Performance Media (Addressable)_05M

About the Role

The Associate Director of Digital Activation (Programmatic & Direct) is both a strategic thinker and hands-on leader responsible for owning activation across a high-profile Financial Services account. This individual will drive performance, shape activation strategy, and lead a team through continued growth and complexity within the digital ecosystem. The role requires a strong command of trading, optimization, and partner management, coupled with the ability to operate at scale and influence senior client stakeholders.

This is a high-impact leadership role on one of the world’s most recognized financial brands. You will have the opportunity to own foundational performance channels, shape how Programmatic and Direct evolves, and play a key role in advancing full-funnel strategy, innovation, and measurement. The role offers immediate visibility, ownership, and the ability to make a meaningful mark on both the account and broader practice.

Responsibilities

• Team Leadership
  • Lead and mentor Programmatic/Direct Investment team members, setting clear expectations and performance standards
  • Manage team resourcing and ensure efficient use of talent across workstreams
  • Support onboarding, training, and development of team members
  • Establish and reinforce best practices, processes, and frameworks
  • Foster a collaborative, accountable, and solutions-oriented team culture
• Grow Business
  • Own Investment performance and identify opportunities to drive incremental growth
  • Develop strategies aligned to client business goals across awareness, consideration, and conversion, with a focus on bottom-funnel tactics
  • Identify and test new partners, products, and approaches
  • Contribute to broader practice development and innovation initiatives
• Activation Ownership & Performance Delivery
  • Own end-to-end execution of programmatic and direct publisher campaigns
  • Translate client strategy into actionable activation plans, ensuring alignment with business goals across awareness, consideration, and conversion
  • Drive in-platform optimization including bidding strategies, audience refinement, inventory selection, and creative testing
  • Ensure effective and compliant use of data signals (1P, 3P, contextual), particularly within Financial Services guidelines
  • Maintain rigorous pacing, delivery management, and troubleshooting across all campaigns
• Partner & Marketplace Management
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with programmatic platforms, SSPs, data providers, and premium publishers
  • Manage large-scale partner relationships alongside the Senior Director to anticipate future needs and unlock value
  • Identify and test new partners, products, and deal structures to drive incremental performance
  • Stay ahead of industry trends and evolving programmatic capabilities, particularly as they relate to privacy and financial advertising
• Client & Communication
  • Day-to-day lead on client communications
  • Proactively bring new ideas for the account for broader business impact
  • Strong client leadership and communication skills

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or relevant post-secondary education, training, or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of experience in programmatic and/or digital activation
• Hands-on keyboard experience with DSPs (Yahoo!, The Trade Desk, DV360, Google Ads) and programmatic ecosystems
• Experience executing across display, video, native, and direct publisher buys
• Strong understanding of financial advertising regulations, data usage, and compliance considerations
• Proficiency in ad serving and measurement tools
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into insights and business impact
• Proven team leadership or mentoring experience
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment
• Strong negotiation and partner management skills

Skills & Expectations

• Deep expertise in programmatic performance marketing
• Ability to translate data into clear insights and business impact
• Proven ability to own strategy and execution in complex environments
• Proactive mindset with a focus on growth, innovation, and continuous improvement
• Passion for advertising and establishing yourself as a thought leader
• Staying up to date on industry trends and partner updates

Benefits

This is a rare opportunity to step into a true leadership role on a global account at a moment of change. You will have immediate ownership, influence, and visibility, with the ability to shape strategy, mentor a team, and leave a meaningful mark on how performance media is delivered. The role offers both scale and impact, making it a strong next step for candidates looking to accelerate their growth.

Pay

New York: $70,000.00–$125,000.00

Schedule

Omnicom’s policy requires employees to work in the office for a minimum of three days a week, unless additional in-office days are directed by their agency or manager.