Media Planner

The Media Planner will operate within the Connections Department and lead the day-to-day media planning for the agency’s clients and execution of media buys and reporting with a strategic agency buying partner. This position will work closely with the Connections team and Media Director in specific, to ensure flawless ad operations, buy execution and reporting. This position will collaborate closely with all agency disciplines to ensure plans are fully integrated, with emphasis on the organic social team, with some shared duties.

Job Location & Reporting:

This is a 100% remote position, but not virtual. For team collaboration and bonding reasons, the candidate will be required to be located within 25 miles of one the following cities: Sacramento, CA; Los Angeles, CA. or Boise, ID. Noting that residence in California or Idaho is a requirement.

This position reports to the Media Director.

Job Responsibilities:

Essential Functions

• Leads day-to-day media planning, including development of audiences, channel strategy, measurement framework and budget allocation.
• Leads day-to-day with strategic agency buying partner to ensure digital buys are built and executed to spec, including managing some traditional and direct digital media buys. Ensures best rates, positioning and added-value are secured for clients.
• Works closely with Media Director to lead client reporting with Connections team (and buying partner), ensuring insights are developed and optimizations are made.
• Has a strong understanding of client business verticals, objectives and strategies.
• Collaborates closely with all agency disciplines on holistic and integrated plans.
• Leads client and internal status meetings, including maintaining status sheet, providing media plan/buy pacing and budget updates, etc.
• Serves as organic social support, including synergies with holistic P/O strategy, audiences, reporting, calendaring and boosting.
• Develops and updates media specification grid for account and creative teams.
• Generates insertion orders for approved media plans.
• Leads tagging, QA and trafficking of buys.
• Updates media flowcharts, budgets and invoice reconciliations.
• Stays at the forefront of industry, media and digital trends to bring forward proactive ideas, processes, tests, POVs and solutions to clients. Infuses AI into workflow to streamline where possible.
• Supports agency business development efforts, ensuring media has ideas represented in RFP responses and pitches. Maintains an active presence on LinkedIn along with media rep community to raise agency's profile.
• Has strong relationship-building and communication qualities to deliver an on-time and on-strategy work product.
• Exhibits good presentation skills and is able to build strong relationships with industry leaders and clients.
• Experience and familiarity with media platforms, including but not limited to: traditional media channels, Facebook ads manager, Google ads (Search, YouTube, GDN, Discovery, Performance Max), Programmatic DSPs, social platforms (X, Snap, TikTok), etc.
• Experience and familiarity with media tech stack and tools, including but not limited to: Slack, Zoom, Dropbox, Google suite (including Google Analytics, Google Campaign Manager), Workamajig, GWI, Kantar, SEMRush, etc.
• Maintains key industry certifications with DSP, Meta, Google, etc.
• Understands and abides by agency’s business practices and core values.

Skills & Qualifications

• 3-5 years of experience in social strategy, paid social, media strategy or analytics
• Strong understanding of how social content, paid media and performance work together
• Experience reviewing and interpreting paid performance data
• Comfort contributing to creative ideation and content development
• Ability to communicate insights clearly to creative and client-facing teams
• Agency or multi-client experience preferred
• Experience with B2B, CPG and/or retail media highly preferred
• Interest in food, agriculture, sustainability or mission-driven brands a plus