Director, Media

About the role

We are seeking a strategic and data driven Director, Media to lead our media planning, buying, and optimization efforts across all channels. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in media strategy, digital advertising, and client and team leadership, with a proven track record of driving measurable results and maximizing return on advertising spend.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Planning & Leadership
• Develop comprehensive omnichannel media strategies aligned with business objectives and marketing goals
• Lead media planning process including audience targeting, channel selection, and budget allocation
• Oversee integrated campaigns across digital, traditional, and emerging media channels
• Collaborate with analytics, and biddable team to ensure cohesive campaign execution
• Present media recommendations and performance insights to senior leadership and clients
• Have strong client leadership skills and ability to create growth opportunities
• Media Operations & Optimization
• Manage media buying across platforms including, but not limited to, Google Ads, social media platforms (Meta / TikTok), and Video (OLV / CTV / Linear TV)
• Monitor campaign performance and implement optimization strategies to improve KPIs
• Negotiate media rates and placements with vendors and media partners
• Ensure campaigns are delivered on time, on budget, and meet performance benchmarks
• Stay current with industry trends, new platforms, and emerging technologies
• Team Management
• Lead and mentor a team of media planners, buyers, and analysts
• Set performance goals and provide regular feedback and professional development opportunities
• Foster a collaborative environment that encourages innovation and continuous learning
• Manage team workload and resource allocation across multiple accounts and projects
• Analytics & Reporting
• Establish measurement frameworks and KPIs for all media activities
• Analyze campaign performance data and provide actionable insights and recommendations
• Create comprehensive reports for internal stakeholders and external clients
• Implement attribution models and measurement solutions to track customer journey
• Use data to inform future media strategies and budget recommendations

Qualifications

• Experience & Education
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, Advertising, Communications, or related field
• 8+ years of experience in media planning and buying, with at least 3 years in a leadership and/or managerial role
• Proven experience managing substantial media budgets ($2M+ annually)
• Strong background in digital media channels
• Experience with marketing mix modeling or multi-touch attribution, sales lift, and brand health studies
• Knowledge of emerging channels such as Connected TV, audio streaming, or social commerce and retail media platforms including Walmart Connect, Instacart, Roundel (Target), Criteo Retail Media, Amazon, and other Retail Media Networks (RMNs)
• Understanding of the retail media ecosystem, and the evolving role of retail media within omni-channel marketing.
• Proven ability to analyze data, optimize campaigns for performance, and communicate insights to internal and external stakeholders.
• Industry certifications (Google Ads, Meta Blueprint, etc.)
• Agency or client-side experience across multiple industries
• Technical Skills
• Proficiency in media planning and buying platforms (Google Ads, Meta Business Manager, The Trade Desk, etc.)
• Experience with analytics tools (Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, etc.)
• Knowledge of attribution and measurement platforms
• Advanced Excel/Google Sheets skills and familiarity with data visualization tools
• Understanding of programmatic advertising and automated buying platforms
• Core Competencies
• Strategic thinking with ability to translate business objectives into media strategies
• Strong analytical skills and data-driven decision making
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Leadership experience with ability to manage and develop team members
• Project management skills with ability to handle multiple campaigns simultaneously
• Negotiation skills and vendor relationship management

Pay and benefits

The pay range for this role is: $125,000 - $150,000 per year