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Salary: USD 159,000 - 190,000 / annual
Ibotta, a leading performance marketing platform (NYSE: IBTA), is seeking a Principal Decision Scientist for its Publisher Insights team. You will serve as a senior individual contributor and trusted analytics advisor to Ibotta's strategic publisher partners (including Walmart, 7-Eleven, Uber, and DoorDash), operating at the intersection of analytics, strategy, and executive engagement.
In this role, you will own the full arc of analytical work for publisher relationships: from proactive insight generation and measurement methodology to C-suite-level storytelling. You will build and own the analytics foundation for the publisher network, including per-publisher and network-level scorecards aligned with Finance and Strategic Partner Management (SPM). You will lead partner-facing measurement by designing tests, building measurement models, and defending methodology with partner analytics teams. You will forecast publisher performance, track contractual commitments, and size opportunities for new capabilities.
Key responsibilities include: serving as the trusted analytics advisor to strategic publishers; building recurring business review narratives that explain performance drivers and recommend next steps; designing and executing experimental and quasi-experimental studies; developing forecasting and financial models at the partner level; analyzing partner economics including profitability, overlap, and revenue concentration; proactively generating data-driven insights that move beyond diagnostics to recommendations; delivering compelling executive-ready narratives that translate complex data into clear "So What / Now What" stories; partnering with SPM, Business Development, and Finance to shape the Publisher Insights roadmap; identifying recurring partner requests and turning them into scalable, automated solutions; contributing thought leadership on measurement and retail media analytics; mentoring junior and mid-level team members; and bringing an outside-in view of industry trends.
The role is hybrid in Denver (3 days in office: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) and requires up to 20% travel for partner meetings.
REQUIREMENTS:
- 10+ years of experience in analytics, data science, or decision science roles of increasing responsibility; analytical domain experience in retail media, performance marketing, or digital advertising; retail or CPG industry experience strongly preferred.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, mathematics, statistics, data science, or related quantitative field (Master's or PhD in quantitative field a plus).
- Deep partner-facing and consultative experience required; demonstrated ability to operate as an advisor (not just analyst) in external partner engagements; consulting background a significant advantage.
- Proven track record of building compelling, insight-driven partner narratives; expert visual and verbal communicator with C-suite presentation experience.
- Expertise in experimental and quasi-experimental design (holdout tests, matched markets, difference-in-differences, synthetic control) and ability to explain methodological limits to partners.
- Deep knowledge of forecasting, measurement, and attribution models, including incrementality and marketing mix modeling (MMM); ability to design, build, and explain these to non-technical audiences.
- Proven experience in forecasting and financial modeling at partner or business-unit level, including scenario planning and opportunity sizing.
- Experience analyzing partner or commercial economics (revenue share, minimum guarantees, contract performance, revenue concentration).
- Experience with privacy-safe data collaboration (data clean rooms) and measurement with limited or delayed partner data.
- Hands-on proficiency with SQL, Python, and BI platforms (Looker, Tableau, or equivalent); fluency with AI-assisted analytics and automation workflows; Git/GitHub, Databricks, and data pipeline tooling a plus.
- Demonstrated expertise in one or more partner business models (mass retail, grocery and delivery, dollar stores, rideshare and last-mile delivery, quick-service restaurants), or ability to build it quickly.
- Self-directed, highly organized, able to manage multiple complex partner engagements simultaneously.
- Collaborative team player who elevates others and builds productive cross-functional relationships.
- Willingness to travel up to 20% for partner meetings.
- Must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
