Director, Programmatic Display & Video

About the Role

We're looking for a Director of Programmatic Display & Video to build Groundworks’ in-house programmatic function from the ground up. This role owns the full lifecycle of bringing programmatic in-house, including evaluating and selecting DSP partners, establishing data and measurement infrastructure, building audience and targeting strategy, and scaling investment as performance is proven. The ideal candidate has built or significantly scaled a programmatic function in-house before and wants to do it again without an agency layer.

Responsibilities

• Lead and own the build-out of programmatic media in-house, including DSP selection (e.g., The Trade Desk, DV360), seat setup, and onboarding of data and measurement integrations.
• Personally build and launch campaigns directly within the DSP(s) — line items, creative setup, inventory/deal selection, and audience targeting.
• Set programmatic strategy across display, video, and native, then execute against that strategy hands-on, day-to-day.
• Own budget pacing and bid management directly within platforms, adjusting in real-time based on performance.
• Build and refine audience strategy using first-party data, contextual targeting, and third-party/curated segments.
• Establish measurement and attribution for programmatic, partnering with analytics.
• Build a testing roadmap for creative, audience, and channel/inventory mix, and personally execute and read out those tests.
• Take extreme ownership of performance — proactively identifying underperformance and making platform-level changes.
• Partner with creative teams to ensure display and video assets are built and sized correctly for programmatic delivery.
• Build the operational foundation (naming conventions, tagging, reporting structure, documentation) needed to scale programmatic responsibly.
• Hire, onboard, and eventually lead a small team of programmatic buyers while remaining hands-on in the platforms.
• Represent programmatic performance, strategy, and roadmap in regular reporting to Performance Marketing leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Stay ahead of programmatic industry shifts and proactively bring relevant opportunities to the team.
• Regularly and reliably report to work on time each working day.
• Perform other duties as necessary or assigned.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of hands-on programmatic media buying experience, including direct, in-platform DSP experience.
• Proven experience building or substantially scaling an in-house programmatic function, including DSP selection and onboarding.
• Deep, current expertise in at least one major DSP (The Trade Desk, DV360, or similar); multi-platform experience strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of display, video, and native including deal types (PMP, programmatic guaranteed, open exchange).
• Experience with audience strategy, including first-party data activation and privacy-conscious targeting approaches.
• Strong analytical skills; comfortable working directly with performance and attribution data (Excel required, SQL a plus).
• Experience partnering with analytics teams on incrementality or lift measurement.
• Strong communication skills: able to translate platform-level performance into a clear business narrative for senior leadership.

Working Conditions

• This role is onsite in our corporate office in Irving, TX.
• Regular use of computers, telephones, and standard office equipment.
• Fast-paced work environment requiring frequent interaction with customers, internal departments, and field personnel.
• May require flexibility in work hours to support multiple North American time zones.
• Frequent interruptions and changing priorities requiring adaptability and effective time management.
• High volume of communication through phone, email, messaging platforms, and scheduling systems.
• May require occasional work outside standard business hours to support field operations and customer needs.

Pay

The salary range for this role is $155,000–$195,000, based on experience.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Employee company ownership opportunities
• Industry-leading training programs
• Leadership development and career growth tracks
• Comprehensive and affordable benefits package
• Top Workplace with an award-winning culture