EVP Technology & Innovation (Hybrid)

Chicago, IL  (relocation assistant available)  

Salary: $300k - $350k

This role sits on the media agency side and as such requires agency side experience from either a media agency, or full-service agency. This position sits on the Executive Leadership team and is one of three most senior roles at the agency. As Head of Technology and Innovation, you’ll define and execute the technology vision, leveraging data, AI, and automation to create industry-leading capabilities, streamline processes, and enhance client impact. In this role you’ll develop tools and platforms that improve planning speed, decision-making, and performance measurement while ensuring scalability and innovation. You’ll also represent the agency in the marketplace, shaping its technology narrative and supporting business growth. The ideal candidate has 15-20+ years of experience in media, advertising, or martech, from a media agency or full-service agency, with a proven record of building scalable tech platforms, simplifying complexity, and turning strategic vision into measurable results.  This role works on a hybrid schedule with a few days in office, a few at home. Relocation assistance is available for the right candidate so out of market candidates are also of high interest.

You will:

• Develop and implement agency’s technology vision and roadmap to facilitate data-informed, outcome based planning with market-leading speed.
• Ensure technological and product developments align with agency business objectives for growth and brand positioning.
• Work with discipline leads and internal constituents to ensure the roadmap meets their needs, is understood, and can be effectively communicated to inspire clients.
• Drive efficiency by streamlining processes, automating tasks, establishing governance, and standardizing the process of plan creation connected to investment across channels, and measurement.
• Identify areas for improvement and diagnose pain points with a broad perspective that allows for innovative solutions.
• Spearhead the creation of an integrated campaign planning platform that combines media mix modeling, scenario planning, and audience sizing into a unified interface.
• Leverage generative AI, predictive analytics, and automation to reduce time-to-plan and increase plan quality, enabling teams to focus more on insights than process.
• Identify new areas for capability expansion, opportunities for new products, and ways to enhance campaign optimization and performance.
• Assess new technologies and build solutions that connect one another to scale intelligence, decisioning and speed to market across the agency.
• Oversee deployment of all technological solutions while ensuring scalability, security, and performance.

Candidate Competencies:

• 15-20+ years in media, advertising, or martech with leadership experience across technology, product, media strategy, investment, and analytics.
• Recent experience in an independent agency or startup environment.
• Proven ability to define strategic vision, identify opportunities, and deliver technology-driven growth.
• Skilled at simplifying complexity, setting clear priorities, and executing with focus.
• Strong executive presence and communication skills to influence at all levels.
• Deep understanding of the media landscape with sharp instincts for emerging trends.
• Demonstrated success building scalable tech platforms and launching new products.
• Experienced leading cross-functional teams and integrating strategy, analytics, and execution for client success.

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