NielsenIQ is hiring: Director, Audience Activation (Agencies) in New York

Hybrid: 1-2 days/week in office ( 200 West 41st Street FL 5, New York, NY 10036 )

(US role, candidates must reside in US at time of application to be considered for this role)

Job Description
About this job

The Director, Audience Activation will be a key player in leading the sales initiatives for MRI‑Simmons to grow our Advanced Advertising business, with solutions including data enrichment and audience activation. The ideal candidate will work collaboratively with the Media, Brand and Agency verticals to develop new sales opportunities, lead or participate in Advanced Advertising presentations, assist in developing new Advanced Advertising product initiatives, and finalize negotiations and contracts in relation to closing new business. This position will lead our engagement and penetration of Agency holding companies, specifically with Investment, Programmatic, Video and Activation teams, while supporting our relationships with their Client teams.

Responsibilities
Revenue Growth & Deal Leadership

Identify, develop, drive new business and upsell existing opportunities focused on audience activation, enrichment and data enablement

Manage end‑to‑end customer engagement, including strategy, discussions, proposal and presentations development, negotiation, and contracts where necessary

Own commercial discussions and manage deal terms and conditions in partnership with internal stakeholders to ensure audiences meet customer needs to drive utilizations

Client & Partner Engagement

Leverage strong, preferably existing, industry relationships across advertising and media agencies, and at times brands, and ad tech partners, with a strong focus on stakeholders in programmatic, digital, video, investment, and account teams

Lead advanced advertising, audience activation, and other data‑driven proposals and presentations that clearly articulate the value of MRI‑Simmons audience intelligence

Act as a trusted advisor to customers by aligning MRI‑Simmons audience solutions to customer business, media, and campaign activation objectives

Requires approximately 25% travel; in‑agency presence expected

Product & Go‑to‑Market Collaboration

Partner closely with Commercial, Marketing, Operations and Product teams to provide client feedback and input that informs audience development and utilization prioritization

Support the development of new data enablement and activation initiatives, partnerships, and go‑to‑market strategies

Serve as a subject matter expert for advanced advertising and audience‑based activation, use cases, both external with customers and internal guiding sales colleagues on cross‑team opportunities

Coordinate outreach and engagement where needed with internal sales colleagues across all verticals

Operational Excellence

Manage internal sales and audience revenue tracking processes; ensure tracking sheets, audience taxonomies, and CRM accuracy

Support revenue collection team where necessary, aligning communication with all stakeholders

Collaborate with Operations and Account Management teams when needed define data, technical, and delivery requirements

Ensure client reporting requirements contractual obligations are met

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree required

5–10+ years of experience in sales or business development within advanced advertising, programmatic, addressable, data enablement, audience data, or ad tech

Proven success driving audience activation initiatives within agencies or brands

Strong ad tech industry network across agency stakeholders, including programmatic, activation, investment, and digital teams

Deep understanding of the advanced advertising, programmatic activation, and audience data ecosystem, including planning/insights, activation, and measurement/attribution solutions for digital video and CTV

Demonstrated ability to communicate the value of audience and data‑driven solutions in a clear, compelling way

Experience applying syndicated audience data to activation, planning, and partnership opportunities preferred

Exceptional relationship management and executive‑level communication skills

Strong negotiation skills with experience navigating complex commercial agreements

Highly collaborative, proactive, and self‑directed

Seller Profile

Consultative, self‑directed seller and evangelist with a “hunter” mindset and the ability to create opportunity where none previously existed

Comfortable leading complex, multi‑stakeholder communication efforts, connecting silos in an enterprise environment like a large agency holding company

Familiarity with Challenger sales methodology and MEDDICC frameworks preferred

Strategic thinker who proactively identifies new use cases and growth opportunities

Strong agency presence is preferred with hands‑on experience operating within ad agencies, leading educational programming, thought leadership initiatives, and events for agency planning and buying teams

US Benefits

Comprehensive healthcare plan (medical, Rx, dental, and vision)

Flexible spending accounts and a Health Savings Account (including company contributions)

Life and AD&D insurance

401(k) retirement plan including company matching contributions

Disability insurance

Tuition Reimbursement

Discretionary paid time off program and 11 paid holidays

Flexible working environment

Volunteer time off

LinkedIn Learning

Employee‑Assistance‑Program (EAP)

Additional Information

This role has a market‑competitive salary with an anticipated base compensation of the following range:

$117,250.00 - $150,000.00.

Actual salaries will vary depending on a candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills, and location.

This role is eligible for a sales‑based incentive or performance‑based bonus.

Other benefits include flexible working environment, comprehensive health insurance, industry‑leading parental leave, life insurance, education support and more.

Our Benefits

Flexible working environment

Volunteer time off

LinkedIn Learning

Employee‑Assistance‑Program (EAP)

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
At NIQ, we are steadfast in our commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace that mirrors the rich diversity of the communities and markets we serve. We believe that embracing a wide range of perspectives drives innovation and excellence. All employment decisions at NIQ are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. We invite individuals who share our dedication to inclusivity and equity to join us in making a meaningful impact. To learn more about our ongoing efforts in diversity and inclusion, please visit the https:/
ielseniq.com/global/en
ews-center/diversity-inclusion

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