Associate Director, Client Growth Strategy | Performance Marketing

Company description Welcome to Our World We’ve been leading the charge in the affiliate industry from day one—establishing performance marketing and paving the way for future innovations. We're known for maintaining one of the largest, most reliable partnership platforms with impeccable, personalized service. Founded in Santa Barbara, California in 1998, CJ (formerly Commission Junction) stands as the most trusted name in performance marketing. We specialize in building partnerships between top brands and reputable publishers to drive revenue and business growth. CJ’s industry-leading solutions make us the platform of choice for over 3,800 global brands across sectors like retail, travel, finance, technology, and home services. As part of Publicis Groupe, our savvy data capabilities, cutting-edge tech, and strategic expertise facilitate genuine connections, allowing brands to reach consumers wherever they are. A Quick Peek at Affiliate Marketing Think back to your last online purchase. Did an influencer tip you off about a great product and offer a discount? Or perhaps you relied on a trusted review site to make your decision? Whatever path you took, affiliate publishers likely played a role by influencing, informing, or helping you find the best deal. CJ connects brands with these publishers, creating valuable resources for shoppers like you. Overview The Associate Director is responsible for developing complex, high‑impact Connected Commerce strategies for a portfolio of clients, helping them unlock incremental growth across affiliate, commerce media, and emerging performance channels while navigating ambiguity, scale considerations, and evolving client needs. This role serves as the primary strategic decision‑maker and advisor to clients—owning growth narratives, investment strategy, and long‑term planning—and is accountable for setting strategic direction, making tradeoffs, and driving alignment across Media, Investment, and Operations to bring integrated Connected Commerce solutions to life. Associate Directors elevate the conversation beyond “affiliate as a tactic” toward commerce growth as a business driver. Responsibilities Connected Commerce Strategy & Growth Own the Connected Commerce strategy for assigned clients, including the most complex accounts, stakeholder environments, and growth challenges within the portfolio Translate client business goals into integrated growth strategies that drive incremental revenue and efficiency—not just channel performance Identify, prioritize, and introduce new commerce levers clients can activate, making clear recommendations on where to invest, test, or deprioritize based on impact, scalability, and resource tradeoffs Client Leadership & Advisory Serve as the primary strategic point of contact and final Connected Commerce authority for clients, building trust through strong business acumen, clear point of view, and decisive recommendations Elevate conversations within the client organization, gaining buy‑in from senior stakeholders and positioning the organization as a long‑term growth partner Lead strategic moments including quarterly planning, business reviews, and growth planning sessions, owning the narrative, framing tradeoffs, and aligning stakeholders around committed plans Strategic Planning & Investment Leadership Own growth planning, budget strategy, and channel investment recommendations across the Connected Commerce ecosystem, with accountability for prioritization, sequencing, and impact at scale Use market trends, performance data, and industry insights to inform strategy and identify new opportunities Cross‑Team Collaboration Partner closely with Media, Investment, Operations and other critical Lines of Business to ensure strategic intent translates into effective, integrated execution, taking accountability for cross‑team alignment—not just coordination Identify recurring friction, unclear ownership, or execution risk across teams and drive resolution or escalation to prevent rework and over‑servicing Act as connective tissue across teams, reinforcing shared goals and outcomes rather than siloed success Qualifications Bachelor’s Degree or commensurate work experience  7+ plus years of experience working in a marketing role-ideally digital performance marketing  Strong written and verbal communication and relationship skills  Proficient knowledge of the Microsoft suite of products, including Windows, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint  Demonstrated ability to operate autonomously in complex, ambiguous client environments Comfort making and standing behind strategic decisions with incomplete information Strong strategic thinker with the ability to connect data, trends, and client goals Confident client communicator who can influence and inspire trust Collaborative leader who brings teams together around shared outcomes Additional information This is a hybrid role requiring 3 days a week in office. CJ is the leader in Performance Marketing.  We take pride in our innovative technology, comprehensive data solutions and our people.  We equip our teams with advanced tools, training and career development opportunities all to provide modern solutions, strategies and support to deliver high quality results for our clients. We work in an enthusiastic, collaborative team setting that values outstanding performance. We're a community of creative and passionate problem solvers who go the distance to tackle the tough questions, think creatively, and drive resourceful growth, for our clients—and ourselves. We foster and embody an inclusive and collaborative culture where diverse perspectives are sought, relationships are valued, and people feel accepted with a sense of belonging in expressing themselves authentically. We pride ourselves in having a workplace environment that values both work and play. Why Our Workplace Stands Out Apart from offering competitive salaries, 401K matching, wellness programs, and comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, we provide: Flexible time off without the hassle of accrual A generous number of paid holidays Company-sponsored team-building events An Employee Referral Program Annual recognition awards Hybrid work arrangements for optimal work-life balance Parental bonding leave Backup care options for children and elders An employee discount program International SOS program for global support Business Resource Groups, where employees connect over shared interests to cultivate an engaging, inclusive environment …and those are just a few of our great perks! Come join us and see what makes our company a great place to work. If you require accommodation or assistance with the application or onboarding process specifically, please contact [email protected]. Compensation Range: $97,375 - $155,961 Annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. Temporary roles may be eligible to participate in our freelancer/temporary employee medical plan through a third-party benefits administration system once certain criteria have been met. Temporary roles may also qualify for participation in our 401(k) plan after eligibility criteria have been met. For regular roles, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be July 13, 2026. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. #LI-DT1

Bachelor’s Degree or commensurate work experience  7+ plus years of experience working in a marketing role-ideally digital performance marketing  Strong written and verbal communication and relationship skills  Proficient knowledge of the Microsoft suite of products, including Windows, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint  Demonstrated ability to operate autonomously in complex, ambiguous client environments Comfort making and standing behind strategic decisions with incomplete information Strong strategic thinker with the ability to connect data, trends, and client goals Confident client communicator who can influence and inspire trust Collaborative leader who brings teams together around shared outcomes

Connected Commerce Strategy & Growth Own the Connected Commerce strategy for assigned clients, including the most complex accounts, stakeholder environments, and growth challenges within the portfolio Translate client business goals into integrated growth strategies that drive incremental revenue and efficiency—not just channel performance Identify, prioritize, and introduce new commerce levers clients can activate, making clear recommendations on where to invest, test, or deprioritize based on impact, scalability, and resource tradeoffs Client Leadership & Advisory Serve as the primary strategic point of contact and final Connected Commerce authority for clients, building trust through strong business acumen, clear point of view, and decisive recommendations Elevate conversations within the client organization, gaining buy‑in from senior stakeholders and positioning the organization as a long‑term growth partner Lead strategic moments including quarterly planning, business reviews, and growth planning sessions, owning the narrative, framing tradeoffs, and aligning stakeholders around committed plans Strategic Planning & Investment Leadership Own growth planning, budget strategy, and channel investment recommendations across the Connected Commerce ecosystem, with accountability for prioritization, sequencing, and impact at scale Use market trends, performance data, and industry insights to inform strategy and identify new opportunities Cross‑Team Collaboration Partner closely with Media, Investment, Operations and other critical Lines of Business to ensure strategic intent translates into effective, integrated execution, taking accountability for cross‑team alignment—not just coordination Identify recurring friction, unclear ownership, or execution risk across teams and drive resolution or escalation to prevent rework and over‑servicing Act as connective tissue across teams, reinforcing shared goals and outcomes rather than siloed success