Purpose

Think about all the things you’re exposed to on a daily basis, but don’t really notice. We live in a world full of invisible impressions. Adding to a sea of sameness where others have deeper pockets and hoping for anything but the expected outcome is silly. We can’t simply rely on reaching the right people in the right places at the right times. We need them to engage with our messaging and ultimately share it in some way. That’s what our team of analytically minded, creative media thinkers work passionately to accomplish on a daily basis for our clients.

Responsibilities

Leader in the department

• Contribute strategic media thinking for new business related needs
• Merchandise the department’s efforts internally and externally to raise the group’s profile
• Spearhead the development of junior team members (identify strengths/weakness, development of training programs and curriculum)
• Enhance and optimize processes to more effectively handle client responsibilities

Plan development

• Provide media team with client perspectives, insights, goals and strategies
• Provide media team with senior management perspectives, insights and goals
• Demonstrate a complete understanding of all client’s businesses
• Display a mastery of media fundamentals, including experience and interest across traditional and digital
• Demonstrate proficiency with industry planning tools (e.g., Nielsen Media Impact, Nielsen Ad Intel, Strata, DFA, etc.) to identify and evaluate media opportunities, assess the competitive landscape, pull plan deliveries and manage media buys
• Strategically guide the development of media plan recommendations that deliver on the client’s business goals and objectives and be accountable for the plan’s results
• Develop a deep understanding of an existing and/or prospective client’s business (e.g., sales, seasonality, target audience, etc.)
• Review past efforts to understand role of media types utilized and historical performance as relevant to successfully developing future campaigns
• Collaborate with account management, strategy, creative and production colleagues

• Determine media planning goals and objectives and create a measurement plan framework
• Gather and analyze relevant research to strategically inform plan development
• Oversee and inform the media team’s communication with all media partners
• Create, organize and maintain relevant media partner information (contact info, media kits, etc.)
• RFP media partners to identify strategically relevant opportunities
• Review proposals leveraging agency resources and planning tools Negotiation and implementation
• Negotiate the most advantageous media buys possible for the client
• Ensure the timeliness and accuracy of buy authorizations prior to sending onward for client approval
• Ensure the timeliness and accuracy of contracts (buy details and IOs) prior to sending to media partners
• Ensure the accuracy of the trafficking sheet (placement, targeting, cost model, etc. by media type)

Reporting and optimization

• Anticipate client reporting needs and architect the trafficking sheet (placement, targeting, cost model, etc. by media type) as needed
• Meet or exceed client expectations for their reporting and optimization needs
• Ensure the timeliness and accuracy of the performance reports presented to clients
• Monitor, optimize and report on the approved digital media plan elements
• Pull, scrub and analyze campaign data from DFA (or other relevant sources)
• Regularly implement optimizations based on partner performance

Stewardship

• Accurately track media budgets and expenditures by media type and by month and manage flowcharts to visualize placements by media type
• Verify that all media ran substantially as approved, otherwise negotiate make-goods and/or credit as may be applicable in accordance with industry practices
• Receive, review, verify, approve and process media invoices and resolve discrepancies

Competencies

• You are goal-oriented. You know exactly what you want. You’re a habitual setter of specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound goals. And you hold yourself accountable.
• You are insatiably curious. You’re thirsty for knowledge. You want to know why things are the way they are. You regularly ask “what if?” You’re always looking for a better way. And you can’t wait to find out what the next trait is.
• You are a task master. You make lists for everything that needs to be done and methodically prioritize and reprioritize to make sure that it all gets done in a timely manner.
• You are detail-oriented. In a client service business, especially one where you manage lots of money, it pays to have an eagle eye. You proofread your work several times over to ensure that it flows content-wise, is error-free and ready to send onward. (Like we obviously did writing this.
• You make things happen. You regularly put forth new ways, placements, trends and technologies to bring ideas to life in fresh, unexpected ways. You don’t take “no” for an answer from your media partners.
• You are an overachiever. You always do things better than people expect them to be done. That’s just the standard you’ve set for yourself.
• You live and breathe digital. You’re not just familiar with digital media channels, you personally use them, teach others about them and are always In The Know when it comes to the latest updates.
• You always have a POV. You methodically break situations down to frame the real challenge, unearth meaningful insights and piece together well-thought-out recommendations. Thinking analytically is what earns you a seat at the table.
• You are an exceptional storyteller. You appreciate simplicity and brevity. You leverage relevant insights and/or points of tension to pique interest in, and get buy in for, your recommendations.
• You are invaluable to your clients. They trust you. They rely on you and your team to arm them with the information and analysis they need to be successful. They appreciate that you make their lives easier by proactively servicing their business and adding value to every interaction.
• You are a leader, not a boss. You are an advocate for your team. You help them grow and become more successful. You set expectations. You hold everyone, including yourself, accountable. You explain the "why" of what needs to be accomplished. You show them how to successfully execute tasks and constructively critique the work along the way.
• You defy what is. You know that creative potential lies in identifying and breaking category conventions. You make it your mission to find fresh, unexpected ways to connect with your client’s target audience.

Professional Skills & Knowledge

Knowledge of all aspects of digital media (programmatic, site direct, mobile, SEO, etc.) and strong understanding of research tools (e.g. Nielsen Media Impact, Nielsen Ad Intel, comScore, Strata, etc.)

Experience

10+ years of media planning, buying and reporting experience