As Media Planner you’re the day-to-day focal point to the account. You’ll have day-to-day responsibility for assigned accounts and will be expected to have an understanding of the client’s overall business and marketing objectives. You’re the steward of the tactical communications planning process and provides mid-level strategic recommendations to the senior media team and/or client. As the Media Planner you’ll have a strong working knowledge of the media space (including digital media) and available media research. You’ll be an active participant on the business; consistently engaged and contributing ideas and insights that will benefit your clients.

Responsibilities:

Communications Planning and Execution:

• Aids in the creation of client media communication plan objectives and strategies
• Creates and maintains media plans, flowcharts, buying guidelines, testing plans & results analysis, budget summaries, plan delivery and competitive reports
• Provides input into existing and emerging communications opportunities relevant to assigned brand/category
• Writes POVs as needed and evaluate new media types / outlets
• Supports Communications Planning Supervisor in the collection and evaluation of syndicated consumer and media consumption information
• Compiles reports of competitive market/media information for each brand/category
• Supports ACPD/CPS as a facilitating contact point for client’s internal media staff and the primary contact point to client’s brand staff when media issues are discussed
• May oversee the work of Assistant Communication Planners, ensuring that all deliverables are error free before they are submitted to Supervisors/clients

Client & Internal Relationships:

• May manage day-to-day client interaction
• May manage expectations of clients and deliverables
• Assists Supervisor in advising clients on the best ways to integrate media into their advertising and marketing programs
• Assists Supervisor in growing business opportunities within current clients
• Keeps up with the latest trends in media
• May be responsible for informing client/team of new opportunities or issues
• Participates and leads, if appropriate, face to face client and vendor meetings
• Builds positive relationships with internal and external teams and sets good example for assistant level

Strategic Thinking & Leadership

• Works with management team (CPS, ACPD, CPD) to develop strategies for communication plans
• Shares new and relevant advertising opportunities in written and verbal form to the department
• Strategizes ways to effectively use media dollars to the greatest benefit for our clients
• Assesses problems and concerns in a systematic, logical and rational manner
• Proactively resolves issues, know when to and to whom to escalate
• Provides guidance to team members nurture/promote team environment
• Assists in training of junior team members
• May be responsible for working with Supervisor to develop and oversee junior staff- manage time, assure projects are completed on time and adhered to (within) budget
• May be responsible for constructing and delivering accurate, honest and timely performance management documents
• Manages multiple deliverables and has the ability to seamlessly transition among them

Communication Skills

• Expresses oneself clearly and concisely in oral communications
• Writes in a clear, compelling and concise manner
• Organizes ideas and information logically and sequentially
• Assists in the development of media presentations, general overviews, and tactical POVs
• Develops client reports that are clear, compelling and persuasive
• Ensures key information is provided to team regarding client issues, internal agency issues, changes in account status, etc.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 2-3 years of communications/media planning experience
• Participation in at least one full planning cycle and development/implementation of at least two media plans
• Thorough understanding of the media process, media department and inter-department relationships
• Demonstrated ability to generate and present well-considered ideas and solutions
• Thrives in a fast pace, constantly changing environment; can adapt plans due to changes in client objectives, priorities or budgets while minimizing impact on project momentum
• Strong analytical skills, ability to relate results to client business objectives
• Balanced ability to perform analytically and creatively
• Experience with online research tools such as Nielsen, @Plan, AdRelevance, etc.
• Advanced computer skills (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint)