Head of Industry, Retail

About the role

Viant is seeking a Head of Industry, Retail to accelerate growth within one of our most strategic verticals. This executive leader will expand brand-direct demand, deepen agency adoption, and strengthen Viant's position as the leading AI-powered programmatic platform for retail marketers by delivering innovative identity, measurement, and omnichannel advertising solutions.

This role requires 15+ years of advertising experience and a minimum of 5+ years working with retail brands in a brand-direct, agency, or ad technology environment. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of building executive relationships, driving category revenue, and developing high-performing go-to-market teams. Working cross-functionally with Sales, Product, Business Development, Marketing, and Measurement, this leader will help shape Viant's Retail strategy while accelerating growth across brick-and-mortar, ecommerce, omnichannel, and specialty retailers.

Responsibilities

• Scale Viant's Retail business by expanding strategic relationships with leading retailers across department stores, specialty retail, ecommerce, grocery, home improvement, apparel, RMNs, and other retail categories.
• Position Viant as the premier AI-powered programmatic platform for retail marketers by evangelizing our identity, content, attention, and omnichannel advertising capabilities.
• Drive industry awareness through thought leadership, executive presentations, industry conferences, and client education.
• Own and grow brand-direct demand while partnering with the broader sales organization to accelerate agency adoption across the Retail category.
• Develop and execute a category-specific go-to-market strategy that increases Viant's presence within key retail marketing organizations and annual media budgets.
• Partner with agencies and retail advertisers to help them navigate evolving consumer behavior, commerce media, identity, and measurement trends while positioning Viant as the platform of choice.
• Recruit, mentor, and scale a high-performing team of Retail-focused sales leaders and account professionals.
• Define category success metrics and lead execution against ambitious revenue, adoption, and growth objectives.
• Serve as the executive face of Viant's Retail business at client meetings, executive briefings, and industry events.
• Partner closely with Product and Business Development teams to develop innovative retail advertising solutions, commerce partnerships, audience capabilities, and measurement offerings that strengthen Viant's competitive position.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of advertising experience, including at least 5+ years supporting retail marketers.
• Deep expertise across retail categories, including ecommerce, specialty retail, grocery, department stores, home improvement, apparel, or omnichannel retail.
• Strong understanding of programmatic advertising, including CTV, Online Video, Display, Mobile, Streaming Audio, and Digital Out-of-Home.
• Experience with commerce media, retail media networks, omnichannel attribution, customer data strategies, or loyalty marketing is highly preferred.
• Proven success building executive brand-direct relationships and expanding programmatic investment within leading retail organizations.
• Experience hiring, developing, and leading high-performing go-to-market teams within ad tech, digital media, or enterprise technology.
• Strategic, analytical mindset with the ability to translate evolving retail and consumer trends into measurable advertising solutions.
• Exceptional communication and executive presentation skills with experience representing organizations at industry events and executive client engagements.

Benefits

• Fully paid health insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Unlimited PTO

Pay

Base compensation range: $225,000 - $250,000