{"id":3837640,"url":"https://alion.io/job/vml-director-digital-shelf-strategy","title":"Director, Digital Shelf Strategy","company":{"id":456023,"name":"VML","domain":"vml.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/vml","size_band":"5000+","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":77,"open_postings":88,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.909,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":52,"computed_at":"2026-11-09T06:03:00Z"}},"role":"Leadership","role_family":"Leadership","seniority":"head","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Cincinnati, United States","Chicago, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":75000,"max":180000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":180000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":8,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"AI Agents","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-11-05T19:49:49Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-11-05","last_verified_at":"2026-11-09T15:29:12Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":3,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":3},"description":"Who We Are\nVML 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. \nVML 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. \nFor more information, please visit www.vml.com and follow along on LinkedIn #WeAreVML.\nAbout the role\nThe 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.\nThis 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.\nThe 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.\nServing 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.\nThe 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.\nThis is a strategy leadership role, not a content production, syndication, or retailer portal operations position.\nWhat you'll do\n1. Digital Shelf & Content Strategy\nLead 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.\nTranslate brand objectives, category dynamics, shopper insights, and retailer requirements into actionable product content strategies.\nDefine retailer-specific and cross-retailer approaches to product titles, descriptions, attributes, imagery, enhanced content, taxonomy, and product storytelling.\nIdentify opportunities to improve product discoverability, differentiation, engagement, and conversion throughout the digital shopping journey.\nDevelop strategic frameworks that balance brand consistency with retailer-specific optimization requirements.\nEstablish prioritized content optimization roadmaps based on business impact, competitive gaps, and implementation feasibility.\n2. Discoverability & Search Optimization\nDefine product discoverability strategies across retailer search, browse, category navigation, and emerging AI-powered shopping experiences.\nPartner with Discoverability specialists to translate keyword intelligence, search trends, and organic ranking insights into product content recommendations.\nGuide optimization of product titles, attributes, descriptions, taxonomy, and structured product information to improve search relevance and visibility.\nEvaluate competitive product positioning, share of search, content quality, and organic discoverability to identify optimization opportunities.\nEstablish scalable methodologies and best practices for discoverability across retailer ecosystems.\nMonitor emerging developments in retailer algorithms, AI-powered search, and agentic commerce to inform evolving content strategies.\n3. Content Briefing & Strategic Execution\nTranslate digital shelf strategies into clear, actionable briefs for Content, Copy, Design, and Production teams.\nDefine content requirements, strategic objectives, retailer considerations, and success measures for product detail pages, enhanced content, brand stores, and other digital shelf experiences.\nProvide strategic direction throughout content development, ensuring creative outputs align with shopper needs, retailer requirements, and discoverability objectives.\nEstablish strategic quality assurance standards to evaluate content effectiveness, completeness, accuracy, and consistency with approved strategies.\nReview and provide actionable feedback on content deliverables prior to final approval and implementation.\nPartner with Digital Shelf Operations and PXM teams to ensure strategic recommendations can be effectively executed and maintained.\n4. Product Experience Management & Content Governance\nProvide strategic guidance on product content architecture, attribute completeness, taxonomy, and content governance across retailer ecosystems.\nUnderstand how PXM and PIM platforms, including Salsify and comparable solutions, support scalable content management and retailer syndication.\nPartner with platform and operations specialists to translate content strategies into structured, reusable, and retailer-ready product information.\nIdentify opportunities to improve content consistency, reuse, efficiency, and scalability across brands, categories, and retailers.\nDefine content standards, optimization guidelines, and governance frameworks that support ongoing digital shelf performance.\nAdvise on content readiness and platform considerations without assuming responsibility for day-to-day PXM administration or syndication execution.\n5. Digital Shelf Analytics & Performance Optimization\nLeverage digital shelf intelligence, retailer analytics, and competitive benchmarking to identify content and discoverability performance opportunities.\nEvaluate metrics including content quality, search visibility, organic ranking, share of search, ratings and reviews, and conversion performance.\nPartner with Analytics teams to assess the impact of content optimization and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.