Media Planner - Buyer

About the role

This is a senior individual-contributor role recognized as a subject-matter expert with deep, hands-on knowledge across all media disciplines and channels. You will plan and buy strategic, full-funnel media plans across ATL/Traditional, Digital Paid, and Performance channels for the Sazerac US portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Build and secure integrated media plans within budget, optimize performance, manage campaign health, and control profitability across the full media mix.
• Lead media planning and buying with major partners (e.g., Disney, Netflix, NBC).
• Build and optimize Digital Paid Media programs across platforms such as Google, Meta, and TikTok.
• Drive Performance Media efforts that generate paid traffic and bookings to Homeplaces and the Digital Brand Ecosystem (Buffalo Trace Distillery and other Branded Experiences) as well as E-Commerce channels.
• Amplify Sazerac Earned Media efforts by partnering with PR, influencers, and the social team, ensuring paid, earned, and owned channels work together as one cohesive strategy.
• Independently plan and own large, complex media projects; may lead, coach, and delegate work to the Associate Media Manager or Media Coordinator.
• Grow sales volume, manage and optimize cost of goods and overheads while delivering highest-quality products.
• Ensure Priority Brands grow in volume and profit at a faster rate than the total business.
• Foster better communication internally and externally so all team members are fully aware of issues, events, and items of importance.
• Exceed expectations across all customer segments, including external and internal customers.
• Anticipate needs in all areas and address requests and complaints to the satisfaction of all customers.
• Drive continuous improvement in products, services, or processes—whether incremental over time or breakthrough—evaluated for efficiency, effectiveness, and flexibility.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or related field.
• 8 years of solid, hands-on experience in media planning and buying.
• Strong planning and organizational skills.
• Highly motivated individual with excellent communication, negotiation, influencing, and follow-up skills.
• Ability to drive results in a complex, high-growth company.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and channels simultaneously.
• Proven track record independently planning and leading large, complex media projects without supervision.
• Digital paid media experience, with hands-on buying experience across platforms such as Google, Meta, and TikTok.
• Performance media experience, specifically driving paid campaign traffic and bookings to homeplaces and digital brand ecosystem properties (e.g., Buffalo Trace Distillery and other branded experiences).
• Earned media amplification experience (PR, influencers, social) through paid media support and partnerships.
• Strong experience in media vendor and partnership management.
• ATL/traditional media planning and buying experience, including direct work with major traditional media partners such as Disney, Netflix, and NBC, with demonstrated depth as a subject-matter expert.

Preferred Qualifications

• Disruptive media models and strategies—non-traditional, innovative approaches to media planning and buying.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills, with the ability to take a broad perspective and work across brand, sales, and external partners to solve complex, ambiguous problems.

Benefits

Sazerac offers a comprehensive compensation and benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, 401K, and paid time off. These benefits may vary depending on location and work type.

Pay

The annual salary range for this role is $99,000 – $148,000. Final compensation will be based on relevant experience, qualifications, geographic location, and internal pay equity considerations.