Sr. Director, Demand Platform Operations

Company at a Glance

OpenX is focused on unleashing the full economic potential of digital media companies. We do this by making digital advertising markets and technologies that are designed to deliver optimal value to publishers and advertisers on every ad served across all screens.

At OpenX, we have built a team that is uniquely experienced in designing and operating high-scale ad marketplaces, and we are constantly on the lookout for thoughtful, creative executors who are as fascinated as we are about finding new ways to apply a blend of market design, technical innovation, operational excellence, and empathetic partner service to the frontiers of digital advertising.

OpenX is seeking a Sr. Director, Demand Platform Operations with significant experience in the programmatic ecosystem, preferably within a supply or demand platform. This senior leader will manage OpenX’s North American Demand Platform Operations team within our Demand Platforms group. This team is responsible for managing the technical integrations, operations, & primary relationships with OpenX’s tier 1 & 2 DSP partners. 

The focus of this role will be on driving revenue with existing partners through the technical & strategic understanding, investigation, and optimization of DSP partners, as well as managing a team of DSP Operations Directors. This person will be responsible for achieving revenue targets and working to establish best practices, learnings, and processes for the Operations team which uncover revenue opportunities, optimization tactics & strategies, and enable deepening relationships with top customers. 

We are looking for a revenue-led, highly motivated self-starter, who is both a strong hands-on contributor and has a track record of success with managing & leading best-in-class Account Operations or Technical Customer Success teams in the programmatic space. This role will report into the VP of Demand Platforms and will be highly visible within the OpenX organization and collaborating closely with the Exec team. 

Responsibilities:

• Revenue:
• Drive and own revenue targets with existing DSP partners through technical expertise, programmatic knowledge, and strategic alignment across partner stakeholders. 
• Act as a player/coach in identifying, implementing, and optimizing technical & strategic aspects of a demand partner’s integration & relationship with OpenX. 
• Enable, coach, and lead the team in telling data-centric stories using programmatic knowledge, market trends, and strategic insights across the account.
• Co-Lead investigations alongside Operations Account Director around fluctuations in revenue and/or programmatic exchange metrics - e.g. bid rate, win rate, eCPM - with the intent of uncovering driving factors & opportunities. 
• Understand and communicate OpenX’s value proposition, technology, and capabilities through strategic client engagements. 
• Partner closely with OpenX’s VP, Demand Platforms on top accounts to identify opportunities for revenue growth
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• Technical Insights, Optimizations, and Analysis:
• Establish and lead a diligent focus to seek out, understand, and improve technical abilities & integrations with DSP Partners.
• Support the co-development of DSP account plans, including tactical optimization and/or exchange-related Product requirements which are critical to success of a demand partner. 
• Lead & enable the team to analyze exchange trends across demand platforms, publishers, formats, regions, or other bidstream signals in order to inform both broad tailored DSP strategies. 
• Ensure team accountability & focus around leveraging & analyzing critical Business Intelligence tools, and prioritizing those which matter most to a strategic goal. 
• Act as a player/coach in identifying and suggesting strategies to increase Open Market and Private Market revenues and profits. 
• Work with internal teams to build and/or improve reporting and exchange dashboards using Excel or Looker. 
• Maintain a deep working knowledge of the OpenX platform and product suite to better guide the Platform Operations team and partners in best practices
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• Partner Relationships: 
• Establish strong relationships with DSP counterpart teams, including but not limited to day-to-day contacts and technical counterparts which have direct or indirect influence over supply partnerships.
• Be in-market and maintain strong relationships with top customers and gather intel and competitive feedback to shape OpenX’s company strategy and product roadmap
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• Management & Operations: 
• Lead contract negotiations and integrations for new demand partners
• Manage the Platform Operations team and conduct weekly 1:1’s and team meetings, lead career mapping and development conversations, and have performance and compensation reviews with direct reports
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• Collaboration: 
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal stakeholders across Publisher Development, Buyer Development, Product, Marketing, and Customer Solutions Engineering in order to drive business outcomes across OpenX clients.
• Work side-by-side with Demand Platform Partnerships across enterprise and strategic demand platforms in order to educate on bottoms-up account strategy, including technical insights, challenges, requirements, and opportunities. 

