Associate Director, Media Strategy

About the role

The Associate Director, Media Strategy will lead media strategy for a major food & beverage retailer, working full-time and fully dedicated to this single flagship account. You will guide strategy across both pulsed, promotionally-driven campaigns and the annual media plan while leading and developing a team of media strategists — overseeing a high-volume, always-on campaign portfolio delivered through two manager-led pods — in close partnership with channel lead counterparts.

Responsibilities

• Media Strategy
• Develop cross-channel strategy & planning for media campaigns, as well as coordinating the inputs for buying
• Write client briefs & translate them into insights-led media strategy
• Lead cross-channel planning in partnership with channel and buyer science teams, translating audience and research insights into actionable media plans
• Remain fully embedded in all aspects of the campaign including the planning process, through campaign execution and measurement
• Serve as a thought leader on the account — providing proactive POV’s and recommendations, and co-leading a monthly training series for the client
• Team Leadership
• Lead and develop a team of media strategy planners (two managers, each supporting a senior specialist)
• Help field, plan, and navigate the execution of pulsed and annual campaigns
• Balance workload and resourcing across two manager-led pods, keeping capacity aligned to campaign demand
• Coach and mentor direct reports, managing prioritization and professional development across the team
• Set quality standards and review team output to ensure accuracy and consistency across deliverables
• Client Relations
• Serve as the primary day-to-day media contact for key clients
• Lead & manage assigned aspects of client relationships
• Partner with clients to understand their business goals, marketing objectives and competitive constraints for the purpose of leading agency media planning outputs
• Foster collaboration between teams; work with partner agencies to integrate messaging & creative campaigns into overall media campaigns
• Oversee cross-channel budget management (e.g. flowcharts, budget trackers) workstreams with client and internal stakeholders
• Work closely with channel team leads on the account to ensure deliverables are met on time and to a high quality standard
• Own campaign timelines and deliverables with Media Operations at the portfolio level, ensuring launches, pacing, and reporting meet client expectations
• Provide operational oversight and stewardship of the team's internal planning, trafficking, and asset-management tools
• Campaign Execution
• Align measurement framework to client business objectives, ensuring strategy is followed through to execution
• Coordinate with buyer scientist and channel teams to map strategy with activation
• Serve as the primary escalation point and client communicator when issues arise across the campaign portfolio

Requirements

• 8+ years of client-facing media planning experience with a track record of driving results
• In-depth knowledge of the media landscape, consumer behavior and media consumption trends
• Cross-channel understanding of the media plan ecosystem and lifecycle from strategy to reporting
• Curious mindset with strong critical thinking skills needed to solve diverse business challenges
• Superb communication and presentation skills translating client challenges to campaign solutions
• Ability to work collaboratively in a cross-functional environment (internally & externally)
• Desire to be a hands-on multi-tasker that thrives in a fast-paced environment
• Data-driven approach, leveraging insights to develop strategy and define measurement
• Previous agency experience handling retail, food & beverage or consumer goods preferred
• 3+ years directly managing and developing media planners or direct reports
• Knowledge and experience of Prisma and Lumina preferred
• Experience using SharePoint (Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Suite (Slides, Docs) highly preferred
• Strong organizational skills — able to manage timelines, specs, POs, and flowcharts
• Familiarity with retail media networks and shopper marketing a plus

Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant field (e.g., Statistics, Economics, Marketing, Computer Science)
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines
• Experience with data analysis and statistical modeling
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Passion for innovation and creativity in media planning

Skills

• Data analysis and statistical modeling
• Project management
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Client relationship management
• Media planning and execution
• Measurement and evaluation

Benefits

• Unlimited paid time off
• 401k with company matching and no vesting period
• Annual bonuses
• Generous medical plan
• Paid parental leave

Pay

The base salary for this position is $120K-$130K. This range is posted in compliance with state and municipal Pay Transparency laws. In addition to base compensation, this role is eligible to receive additional Known benefits.

Schedule

Full-time position.