Job Description:The Engagement Lead is CDS's primary client-facing owner, the single accountable presence who bridges strategic advisory, commercial stewardship, and delivery execution. This role owns the end-to-end client engagement - ensuring delivery excellence, deepening relationships, identifying and or leading growth pursuits. This role connects clients to the broader capabilities of Dentsu/Merkle.
Depending on assignment, this role may have one or more ongoing client engagements, lead discrete project-based work, or do both concurrently. In all engagements the expectation is the same: show up consultatively, own the outcomes, and create genuine value for clients.
This is a trusted advisor role with commercial accountability. This is not a coordination or project manager role.
Engagement Leads are conversant across the modern data and MarTech, Ad Tech and CRM stacks - from cloud data warehouses such as Snowflake, Databricks, and BigQuery to CDPs and activation, orchestration and decisioning platforms including Adobe CX Enterprise, Salesforce Data Cloud, and Braze, with demonstrable experience in one or two. This role is fluent enough to lead value conversations without relying on a technical translator, and they use data as a lens for every client interaction - understanding where and how it's sourced, how it flows, how it activates, and how it drives measurable customer experience outcomes and business results.
Whether embedded in a long-term client relationship or leading a defined scope of work, an Engagement Lead within Customer Data Services is proactive by default, commercially minded, intellectually curious about clients' businesses, and committed to continuous learning, including hands-on engagement with AI tools as a standard part of how they work.
The relationship you own drives client value. Every advisory conversation, delivery decision, and expansion opportunity you steward determines whether clients see CDS as a vendor or a strategic partner.QualificationsRequired (all levels)- Client delivery experience within technology, data, or martech services
- Senior client-facing experience with commercial or delivery accountability
- Experience leading cross-functional delivery teams (architects, engineers, business consultants)
- Comfort moving between relationship management and execution-focused modes, across both ongoing engagements and discrete project work
- Conversant across data platforms and marketing technology, with executive-level fluency in at least one or two; able to lead capability and roadmap conversations without a technical translator
- Track record of growing client relationships through delivery excellence and consultative engagement, not just managing what is in scope
- Excellent communication skills across all levels, from analyst to C-suite, written and verbal
- Strong critical thinking, analytical, and structured problem-solving skills
- Demonstrated use of AI tools as a regular productivity practice
Experience by tier- 6+ years of client delivery, including 2+ years in a senior client-facing role with commercial or delivery accountability
Preferred and Differentiators- Experience in a consultancy, systems integrator, or data-heritage services firm
- Familiarity with cloud data warehouses (Snowflake, Databricks, BigQuery, Microsoft Fabric) and their role in first-party data strategies
- Familiarity customer experience platforms as Adobe's CX Enterprise, Salesforce Data Cloud, Marketing Cloud, Braze
- Certifications in Adobe CX Enterprise, Salesforce Data Cloud Consultant, SnowPro, or Databricks
- Active participation in a vendor champion or community program (Snowflake Data Superhero, Databricks MVP, Salesforce MVP or Trailblazer Community leader, Adobe Champion, Google Cloud Champion Innovator). We treat this as a strong signal of the forward-looking, community-engaged practitioner we hire
- A visible external point of view: speaking, writing, or community leadership in data, martech, or AI
- Experience with agile delivery and modern data/martech engagement structures
- Background in financial management: revenue forecasting, margin tracking, resource optimization
- Bachelor's degree in a related field; advanced degree or relevant platform certifications a plus
The hourly pay range for this position is $55.00 - $62.00/ hour. The hourly pay rate for the successful candidate is based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and other factors permitted by law. Temporary employees are eligible for paid holidays in accordance with dentsu policy, as well as safe and sick time. This position is not eligible for any other benefits or other compensation.
To begin the application process, please click on the "Apply" button at the top of this job posting. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and qualified candidates will be contacted for next steps.
Location:USA - Remote - Maryland
Brand:Merkle
Time Type:Full time
Contract Type:Temporary
