Job Description Company description With a history that dates back over 80 years, Starcom is a global communications planning and media leader. We are an agency still grounded in our founding principle that people are at center of all we do. Each day, we apply this belief to harness the transformative power of data and technology to inspire and move people and business forward. With more than 7,000 employees in over 100 offices around the world, Starcom partners with the world's leading marketers and brands.

Within Canada, Starcom is a part of Publicis Media within Publicis Groupe, one of the world’s leading communications groups. Our team spans across our Windsor, Toronto and Montreal offices. We truly love the world of Media and Advertising. We see the planning and buying process as art. However, it is an art that is always best when backed by the science of empirical data.

You Will Be Joining a Well-recognised Agency With Credentials

• Great Places to Work certified three years in a row
• Only communications company to be ranked in LinkedIn’s Top 25 Great Places to Work
• 2022 Media Agency of the Year
• 2023 Media Agency of the Year finalist

What We Offer

• Work Your World program enabling you to experience working from anywhere in Canada or overseas for up to 6 weeks a year
• Extended long weekends throughout the year with an additional day off each long weekend
• Wellness & Tech benefits to support what’s most important to you
• Birthday leave
• Extensive Learning & Development opportunities, including more than 15,000 learning programs via our online learning platform as well as a Professional Development Allowance
• Local and Global Mobility within the Publicis Groupe network

Overview We are seeking a strategic and data-driven Director of Research & Analytics to lead our growing research and insights practice. This role is ideal for a media-savvy analytics leader who thrives on translating complex data into compelling narratives and actionable business strategies. You will be a critical partner to internal strategy, planning, and client teams—responsible for driving our research capabilities forward and delivering cutting-edge insights that fuel smarter media decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead Research Strategy: Own and evolve the agency’s research and analytics capabilities, including primary and secondary research, quantitative and qualitative methodologies, and advanced modeling techniques.
• Media Mix Modeling (MMM): Oversee the development, execution, and interpretation of MMMs to optimize cross-channel media performance and ROI.
• Audience Insights: Design and deliver audience segmentation studies that guide targeting, personalization, and media strategy.
• Insights Development: Synthesize multiple data sources (MMM, consumer research, platform analytics, 1P/3P data, etc.) into cohesive narratives that inform client strategy and inspire creative.
• Client Consulting: Serve as a senior strategic advisor to clients, presenting findings and recommendations clearly and persuasively.
• Collaboration & Integration: Work cross-functionally with planning, strategy, media, and data science teams to ensure insights are embedded throughout the campaign lifecycle.
• Innovation & Thought Leadership: Stay ahead of industry trends, research methodologies, and measurement frameworks to keep the agency and our clients at the forefront of media analytics.
• Team Leadership: Manage and mentor a high-performing team of analysts and researchers; foster a culture of curiosity, rigor, and continuous learning.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in research, or analytics roles within a media agency, consultancy, or similar environment.
• Proven expertise in media mix modeling (MMM), including vendor management and interpretation of model outputs.
• Deep knowledge of media channels (TV, digital, social, CTV, etc.) and their respective measurement strategies.
• Hands-on experience with audience segmentation, brand tracking, and consumer journey mapping.
• Exceptional communication skills – both written and verbal – with a demonstrated ability to translate data into compelling stories for executive-level audiences.
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing teams and collaborating cross-functionally.
• Proficiency in tools such as Excel, PowerPoint, Tableau, and statistical platforms (e.g., R, Python, SAS)
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in Marketing, Statistics, Economics, or a related field preferred.

Additional Information Starcom is an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. We create and nurture a vibrant work environment that celebrates, values and leverages all aspects of diversity and inclusiveness, attracts world-class talent and serves as the industry benchmark for best practices. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals and will provide appropriate accommodation for candidates with disabilities or accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process, upon request. Please contact our recruiter for any questions, accommodations or specific requests. We thank all candidates for their interest in Starcom however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted