Job Description

We are seeking a Director of Activation Partnership Strategy – Auto to serve as both a strategic lead for one of Zeta’s largest agency partnerships and a subject matter expert (SME) for the Automotive category. This individual will lead Tier 2 Auto strategy across a growing portfolio of regional dealer groups and Tier 2 co-op programs, helping Zeta unlock repeatable, data-driven activation frameworks that convert audiences into in-market buyers.


This role is ideal for a strategic hybrid—part strategist, part operator, part storyteller—who thrives at the intersection of data, intelligence, and media performance. You will play a critical role in ensuring Zeta’s auto clients and agency partners see measurable value through precision targeting, seamless activation, and closed-loop measurement grounded in first-party data.


RESPONSIBILITIES 


1. Automotive Strategic Leadership

  • Serve as the Tier 2 Automotive subject matter expert across Zeta’s Activation Partnership Enablement team, defining vertical standards, benchmarks, and go-to-market frameworks.

  • Act as a consistent consultant and collaborator on Zeta’s largest automotive accounts for pre-sales, partnering with Sales, Activation, and Product Marketing to deliver strategic, data-driven narratives that differentiate Zeta in-market.

  • Translate OEM and Tier 1 brand strategies into localized, high-performance Tier 2 & Tier 3 activation plans, ensuring creative consistency, dealer group alignment, and measurable ROI.

  • Develop audience and creative frameworks that integrate Zeta’s proprietary Data Cloud intelligence with regional demand signals, inventory data, and behavioral intent.

  • Champion the use of first-party, CRM, and behavioral data in activation strategies to drive leads, service appointments, and showroom traffic.

    • 2. Partnership Strategy & Agency Enablement

  • Serve as the primary strategic liaison to one of Zeta’s largest agency partners, ensuring unified GTM strategies and operational consistency across all Tier 2 & Tier 3 Auto engagements.

  • Partner with agency leadership and internal stakeholders to standardize intake, workflow, and collaboration processes that increase speed and efficiency across RFPs, retention, and upsell opportunities.

  • Support new business and upsell opportunities by crafting strategic narratives, audience insights, and activation frameworks that highlight Zeta’s unique value proposition.

  • Liaise with Product Marketing to ensure competitive differentiation, messaging alignment, and category-specific positioning in all go-to-market materials.

    • 3. Performance Measurement & Intelligence Integration

  • Collaborate with Activation Analytics and Data Cloud teams to build and maintainrepeatable measurement frameworks tailored to Tier 2 and Tier 3 Auto KPIs such as CPL, VDP engagement, showroom visits, and digital retail conversions.

  • Drive Agile Intelligence adoption to optimize campaigns in-flight and provide data-driven insights that inform future media and audience strategies.

  • Create executive-level reporting frameworks that translate campaign performance into compelling business stories for agency and client leadership.

    • 4. Process, Product, and GTM Standardization

  • Partner across teams to develop standardized templates, playbooks, and best practices that scale Tier 2 and Tier 3 Auto activation strategy across the organization.

  • Liaise with Product Marketing and Product Management to translate market needs, activation insights, and client feedback into product roadmap recommendations.

  • Ensure strong pre- to post-sales alignment, including closed-loop validation of pricing, measurement, audience taxonomy, and execution requirements.

  • Uphold and continuously improve Zeta’s pre-sales workflow discipline, ensuring efficiency, quality, and cross-functional clarity.

    • REQUIREMENTS

  • 5-7 years of experience in media strategy, activation, or partnership enablement, preferably within the automotive vertical (Tier 2 or Tier 3).

  • Deep understanding of OEM, co-op, and regional dealer association models, including compliance and funding structures.

  • Proven experience developing data-driven activation strategies that connect first-party data, media performance, and measurement.

  • Proficiency with Google Ads, Meta, DV360, YouTube, CTV/OTT, and programmatic buying platforms; strong understanding of attribution and full-funnel optimization.

  • Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills with the ability to simplify complex concepts for executive audiences.

  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate with Product Marketing to align GTM messaging, competitive positioning, and client-facing enablement content.

  • Skilled at cross-functional partnership across Sales, Product, Data Cloud, and Analytics teams.

    • WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS


    The Director, Activation Partnership Strategy – Auto plays a mission-critical role in expanding Zeta’s automotive footprint. By bridging intelligence, data, and media performance, this leader will:

  • Establish Zeta as the preferred data-driven activation partner for Tier 2 and Tier 3 automotive organizations.

  • Drive predictable, measurable, and repeatable success across top agency and OEM-aligned partnerships.

  • Strengthen Zeta’s market position and competitive differentiation in one of the most dynamic and performance-oriented verticals.

    • BENEFITS & PERKS

  • Unlimited PTO

  • Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage

  • Employee Equity

  • Employee Discounts, Virtual Wellness Classes, and Pet Insurance And more!!

    • SALARY RANGE


    The salary range for this role is $140,000 - $150,000, depending on location and experience. 


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