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, creativity, production, enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel. 

For more information, please visit www.vml.com and follow along on LinkedIn  #WeAreVML.

About the role

The Director, Digital Shelf Strategy & Content is a senior, client-facing strategist responsible for defining how brands optimize product content, discoverability, and shopper experiences across retailer and marketplace ecosystems.

This leader combines deep CPG category knowledge, retailer expertise, digital shelf intelligence, and product content strategy to develop scalable approaches that improve product visibility, shopper engagement, conversion, and commercial performance.

The Director translates consumer and shopper insights, retailer requirements, search behavior, competitive intelligence, and digital shelf analytics into clear content strategies, actionable creative briefs, and measurable optimization roadmaps.

Serving as a strategic bridge between Commerce Strategy, Discoverability, Content, Creative, Analytics, and Retail Operations, this role ensures digital shelf recommendations translate into effective execution across retailer platforms.

The ideal candidate brings a strong understanding of product experience management (PXM), retailer-specific content requirements, and emerging product discovery behaviors, including AI-powered search and agentic commerce.

This is a strategy leadership role, not a content production, syndication, or retailer portal operations position.

What you'll do

1. Digital Shelf & Content Strategy

• Lead development of digital shelf strategies across major retailer and marketplace ecosystems, including Walmart, Amazon, Target, Kroger, Sam's Club, Instacart, and other relevant retail platforms.
• Translate brand objectives, category dynamics, shopper insights, and retailer requirements into actionable product content strategies.
• Define retailer-specific and cross-retailer approaches to product titles, descriptions, attributes, imagery, enhanced content, taxonomy, and product storytelling.
• Identify opportunities to improve product discoverability, differentiation, engagement, and conversion throughout the digital shopping journey.
• Develop strategic frameworks that balance brand consistency with retailer-specific optimization requirements.
• Establish prioritized content optimization roadmaps based on business impact, competitive gaps, and implementation feasibility.

2. Discoverability & Search Optimization

• Define product discoverability strategies across retailer search, browse, category navigation, and emerging AI-powered shopping experiences.
• Partner with Discoverability specialists to translate keyword intelligence, search trends, and organic ranking insights into product content recommendations.
• Guide optimization of product titles, attributes, descriptions, taxonomy, and structured product information to improve search relevance and visibility.
• Evaluate competitive product positioning, share of search, content quality, and organic discoverability to identify optimization opportunities.
• Establish scalable methodologies and best practices for discoverability across retailer ecosystems.
• Monitor emerging developments in retailer algorithms, AI-powered search, and agentic commerce to inform evolving content strategies.

3. Content Briefing & Strategic Execution

• Translate digital shelf strategies into clear, actionable briefs for Content, Copy, Design, and Production teams.
• Define content requirements, strategic objectives, retailer considerations, and success measures for product detail pages, enhanced content, brand stores, and other digital shelf experiences.
• Provide strategic direction throughout content development, ensuring creative outputs align with shopper needs, retailer requirements, and discoverability objectives.
• Establish strategic quality assurance standards to evaluate content effectiveness, completeness, accuracy, and consistency with approved strategies.
• Review and provide actionable feedback on content deliverables prior to final approval and implementation.
• Partner with Digital Shelf Operations and PXM teams to ensure strategic recommendations can be effectively executed and maintained.

4. Product Experience Management & Content Governance

• Provide strategic guidance on product content architecture, attribute completeness, taxonomy, and content governance across retailer ecosystems.
• Understand how PXM and PIM platforms, including Salsify and comparable solutions, support scalable content management and retailer syndication.
• Partner with platform and operations specialists to translate content strategies into structured, reusable, and retailer-ready product information.
• Identify opportunities to improve content consistency, reuse, efficiency, and scalability across brands, categories, and retailers.
• Define content standards, optimization guidelines, and governance frameworks that support ongoing digital shelf performance.
• Advise on content readiness and platform considerations without assuming responsibility for day-to-day PXM administration or syndication execution.

5. Digital Shelf Analytics & Performance Optimization

• Leverage digital shelf intelligence, retailer analytics, and competitive benchmarking to identify content and discoverability performance opportunities.
• Evaluate metrics including content quality, search visibility, organic ranking, share of search, ratings and reviews, and conversion performance.
• Partner with Analytics teams to assess the impact of content optimization and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Translate performance findings into prioritized recommendations with clear commercial rationale and measurable objectives.
• Connect digital shelf performance with broader retail media, shopper experience, and omnichannel commerce strategies.
• Develop compelling insight-driven narratives for client business reviews, strategic recommendations, and optimization planning.

