Commercial Lead

About Us
At Assembly, we help brands find the change to fuel business growth. We are an award-winning global brand performance agency, home to 1,600 talented people across 25 offices globally. We create unique data, technology and media solutions that enable faster and smarter problem solving and an inspired, collaborative workplace culture.

At Assembly we embody three core values: Show Up - actively contribute to a space of personal and collective growth; Make Change - embrace obstacles as opportunities, taking intentional steps to drive positive change; and Win Well - approach success with integrity, responsibility, and a commitment to collaboration, understanding that the journey is as important as the destination. Together, we create an environment that fosters continuous learning, adaptability, and a shared passion for making a meaningful impact.

We stay ahead of what's next, providing fresh insights to spark new ideas. We're a trusted partner to our clients, working behind the scenes to bring imagination, depth, and clarity to their biggest challenges—in entertainment, technology, lifestyle, sports, and gaming. Together, we create with confidence

Overview
As a
Commercial Lead / Director
, you will be the key commercial partner for both
global and domestic media operations
, responsible for structuring client fee models, negotiating platform and license agreements, and driving commercial best practices across deals and pitches.

You'll bring a
digital media commercial mindset
- comfortable discussing CPMs, license fees, and rate cards ( e.g. DV, CM360, GMP, or ad-serving costs) while balancing client value, agency profitability, and compliance.

You will play a pivotal role in client pitches, pricing strategy, financial modeling, and vendor negotiations across market s, primarily India.
Responsibilities

• Client & Commercial Leadership
• Act as the commercial business partner to Global Client Leads for global and regional media accounts managed from India.
• Lead commercial discussions with clients , procurement teams, and finance stakeholders.
• Represent Assembly India in new business pitches , crafting commercial proposals and presenting pricing models.
• Partner with client leadership teams to ensure contract compliance , profitability tracking, and revenue protection.
• Pricing & Rate Card Management
• Develop and maintain GTM pricing strategy and rate cards for platforms and ad tech tools (e.g., GMP, DV, CM360).
• Negotiate platform, license, and commission rates (e.g., DV Display/Video , CPM, Display CPC etc.)
• Manage direct IO activities including rate setting, cost validation, and client billing oversight.
• Evaluate cost-to-serve vs. revenue models to ensure agency profitability across client portfolios.
• Contracting & Governance
• Collaborate with Legal and Finance on drafting and reviewing commercial contracts, ensuring clarity of terms, compliance, and risk mitigation.
• Support contract assurance through standardized contract summaries and obligation mapping.
• Oversee scope of work (SOW) management , ensuring out-of-scope activities are captured, costed , and billed.
• Commercial Reporting & Analysis
• Lead financial reconciliations (FTEs, utilization , bonus calculations, unbilled media, AVBs).
• Partner with the Commercial Compliance Unit to forecast and track revenue, risks, and audit outcomes.
• Drive reporting efficiency via Excel automation, macros, or dashboarding tools.
• Support transition of legacy reports to new commercial systems and workflows.
• Vendor & Audit Management
• Negotiate and manage vendor contracts , including platform partners and audit firms.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for client audits, ensuring consistency in documentation and response.
• Maintain an audit repository to track learnings and precedents.

Required Skills
Essential Qualifications

• 7–12 years of experience in commercial, finance, or audit functions within media or digital marketing agencies .
• Strong understanding of digital media ecosystems - GMP, DV, CM360, ad-serving, and verification platforms.
• Proven track record in contract negotiation , pricing strategy , and media rate benchmarking .
• Advanced Excel proficiency (VLOOKUP, SUMIF, Pivot Tables, macros).
• Strong commercial and analytical acumen—able to translate data into actionable business insights.
• Experience managing multi-market clients and working across time zones.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, from operational to C-suite level.

Desirable Attributes

• Strategic commercial mindset; able to design innovative pricing and incentive models.
• Experience managing financial risk and compliance audits.
• Effective communicator and influencer, able to navigate complex global client structures.

Benefits

• Annual Leave in number of 20 allotted to all employees beginning of every calendar year.
• Sick Leave in number of 12 is allotted effective DOJ and beginning of ever calendar year.
• Other Leaves-Maternity Leave & Paternity Leaves, Birthday Leave Entitlement
• Dedicated L&D Budget for all Teams to upskill & get certified
• All employees are entitled for Group Personal Accident Cover & Life Cover Insurance.
• Insurance coverage for the entire family (Employee + up to 7 dependents - Self, Spouse, up to 4 children, and Parents)
• Monthly Cross Team Lunch
• Rewards and Recognition program-Employee of the month, Star Performer, Tenure Celebration & many more

Equal Opportunities
Assembly is an advocate for equal opportunity in the workplace. We are committed to ensuring equal opportunities regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability and gender identity. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

Social and Environmental Responsibility
At Assembly, we have a responsibility to bring impact into our every day. This means we must always look for ways in which to be conscious citizens in our roles to support society and environmental sustainability. We encourage employees to; be a conscious citizen by actively participating in our organisation's sustainability efforts, help us promote environmentally friendly practices within the workplace, collaborate with community organisations and stakeholders to support initiatives aligned with our company's values, participate in volunteer activities that benefit the community. Employees are also encouraged to make suggestions and evaluate our business practices to identify areas for improvement in social and environmental performance. Employees at Assembly demonstrate commitment to sustainability and inclusivity in their actions and behaviors.