Lead Email Developer

Job Description

Company Description

Merkle is a leading data-driven, technology-enabled, global performance marketing agency that specializes in the delivery of unique, personalized customer experiences across platforms and devices. For more than 30 years, Fortune 1000 companies and leading nonprofit organizations have partnered with Merkle to maximize the value of their customer portfolios. The agency’s heritage in data, technology, and analytics forms the foundation for its unmatched skills in understanding consumer insights that drive people-based marketing strategies. Its combined strengths in performance media, customer experience, customer relationship management, loyalty, and enterprise marketing technology drive improved marketing results and competitive advantage. With 4,400+ employees, Merkle is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with additional offices in the US, Europe, and Asia. In 2016, the agency joined the Dentsu Aegis Network.

Job Description

• The Lead Email Developer consults on, codes, and troubleshoots HTML email messages and related content in support of the digital marketing programs of our clients. They also act as an email subject matter expert and are responsible for a small team of email developers. Key Responsibilities:
• Develop complex and customized HTML email code that adheres to industry best practices and brand guidelines, and closely matches the original creative design. Additional code-related responsibilities include:
  • Consulting on technical capabilities and considerations
  • Performing quality checks and peer reviews\
  • Managing changes and updates
  • Scripting for dynamic content, personalization, and segmentation
  • Managing HTML content and related assets within clients’ email platforms
• Work with email account production managers to coordinate campaign assets
• Display problem-solving skills to address and solve technical problems that arise
• Keep up with industry standards, innovations, and new best practices in email marketing
• Maintain basic knowledge of data as it relates to HTML code, to aid in troubleshooting critical list errors
• Deliver work in a timely fashion, which is crucial in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrate flexibility by adapting to the evolving needs and priorities of our clients
• Provide career coaching and mentoring for senior email developers
• Act as a point of escalation for senior email developers on the team
• Write technical documentation and establish process, as needed
• Collaborate with other internal team leads—who aren’t always technical—to handle escalations and problems that arise
• Contribute to new business development and RFP responses, as needed

Core Competencies:

• Attention to detail
• Prioritize quality and accuracy in everything you do
• Adhere to standard operating procedures and client checklists
• Utilize self-auditing processes and techniques
• Perform thorough peer reviews on behalf of your teams
• Display advanced organizational, time management, and work prioritization skills
• Technical knowledge and skills
• Advanced to expert knowledge of HTML and CSS
• Experience in responsive design is required
• Strong, foundational grasp of email marketing best practices as they relate to email design and development
• Ability to arrive at creative solutions and turn unclear facts into logical and teachable concepts
• Advanced knowledge of email platform limitations and code fixes/hacks to resolve (e.g., SFMC, Adobe Campaign, Oracle Responsys)
• Technical understanding of platform-specific scripting languages (e.g., AMPscript, RPL, etc.) and/or JavaScript is a plus
• Ability to train others on the technical aspects of email development
• Self-sufficiency
• Ability to deliver high-quality work with minimal supervision
• Ability to prioritize work according to a variety of factors and variables
• A self-starter who is able to work autonomously is a must
• Communication skills
• Ability to conceptualize and communicate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Ability to professionally connect with internal and external teams to increase trust and value for our clients
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Able to discuss creative and technical ideas with clients and/or third-party vendors through written communication, on-site visits, presentations, and phone calls
• Team and task management skills
• Directly supervise a team of senior developers. This includes actively engaging with your team, providing career coaching/consistent feedback, and frequent check-ins on your team’s goals and overall performance
• Manage production-related administrative tasks as assigned
• Ability to take a technical leadership role whenever necessary
• Ability to act as a point of escalation for technical requests or issues
• Contribute to the operational and administrative well-being of the team, as needed

Qualifications

• Five to seven years of experience in front-end development or email marketing in a professional environment
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or comparable technical field, or professional experience that demonstrates comparable technical abilities required
• Experience building error-free email campaigns, including responsive HTML emails
• Advanced understanding of web languages and development tools such as HTML, CSS, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and Bootstrap
• Experience communicating with internal teams as a primary point of contact a plus
• Experience as a coach, mentor, or people manager in a professional environment a plus
• Experience working in Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC) preferred. Other ESP experience (e.g., Adobe Campaign, Oracle Responsys, Oracle Eloqua) a plus
• Superior attention to detail
• Strong work ethic and a bias toward action- and results-oriented activities
• Passion for learning new skills
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Collaborator that is team-centric and understands the importance of client service
• Naturally proactive and highly organized with the ability to turnaround multiple complex projects quickly
• Closely work with internal teams as a subject-matter expert of email development and overall best practices
• Accurately estimate project scope and delivery timelines for client work
• Develop and maintain internal email best practices guides and HTML repositories

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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