\nTranslate performance findings into prioritized recommendations with clear commercial rationale and measurable objectives.\nConnect digital shelf performance with broader retail media, shopper experience, and omnichannel commerce strategies.\nDevelop compelling insight-driven narratives for client business reviews, strategic recommendations, and optimization planning.\n6. Client Strategy & Cross-Functional Leadership\nServe as a senior strategic advisor to CPG clients on digital shelf content, product discoverability, and retailer-specific opt\nLead strategic workshops, digital shelf assessments, content planning discussions, and client presentations.\nCollaborate with Commerce Strategy, Discoverability, Creative, Content, Analytics, Retail Media, Technology, and Retail Operations teams.\nEnsure strategic recommendations are translated into clearly defined workstreams, deliverables, and execution priorities.\nProvide guidance on retailer-specific best practices and emerging commerce capabilities.\nBuild trusted client relationships through strong commercial judgment, strategic thinking, and actionable recommendations.\n7. Capability Development & Strategic Enablement\nDevelop and maintain digital shelf strategy frameworks, content optimization methodologies, briefing templates, and strategic QA standards.\nEstablish repeatable approaches to retailer-specific content strategy that can scale across clients and categories.\nCreate best practices for translating shopper insights and discoverability intelligence into effective product content.\nSupport internal education and enablement across Digital Shelf, Content, Creative, and Commerce teams.\nIdentify opportunities to strengthen VML's digital shelf strategy offerings through new methodologies, technologies, and service capabilities.\nMentor team members and elevate the strategic quality and consistency of digital shelf work across the practice.\n\nWho you are\nStrategic Digital Shelf Expertise: Demonstrates deep understanding of how product content, retailer requirements, shopper behavior, and discoverability influence commercial performance.\nContent Strategy Leadership: Translates business objectives and shopper insights into clear, differentiated product content strategies and actionable creative direction.\nDiscoverability Fluency: Understands retailer search, taxonomy, structured product data, and the relationship between content optimization and organic product visibility.\nStrategic-to-Execution Translation: Produces clear briefs, establishes standards, and guides cross-functional teams toward effective implementation without becoming the day-to-day production owner.\nRetailer & CPG Knowledge: Brings practical understanding of major retailer ecosystems, CPG category dynamics, and shopper decision-making.\nClient Leadership: Communicates strategic recommendations with confidence, builds client trust, and influences cross-functional stakeholders.\nCapability Builder: Develops scalable frameworks, methodologies, and best practices that improve the quality and efficiency of digital shelf strategy across the organization.\n\nWhat you bring\nExperience\n8+ years of experience in digital commerce, digital shelf strategy, product content strategy, retail consulting, marketplace optimization, or related commerce disciplines.\nExperience leading strategic engagements, developing client recommendations, and guiding cross-functional execution.\nStrong experience working with CPG brands and major retailer ecosystems, particularly Walmart, Amazon, Target, and grocery or club retailers.\nProven ability to develop digital shelf and product content strategies that improve discoverability, shopper experience, and conversion.\nExperience translating shopper insights, search intelligence, competitive analysis, and retail performance data into actionable content recommendations.\nDemonstrated experience developing strategic briefs and guiding creative or content teams through execution and quality assurance.\nStrong understanding of product information architecture, taxonomy, retailer content requirements, and product experience management principles.\nExperience with digital shelf intelligence and analytics platforms such as Profitero, Stackline, CommerceIQ, Pacvue, or comparable solutions.\nExcellent client-facing communication, presentation, strategic storytelling, and stakeholder management skills.\nDemonstrated ability to lead cross-functional workstreams and influence execution without direct ownership of every delivery function.\nPreferred Experience\nHands-on or strategic experience with PXM/PIM platforms, particularly Salsify, Syndigo, or equivalent solutions.\nExperience defining scalable content governance models, retailer-specific content standards, and product information frameworks.\nFamiliarity with retailer organic search algorithms, keyword optimization, and digital shelf discoverability methodologies.\nExperience developing content strategies for enhanced product detail pages, A+ Content, brand stores, and retailer-specific rich media.\nUnderstanding of how retail media, organic discoverability, product content, and conversion performance intersect.\nExposure to AI-powered product discovery, generative search, and emerging agentic commerce requirements.\nExperience developing digital shelf strategy playbooks, capability frameworks, or managed service methodologies.\nCore Skills\nDigital Shelf Strategy & Optimization\nProduct Content Strategy & Creative Briefing\nRetailer & Marketplace Discoverability\nCPG Shopper & Category Insights\nProduct Experience Management (PXM)\nProduct Information Architecture & Taxonomy\nRetailer Content Requirements & Governance\nDigital Shelf Analytics & Competitive Benchmarking\nStrategic Quality 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