Group Activation Director

Company description At Spark Foundry we bring HEAT to brands, Higher Engagement, Affinity and Transaction

Engagement with consumers, customers and stakeholders, affinity with brands, and transactions, that materially impact our client’s businesses

Spark is uniquely positioned to deliver HEAT because we have an aligned set of beliefs that guide how we navigate a changing media landscape, a structure that is designed for total accountability and a repeatable methodology to bake continuous improvement into everything we do

In order to bring this vision to life, we seek alignment around key values from our talent

Diverse thinkers with diverse thinking—what we call Allsorts—are essential to tackle challenges through the lens of different disciplines and perspectives

To succeed at Spark, you must thrive on the belief that great ideas are only great if they work

It’s not enough to be new, cool, or interesting; our solutions must drive business results

You need to embrace both the art and the evidence—right and left brain, imagination and activation, insight and technology in the pursuit of big ideas that are forensically measured

If you are motivated by these values, we welcome you to apply to become a Sparkie

Overview We're looking for a Group Activation Director to lead a high performing activation team and play a pivotal role in shaping investment strategy across a portfolio of leading national brands

This is an opportunity for an experienced media investment leader who thrives on developing people, building strong stakeholder relationships and driving exceptional commercial outcomes

Why You'll Love This Role Lead a talented team of media professionals across multiple investment portfolios

Operate as a senior leader and trusted advisor to both agency and client stakeholders

Manage significant investment budgets across channels including BVOD, Digital Audio, Digital, Programmatic, Influencer, TV and Out of Home

Influence broader agency initiatives and grow beyond a media craft specialist into a future agency leader

Work alongside some of the best talent in the industry backed by the scale, innovation and opportunities of Publicis Groupe

The Opportunity As Group Activation Director, you'll partner closely with senior agency leadership to drive investment excellence, commercial performance and team development

You'll lead negotiation strategies, oversee activation delivery, strengthen senior stakeholder relationships and ensure your team consistently delivers outstanding results

You'll also play a key role in developing future leaders, mentoring senior team members and helping shape the direction of Spark Foundry's activation offering

What You'll Be Doing Leadership & Team Development Lead, coach and inspire a team of investment specialists and future leaders

Mentor senior team members and support career progression across the group

Identify resourcing, capability and development opportunities before challenges arise

Foster a collaborative, high-performing and inclusive team environment

Client & Commercial Leadership Build trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders

Act as the escalation point for complex investment and activation challenges

Provide strategic guidance that drives strong business outcomes and client growth

Champion innovative approaches and emerging opportunities across the media landscape

Investment & Trading Excellence Lead large-scale media negotiations and investment strategies

Ensure commercial benchmarks, trading agreements and performance targets are achieved

Partner closely with specialist teams to deliver integrated, cross-channel solutions

Continuously seek opportunities to improve effectiveness, efficiency and value

Agency Growth Contribute to agency-wide initiatives and new business opportunities

Help shape investment products, processes and best practice across the business

Build strong market relationships and elevate Spark Foundry's profile within the industry

What We're Looking For You may be an existing Group Activation Director, Investment Director or a senior media investment leader ready for your next challenge

You'll bring: Extensive media investment and team leadership experience

Experience leading and developing high-performing teams

Strong commercial acumen and negotiation expertise

Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills

Deep understanding of the Australian media landscape across traditional and digital channels

Confidence influencing senior decision-makers and navigating complex environments

A passion for mentoring others and helping people grow their careers

What Makes You Successful We're looking for someone who is: Adaptable, resilient and comfortable operating in fast-paced environments

Commercially minded with a strong focus on delivering results

A collaborative leader who builds trust and brings people together

Curious, forward-thinking and excited by industry change

A positive role model who leads with integrity and accountability. #LI-FD1 Additional information Publicis Groupe benefits: Be a part of the Publicis Groupe family, recent winner of the Employer of Choice Awards and one of the world's most progressive and dynamic modern communications businesses

You can learn more about us at www.publicisgroupeanz.com

Enjoy all the perks that come with our network offering: A comprehensive Wholeself program supporting physical, mindful, and financial wellbeing

A creative, lively, and rewarding office environment where people love working with each other, supported by our Publicis Liberté flexibility approach — "working your way with us." Access to our Global AI Platform Marcel, connecting Publicis Groupe employees with opportunities for career mobility and collaboration across our global network

Extensive Learning & Development opportunities including more than 15,000 learning programs via our online learning platform, Marcel Classes

A culture of open feedback and support to reach your goals through our Career Conversations program

A committed Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion strategy driven through our Viva Women, Égalité, enABLE, EmbRACE, and Écologique committees

Leave benefits including Birthday Leave, Flexible Public Holidays, and an additional 5 days of leave after 2 years of service

Work Your World program enabling employees the flexibility to work from anywhere in the world for up to 6 weeks per year

Parental leave policy with up to 18 weeks based on tenure, paid primary carer leave, secondary carer swap, and Cub Care leave

Access to counsellors, psychologists, and professionals through Sonder, an all-in-one digital wellbeing technology platform designed to support psychological, medical & safety needs

A workplace that stands together to provide a more open, supportive, and recovery-forward culture for all employees with life-threatening illnesses

Read more about our Working With Cancer Pledge: https://workingwithcancerpledge.com/ Proud partners of Diversity Council Australia, Pride in Diversity, Family Friendly Workplaces, Supply Nation, and the Australian Disability Network

If you don't tick every box in this ad, please don't rule yourself out

Research suggests that women and other people in underrepresented groups tend to only apply if they meet every requirement

We focus on hiring people who share our values of inclusion, collaboration, adaptability, fearlessness, and integrity rather than ticking boxes — so if this role resonates with you, please apply

Diversity

Inclusion

Equity

More than just words; these are part of our DNA

At Publicis Groupe, we are committed to the inclusion and recognition of all people regardless of race, age, culture, ability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, and religious affiliation

We believe that to deliver the best solutions to our clients, our people need to reflect the diverse communities in which our clients operate

We value diversity and the skills, knowledge, and experience that difference brings to our culture and solutions

Uniqueness is powerful; without it, we wouldn't be where we are today

So be you — we like it that way

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for people with disability or those that require additional support throughout the application process

If you need any assistance or adjustments, please contact us via [email protected]; your personal information will be kept confidential.