Merkle is seeking an SVP, Senior Client Partner to lead strategic accounts with $15M to $20M+ annual revenue. This role owns account strategy, client relationships at executive levels (CMO, CIO, CFO), revenue retention (>90%), margin quality, and growth. Responsibilities include defending revenue base, driving expansion, managing commercial aspects, and collaborating with alliance partners like Adobe, Google, Salesforce, AWS, and Braze. The role requires 15+ years of client services or account leadership experience with direct P&L accountability, strong commercial acumen, and deep knowledge of CRM, CXM, AI, martech, and digital marketing. The position is hybrid based in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, or New York with remote considered for candidates outside commutable range. Salary range is $237,000 to $275,000 plus discretionary incentives. Benefits include medical, vision, dental, life insurance, disability, 401(k), flexible PTO, paid holidays, sick leave, and parental leave.
What you'll do
Own a portfolio of strategic accounts end-to-end including client satisfaction, revenue retention (>90%), margin quality, forecast accuracy, and growth
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Defend contracted revenue base against erosion, in-housing, offshore substitution, procurement-driven rate compression, and competitive displacement
Drive revenue expansion through cross-sell, adjacent-scope extension, new buying center entry, and AOR expansion
Set and own account strategy and growth plan, ensuring alignment across account management, delivery, and sales
Hold executive relationships at budget decision-making level (CMO, CIO, CFO)
Navigate complex multi-stakeholder environments across business, technology, operations, vendor management, and procurement
Manage all commercial aspects of the account including contracts, pricing, profitability, forecasting, and AR health
Bridge delivery with solutioning, account, and program management to ensure quality and commercial results
Partner with alliance leaders on joint account planning, pipeline mapping, and co-sell motions
Run proactive client partner cadence including Innovation Days, Discovery Workshops, Executive Business Reviews, and quarterly value reviews
Maintain thought leadership through events, POVs, workshops, and executive narratives
Provide leadership and direction to account directors, engagement leaders, and capability teams in a matrixed environment
Requirements
15+ years of progressive experience in client services, client management, or enterprise account leadership
Direct P&L accountability for accounts of meaningful scale
Experience owning $20M+ books and leading complex, multi-service-line engagements
Executive relationships held personally at CMO, CIO, or CFO level
Deep working knowledge of CXM/CRM, Loyalty, Data and Analytics, Identity, Digital Marketing, Content Supply Chain, B2B, and Enterprise AI / Martech
Experience directing account teams without line management
Strong commercial acumen including pricing strategy, multi-year deal structuring, negotiation, margin defense, and forecast management
Experience defending accounts against in-housing, offshore substitution, or competitive displacement
Working command of modern AI capability and its impact on delivery and commercial models
Alliance experience with Adobe, Salesforce, or comparable platform partner
Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree a plus
Tech stack
CRMCXMLoyaltyData and AnalyticsIdentityDigital MarketingContent Supply ChainB2BEnterprise AIMartechAdobeGoogleSalesforceAWSBrazeAIAgentic AutomationSalesforce (CRM platform)
Benefits
Medical insuranceVision insuranceDental insuranceLife insuranceShort-term disabilityLong-term disability401(k)Flexible paid time offAt least 15 paid holidays per yearPaid sick and safe leavePaid parental leave
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