General Purpose of Job:  
We are looking to hire a Manager, Media Planning who is responsible for developing an understanding of clients’ business model and pain points and translating them to custom media strategies and media plans. The ideal candidate will have a passion for digital marketing, have familiarity with all media channels, both online and offline, as well as the ability to think critically. The Manager, Media Planning will be responsible for overseeing the media planning process and participating in developing client relationships by building trust and credibility through clear, concise and professional communications. The successful Manager develops media plans that deliver against goals/KPIs and provides ongoing guidance for next-level strategies that positively impact the client’s business. This role manages the daily activities of team members with responsibility for managing, mentoring and developing direct reports. This role will have expectations of working on both existing client strategy as well as collaborate on new client strategy and innovation opportunities.

Location: Chicago, 4 days in office

Key Responsibilities: 
•    Work with Media Strategy leadership to develop innovative and custom solutions in achieving client goals for prospective and current clients 
•    Develop and oversee media strategy, campaign creation, budget, optimization, and testing strategy(ies), as applicable, for full-funnel, multi-platform campaigns across all paid channels including television, radio, print, out-of-home, digital, social, and mobile media 
•    Leverage insights and learnings to help determine the right channel mix and further bolster the data-informed portions of media plans; engage with and support the efforts of the Analytics team re: same  
•    Translate client audience data, goals, and pain points into custom media plans 
•    Assist with driving new business development by ensuring the New Business team is leveraging customized approaches 
•    Work in collaboration with Director and peers to develop media strategies that leverage connections planning and creative insights, are integrated across moments/tactics and align with client campaign objectives
•    Support the efforts of the activation team related to plan execution; participate in packaging / communicating negotiation / placement / results outcomes to clients, as appropriate 
•    Stay current with new advances in media, the competitive landscape, and vendor capabilities; leverage that knowledge to influence current and future business plans and strategies  
•    Supervise media team members on the execution of client media campaigns to ensure accurate and timely execution 
•    Foster and implement collaborative, proactive communication with internal teams and external client(s) (via in-person, phone or email) 
•    Ensure all communication on behalf of client is clear, concise and accurate (notifications, insertion orders, press runs, material tracking resolutions, etc.) 
•    Lead and support team development including mentoring and training on new media / internal process and procedures 
•    Marshall team and other resources, as necessary, to manage multiple projects simultaneously 
•    Implement and support operational best practices across the team and within the department 
•    Keep manager and team members informed of media opportunities or challenges that could impact client budget and goals of each campaign 

Job Requirements:    
Education: Bachelor’s degree required

Experience: 
•    4+ years of media experience at both a tactical level (implementing) and strategic level (guiding and training); agency experience is a plus 
•    Experience in omnichannel media planning, including both digital and traditional media
•    Proven ability to manage multiple, simultaneous short- and long-term projects  
•    Track record of demonstrating strong judgment and prioritization capabilities 
•    Ability to implement change quickly to support evolving / changing client initiatives or marketplace occurrences 
•    Working knowledge of third-party media research, including but not limited to:  Nielsen, MRI, Scarborough, Kantar, DoubleClick, YouGov

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
•    Experience building client decks and pitching current as well as potential up-sell opportunities 
•    Strong understanding of media planning, distribution, and syndication of content 
•    Evidence of facilitating and initiating creative thinking in the media space 
•    Dedication to completing projects and tasks with passion and a relentless pursuit of excellence; ability to excel in a complex and changing marketplace Demonstrated critical thinking and problem solving abilities 
•    Collaborative approach and all-in attitude Client facing track record; excellent verbal and written communication skills 
•    Committed to flawless execution 
•    Strong presentation / story-telling and written and verbal communication skills 
•    Skilled at and enjoys manipulating and understanding data, as well as drawing actionable data-driven decisions to drive sales and marketing efforts 
•    Strong interpersonal, partnership and influencing management skills 
•    Self-motivated and creative strategic thinker who thrives in fast-paced environment

Employees can be expected to be paid an annualized salary range of $68,250 - $115,000, based on variations in knowledge, skills, experience and market conditions.