6. Client Strategy & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Serve as a senior strategic advisor to CPG clients on digital shelf content, product discoverability, and retailer-specific opt
• Lead strategic workshops, digital shelf assessments, content planning discussions, and client presentations.
• Collaborate with Commerce Strategy, Discoverability, Creative, Content, Analytics, Retail Media, Technology, and Retail Operations teams.
• Ensure strategic recommendations are translated into clearly defined workstreams, deliverables, and execution priorities.
• Provide guidance on retailer-specific best practices and emerging commerce capabilities.
• Build trusted client relationships through strong commercial judgment, strategic thinking, and actionable recommendations.

7. Capability Development & Strategic Enablement

• Develop and maintain digital shelf strategy frameworks, content optimization methodologies, briefing templates, and strategic QA standards.
• Establish repeatable approaches to retailer-specific content strategy that can scale across clients and categories.
• Create best practices for translating shopper insights and discoverability intelligence into effective product content.
• Support internal education and enablement across Digital Shelf, Content, Creative, and Commerce teams.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen VML's digital shelf strategy offerings through new methodologies, technologies, and service capabilities.
• Mentor team members and elevate the strategic quality and consistency of digital shelf work across the practice.

Who you are

Strategic Digital Shelf Expertise: Demonstrates deep understanding of how product content, retailer requirements, shopper behavior, and discoverability influence commercial performance.

Content Strategy Leadership: Translates business objectives and shopper insights into clear, differentiated product content strategies and actionable creative direction.

Discoverability Fluency: Understands retailer search, taxonomy, structured product data, and the relationship between content optimization and organic product visibility.

Strategic-to-Execution Translation: Produces clear briefs, establishes standards, and guides cross-functional teams toward effective implementation without becoming the day-to-day production owner.

Retailer & CPG Knowledge: Brings practical understanding of major retailer ecosystems, CPG category dynamics, and shopper decision-making.

Client Leadership: Communicates strategic recommendations with confidence, builds client trust, and influences cross-functional stakeholders.

Capability Builder: Develops scalable frameworks, methodologies, and best practices that improve the quality and efficiency of digital shelf strategy across the organization.

What you bring

Experience

• 8+ years of experience in digital commerce, digital shelf strategy, product content strategy, retail consulting, marketplace optimization, or related commerce disciplines.
• Experience leading strategic engagements, developing client recommendations, and guiding cross-functional execution.
• Strong experience working with CPG brands and major retailer ecosystems, particularly Walmart, Amazon, Target, and grocery or club retailers.
• Proven ability to develop digital shelf and product content strategies that improve discoverability, shopper experience, and conversion.
• Experience translating shopper insights, search intelligence, competitive analysis, and retail performance data into actionable content recommendations.
• Demonstrated experience developing strategic briefs and guiding creative or content teams through execution and quality assurance.
• Strong understanding of product information architecture, taxonomy, retailer content requirements, and product experience management principles.
• Experience with digital shelf intelligence and analytics platforms such as Profitero, Stackline, CommerceIQ, Pacvue, or comparable solutions.
• Excellent client-facing communication, presentation, strategic storytelling, and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional workstreams and influence execution without direct ownership of every delivery function.

Preferred Experience

• Hands-on or strategic experience with PXM/PIM platforms, particularly Salsify, Syndigo, or equivalent solutions.
• Experience defining scalable content governance models, retailer-specific content standards, and product information frameworks.
• Familiarity with retailer organic search algorithms, keyword optimization, and digital shelf discoverability methodologies.
• Experience developing content strategies for enhanced product detail pages, A+ Content, brand stores, and retailer-specific rich media.
• Understanding of how retail media, organic discoverability, product content, and conversion performance intersect.
• Exposure to AI-powered product discovery, generative search, and emerging agentic commerce requirements.
• Experience developing digital shelf strategy playbooks, capability frameworks, or managed service methodologies.

Core Skills

• Digital Shelf Strategy & Optimization
• Product Content Strategy & Creative Briefing
• Retailer & Marketplace Discoverability
• CPG Shopper & Category Insights
• Product Experience Management (PXM)
• Product Information Architecture & Taxonomy
• Retailer Content Requirements & Governance
• Digital Shelf Analytics & Competitive Benchmarking
• Strategic Quality Assurance
• Client Consulting & Strategic Storytelling
• Cross-Functional Leadership
• Commerce Capability Development

The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package, click WPP Benefits for more details.

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$75,000—$180,000 USD

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers. 

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