Director, Integrated Media Strategy & Planning

Summary

Join DEPT® as a Director, Integrated Media Strategy & Planning, where you will lead and develop full-funnel, data-driven media strategies for major retail brands. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, including business development, creative, data science, and channel activation, to achieve client growth and secure new business. This leadership role requires a deep understanding of media planning, buying, and activation across all channels, including retail media, programmatic, search, social, and traditional media. You will be responsible for developing holistic communication plans, setting objectives and KPIs, and measuring campaign performance. The ideal candidate possesses 8+ years of experience in media strategy and planning, with a proven track record of success in retail media and integrated marketing communications. This role offers the opportunity to work with globally recognized brands and contribute to the growth of DEPT®'s Integrated Planning & Strategy practice.

Requirements

• 8+ years of hands-on and leadership experience in cross-channel media strategy, planning & activation inclusive of all digital channels with understanding of Programmatic, Search/Shopping, Retail media and Social; knowledge and experience in traditional channels is preferred but not mandatory
• 4+ years of experience in Integrated Marketing Communications / Communications / Connections planning with a paid-owned-earned-shared perspective, while at an agency or client
• 4+ years experience working on Retail brands and having crafted media strategy and planning on both US and international retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target
• Experience working with nationally / globally recognized brands, ideally in an multi-agency and stakeholder environment (e.g. IAT), with direct experience in 360 sponsorship / tentpole campaign planning and activation
• A balanced mix of robust B2B and B2C experience
• Understanding of brand and performance media and the synergy across the two
• Natural, proven leadership instincts that your team will want to follow, and your clients will implicitly trust
• Able to clearly and concisely articulate a persuasive point of view, both written and verbal, presenting to project stakeholders
• Curious and creative, while rigorous and analytical
• Able to understand clients visible and invisible needs
• Strong collaboration, client relationship, and leadership skills
• Experience navigating cross-functional teams and dynamics
• Deep experience with media industry research and planning tools (i.e. ComScore, MRI, GWI, Kantar, Pathmatics)
• Flexibility to travel for work meetings and events

Responsibilities

• Have the aptitude for elevating a client’s ambition in ways that allow us to over deliver and bring proactive growth orientated solutions
• Champion the work by having a deep understanding of our clients’ businesses and what makes them tick
• Possess the ability to identify business growth opportunities and develop strategic recommendations to support the growth of client relationships
• Support the expansion of our Integrated Planning and Strategy practice within the Creative & Media team at DEPT within North America and globally
• Actively contribute to our communications planning practice, while steering media strategy and planning practices
• Must have a strong passion for critical thinking, problem solving, and a deep understanding of how businesses, brands and customers interact, with an equal understanding of the role that data and technology play in this relationship
• Experience leading full-funnel, connected media and data driven strategies
• Develop communication plans that connect Consumer, Commerce and Content insights into media strategy and activation opportunities
• Understand first-party data to elevate strategic opportunities
• Continually monitor current marketing trends, new technology solutions, and competitors
• Experience using insights from data to tell a story
• Steer the creation of holistic communication plans and corresponding media strategies; from setting objectives & KPIs, audience sizing, profiling, targeting, , determining media channel mix and potential tactics/partners, budget setting to measurement frameworks
• Closely partner and collaborate with interconnected internal teams such as Client Services, Creative Services, Activation and Decision Sciences when creating and executing holistic media campaigns
• Work along a range of cross-discipline teams both within the agency and client’s team alike, building a collaborative and trusting relationship along the way
• Participate in new business development and other growth opportunities

Benefits

• Healthcare, Dental, and Vision coverage
• 401k plan, plus matching
• PTO
• Paid Company Holidays
• Parental Leave