AV Account Director

AV Account Director JOIN OUR JOURNEY Medialab is the UK’s leading independent media agency, and one of the fastest growing in the industry. We’re a media agency that’s made differently: purpose-led, data-driven, founder-run and proudly independent. Our entrepreneurial spirit means success is recognised and rewarded. There are no limits to what you can achieve here, which our employees agree with, evidenced by being a Campaign Best Place to Work for six consecutive years and one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025. As well as this, we’re Campaign’s Independent Agency of the Year 2024 and Media Week’s Independent Agency of the Year 2025. We are IPA Effectiveness accredited, an IPA People-First agency, and All In Champions, with industry-leading work recognised by double-gold at the 2024 IPA Effectiveness Awards for our work with Laithwaites and a 2025 Effie for our work with Alzheimer’s Society. Our independence means we can focus 100% on doing the right thing to secure success for our clients and our brilliant people. We work with a wide variety of clients including Hovis, IG, Sharps Bedrooms, SunLife, Standard Life, Ancestry, Laithwaites Wine, Save the Children, Guide Dogs, Alzheimer’s Society, RNLI and Clearscore. OUR VALUES Commit to Doing the Right Thing (Act with integrity and accountability) Help People Flourish (Invest in people) Dig Deeper to Understand Better (Data driven curiosity) OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU Working at Medialab comes with lots of perks including all the usual things you would expect, such as a competitive salary package, pension, season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, weekly social events and big summer / end of year parties. On top of that, we offer extra benefits, which make life at Medialab even more rewarding: Time to Unwind – 22 days holiday (+ Christmas holiday closure), birthday day off, holiday buying scheme, flexi-hours and work abroad scheme. Hybrid Working – Balance between home and office (3 days in office). We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements from the commencement of employment. Career Growth – A meritocratic approach to progression with quarterly reviews, CPD Platinum accredited training, mentoring and leadership support. Health & Wellbeing – Private medical insurance, health cash plan, gym discounts, wellbeing apps Mental Health First Aiders and unlimited free professional counselling. Supporting Families – Enhanced parental leave, flexible working and life assurance. Giving Back – Paid charity days and sustainability initiatives. Perks & Rewards – Retail discounts, long-service trips and an unforgettable team culture. YOUR NEXT CHALLENGE The AV Account Director is a pivotal senior leader within Medialab’s growing AV department. This role is designed for a dynamic media professional ready to blend senior execution with strategic foresight. While you will maintain a guiding hand on buying, your core mandate will be elevating the agency’s AV planning practice by personally designing sophisticated, holistic strategies and by mentoring and upskilling junior team members to deliver gold-standard output. Operating within an independent agency environment means your remit will be broad, exciting, and highly collaborative. You will be exposed to aspects of agency life such as direct commercial negotiations, deal structures, and close media-owner partnerships. WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING Lead the creation of comprehensive, evidence-based AV strategies that seamlessly balance traditional linear TV reach with modern digital execution. Drive planning excellence across the entire Connected TV landscape, ensuring robust integration of BVOD, Sky AdSmart, YouTube, and the long-tail of AVOD. Leverage critical industry planning data and tools, demonstrating expert proficiency with Tech Edge, BARB data via DDS, CFlight (BARB's hub) and TouchPoints. Actively champion the adoption of forward-thinking practices, including addressable environments. Programmatic addressable TV experience is highly preferable (though not essential). Oversee buying and trading delivery of the mangers and exec, acting as escalation point for challenges or technical hurdles while enforcing strict governance over budget pacing and value-position reporting. Act as the primary strategic advisor for senior clients, taking ownership of annual strategies, high-level media plans, Post-Campaign Analyses (PCAs), and audits. Build and nurture strong, senior-level relationships with major broadcasters, streaming platforms, and digital networks to unlock bespoke, client-first opportunities. Oversee the day-to-day development of AV Managers, Senior Account Executives, and Account Executives. MUST HAVE SKILLS Strong, demonstrable experience in planning holistic AV campaigns with an absolute bedrock of linear TV expertise. A naturally curious, analytical, and critical mindset. You must be able to cut through the industry hype, question face-value claims, and remain cynical of products or platforms that promise the world but lack substance. A steadfast reliance on robust data over marketing noise. You should be passionate about getting to the true nub of a product’s performance by interrogating the data to prove actual business value. Thorough understanding of and practical planning experience across BVOD, AdSmart, YouTube, and wider AVOD platforms. Expert working proficiency with Tech Edge, DDS (BARB), and CFlight. A track record of building and maintaining strong relationships with major media owners and publishers. Experience managing or mentoring junior team members, with a passion for teaching the craft of strategic planning. NICE TO HAVE SKILLS Experience navigating programmatic buying methods within the CTV space is highly advantageous. Familiarity with econometric modelling, incrementality testing, and attribution frameworks to prove campaign effectiveness. Department TV Buying Team Locations London Remote status Hybrid Employment type Full-time