Associate Director – Strategic Sourcing (Marketing)

Description

When you join Verizon

You want more out of a career. A place to share your ideas freely — even if they’re daring or different. Where the true you can learn, grow, and thrive. At Verizon, we power and empower how people live, work and play by connecting them to what brings them joy. We do what we love — driving innovation, creativity, and impact in the world. Our V Team is a community of people who anticipate, lead, and believe that listening is where learning begins. In crisis and in celebration, we come together — lifting our communities and building trust in how we show up, everywhere & always. Want in? Join the VTeamLife.

As our Associate Director leading Strategic Sourcing for Marketing, you will be accountable for the development, implementation, and overall management of the global sourcing strategy across a Multi-billion Marketing portfolio (encompassing Creative, Communications, MarTech, Print, Retail/Store Execution, Merchandise, Research, and Digital).

Operating in a fast-evolving ecosystem where Generative AI, AI MarTech solutions, and dynamic creative optimization are rapidly reshaping content creation and omnichannel delivery, you will lead and mentor a high-performing team based in Ireland.

You will be responsible for evaluating proposals, transforming the agency landscape, and driving Verizon’s overall commercial, financial, and working capital goals (including DPO90 mandates).

At the core of this role is direct strategic alignment and close partnership with the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Marketing VPs, Brand Leaders, and executive business leadership. Serving as a trusted commercial co-pilot to the CMO, you will bridge marketing vision with commercial strategy—ensuring procurement actively enables brand priorities, creative ambition, and speed-to-market while maximizing commercial value. You will lead high-visibility initiatives in a dynamic, high-performing Sourcing team based in Verizon’s Dublin office.

What you will be doing:

Executive & CMO Partnership: Serving as the primary sourcing partner to the CMO and Marketing leadership team; co-designing category roadmaps that directly mirroring business strategy, brand ambitions, and commercial growth targets.

Team Leadership & Development : Building, mentoring, and leading a dedicated team of marketing sourcing experts; manage recruitment, compensation planning, performance appraisals, and draft customized career development plans to enhance team capabilities.

Category Strategy & AI Evolution: Leading multi-year global marketing category sourcing strategies that adapt to shifting technologies—integrating cutting-edge AI MarTech firms, generative creative content tools, and automated omnichannel delivery platforms to optimize brand velocity and customer experience.

Strategic Partner & Agency Negotiations: Leading high-stakes negotiations with strategic agency networks, AI-driven content partners, MarTech providers, and production vendors to maximize commercial value, secure service level guarantees, and establish sustainable win-win partnerships.

Budget & Portfolio Governance: Managing the multi-billion-dollar marketing vendor portfolio against cost budgets in lockstep with Marketing Finance and business leadership, leveraging commercial levers, agency rate-card benchmarking, and working capital optimization (e.g., DPO90).

Cross-Functional & Business Alignment: Collaborating closely with Marketing executives, IT, and Legal to streamline contracting (MSAs, SOWs, expedited AI tool procurement) and actively participating in Strategic and Operational Reviews alongside senior leadership.

Market Insight & Analytics: Conducting ad-hoc financial and market analyses to provide foresight on emerging agency models, GenAI pricing structures, and omnichannel MarTech trends to inform CMO-level decisions.

Transformation & Process Leadership: Overseeing and leading the transformation initiatives—such as rapid AI contracting enablement and agency ecosystem restructuring—to accelerate go-to-market execution and process efficiency.

Industry Representation: Representing Verizon at marketing, supply chain, and procurement industry forums, associations, and events.

Travel: Some travel may be required to support global partner relationship management and executive stakeholder alignment.

Requirements

• You’ll need to have:
• A Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Finance, or a relevant discipline.
• Significant progressive experience in Strategic Sourcing / Commercial Category Management at a senior level, with a track record of executive stakeholder engagement.
• Proven experience managing large-scale spend portfolios ($1Billion+) within complex matrix organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and develop a team of sourcing professionals delivering strategic transformation.
• Valid right to work in Ireland.
• Even Better If You Have:
• A Master’s degree or MBA in a related field.
• Direct sourcing or commercial experience in Marketing and MarTech categories (ad agency ecosystems, GenAI creative tools, programmatic platforms, media, or retail production—either in-house, agency-side, or procurement-led).
• Demonstrated success partnering directly with C-suite stakeholders (CMO, CFO, Legal Counsel) to align commercial strategies with creative and growth goals.
• Familiarity with the commercial, compliance, and IP considerations of integrating AI MarTech partners into omni-channel marketing workflows.
• Exceptional negotiation, influencing, and executive communication skills across all organizational levels.
• Proven track record in driving working capital initiatives, such as supplier payment term extensions (DPO90).
• Demonstrated competency in strategic thinking and process automation (e.g., Ariba, SAP, Google Workspace, and AI tool contracting).
• High attention to detail, strong problem-solving capabilities, and a proven track record of handling highly confidential strategic information with discretion.
• Why Verizon?
• Verizon is committed to maintaining a Total Rewards package which is competitive, valued by our employees, and differentiates us as an Employer of Choice.
• We are a ‘pay for performance’ company and your contribution is rewarded through competitive salaries and performance-based incentives. We create an opportunity for us all to share in the success of Verizon and the value we help to create through this broad-based discretionary equity award program.
• Your benefits are market competitive and delivered by some of the best providers.
• You are provided with a full spectrum of health and wellbeing resources, including a first in-class Employee Assistance Program, to empower you to make positive health decisions.
• We offer generous paid time off benefits to help you manage your work life balance and opportunities for flexible working arrangements.
• Verizon provides training and development for all levels, to help you enhance your skills and develop your career, from funding towards education assistance, award-winning training, online development tools and access to industry research.
• You will be able to take part in volunteering opportunities as part of our environmental, community and sustainability commitment.
• Benefit packages are tailored to the specific country where a position is based.
• If Verizon and this role sound like a fit for you, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every “even better” qualification listed above.
• Where you’ll be working
• In this hybrid role, you'll have a defined work location that includes work from home and assigned office days set by your manager.
• Scheduled Weekly Hours
• 5