Sr. Director, Marketplace

Papa John's•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

The Senior Director, Marketplace Strategy leads the strategic vision and growth across Papa Johns third-party marketplace channels (e.g., DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub). Serving as the primary architect of our third-party ecosystem, this leader is responsible for driving incremental volume, maximizing channel profitability, and expanding access to the brand. This role bridges enterprise strategy and field execution by establishing Joint Business Plans (JBPs) with aggregator partners, spearheading aggressive "test and learn" growth initiatives, and deploying precision marketing spend. Additionally, this position acts as a key strategic partner to domestic franchises and Designated Market Areas (DMAs)—coaching field leadership and operators on localized marketplace levers that drive profitable order growth.

Requirements

Proven experience (10+ years) in a strategic leadership role, preferably in QSR or marketplace focused industries
Bachelor’s degree required; MBA preferred
Strong understanding of the third-party aggregator platforms and marketplace business models
Significant third party delivery / aggregator experience required, including managing multi-million dollar promotional budgets
Demonstrated track record of successfully driving demand and growing third-party channels profitably
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to analyze data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.
Excellent analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, build complex financial models that include the various fee structures of each platform, develop executive level dashboards, and make data-driven decisions
Strong negotiation & vendor/partner management skills
Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and build growth-minded relationships with external partners
Intimate knowledge of delivery, POS + tech platforms (Uber Eats, DoorDash, Instacart, Amazon, GrubHub, PAR, Deliverect, etc…) and industry best practices
Familiarity with business intelligence tools like Tableau and AI data assistants to help speed up analytics processing
Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced retail environment

Responsibilities

Lead Enterprise JBP Strategy: Own executive-level relationships with primary aggregator partners to construct Joint Business Plans (JBPs) that align co-investment, promotional calendars, and feature roadmaps with company goals.
Aggregator Contract & Commercial Terms: Lead contract negotiations with third-party platforms to secure optimal commission structures, marketing placements, and favorable operational terms for corporate and franchise locations.
Expansion & New Channels: Evaluate and onboard emerging third-party platforms and novel delivery models to unlock new customer acquisition and expand addressable market.
Test & Learn Innovation: Build and execute a structured "test and learn" framework to continually evaluate promotional constructs, menu merchandising, targeting, pricing, and placement strategies across platforms.
Precision Budget Management: Oversee a multi-million dollar third-party marketing budget, applying precision spending models to ensure high ROAS, efficient customer acquisition, and profitable incremental order growth.
Conversion Optimization: Optimize brand storefronts, digital merchandising, and visibility tactics across aggregator apps to drive brand impact and appeal.
DMA & Franchise Coaching: Serve as the subject matter expert for franchisees, local marketing directors and DMA leaders, providing actionable playbooks, localized insights, and coaching on how to maximize third-party business.
Franchise Communication: Regularly present channel performance, test learnings, and strategic roadmaps to franchise advisory councils and executive leadership to ensure cross- functional alignment.
Daily Performance Monitoring: Track key operational and financial metrics (order growth, operational consistency/reviews, profitability) to rapidly identify channel opportunities and execute corrective tactics.
Cross-Functional Integration: Partner closely with Local Marketing, Technology, Operations, and Finance to ensure third-party strategies seamlessly integrate with first-party digital channels, commercial priorities and overall P&L goals.