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Extensive Experience in Programmatic Advertising: 10+ years working within programmatic advertising, ideally within a demand-side platform (DSP) or supply-side platform (SSP).
• Revenue Leadership and Management: Demonstrated track record of driving revenue and achieving revenue targets in a technical or strategic role with DSP partners.
• Team Leadership and Development: Strong experience managing and leading teams in Account Operations or Technical Customer Success, including hiring, coaching, and performance evaluations.
• Technical Programmatic Knowledge: Deep understanding of DSP integrations, bid mechanics, eCPM, and other key metrics like bid rate and win rate to investigate and resolve technical or revenue-related issues.
• Analytical and Data-Driven: Proficiency in data analysis & corresponding tools like Excel and Looker, and ability to track, analyze, and report on platform performance, revenue, and and overarching trends.
• Client Relationship Management: Proven ability to build and maintain strong, strategic relationships with platform partners, including day-to-day contacts, technical counterparts, and leadership.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration Skills: Strong ability to collaborate with internal teams to drive outcomes, resolve problems, and/or achieve a strategic goal - Includes Product, Marketing, Customer Solutions Engineering, Publisher and Buyer Development.
• Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: Skilled experience at identifying & executing on problem areas & resolution paths across technical & strategic areas of the business 
• Presentation and Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication skills for conveying OpenX’s value proposition and engaging with executive teams.
• Self-Motivated and Revenue-Driven: A highly motivated, revenue-focused individual with a strong sense of initiative and the ability to act as a player/coach.
• Experience with Reporting Tools and Dashboards: Familiarity with creating and refining reports or dashboards that support tracking and decision-making across DSP accounts.
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OpenX VALUES

Our five company values form a solid bedrock serving to define us as a group and guide the company. Our values remind us that how we do things often matters as much as what we do.

WE ARE ONE

We are one team. There are no exceptions. We are a group of strong and diverse individuals unified by a shared mission. We embrace challenges and win together as a team. We respect and care about our colleagues and cultivate an inclusive culture

WE ARE CUSTOMER CENTRIC

We innovate on behalf of our customers. We understand, respect, and listen carefully to our customers. We build great products to solve our customers’ problems. We manage our customers’ expectations clearly and honestly. We are a trusted partner to all of our customers - we act with integrity at all times. We care.

OPENX IS OURS

We are all owners of OpenX

We all have a voice to improve OpenX

We stake our personal and professional reputations on the excellence of our work

We are not interested in just "doing our jobs"; we take ownership to drive results

WE ARE AN OPEN BOOK

We understand and respect what each of us does. We are eager to teach and share what we know with others, both internally and externally. We are eager to learn from others and we ask questions internally and externally. 

WE EVOLVE FAST

We take responsible risks and own and learn from our mistakes. We recognize and repeat success. We actively seek out and provide constructive feedback. We adapt quickly and embrace change. We tackle growth and learning with real urgency. We are endlessly curious.

OpenX TRAITS

Our three traits capture what makes a great team member at OpenX.

HUMBLE

Ideal team players are humble and demonstrate integrity. They put the team's success above their own, share credit generously, and value collective achievements. They are self-assured, open to coaching, and committed to continuous learning.

DRIVEN

Ideal team players are results-driven and motivated. They are curious, always seeking more to do, learn, and take on. As proactive problem-solvers, they take initiative without needing external motivation. They continuously think about the next steps and opportunities for improvement.

SMART

Ideal team players are smart and possess the intellectual acumen to understand the complexities of our organization and industry. They are interpersonally intelligent, good communicators, and exemplify sound judgment in their interactions across the company to foster a collaborative environment.

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Effective Date: November 21, 2024