Summary:
Merkley+Partners is looking for a Director to work a hybrid schedule with 3 days in our New York Soho office. They will be required to develop and maintain a strong knowledge of their clients' business and apply their media understanding accordingly to help deliver against the clients' needs/objectives. Working closely with Managers, this candidate also will oversee a team a of planners and assistants working on multiple work streams at one time. The Director must have an exceptional understanding of the full media planning process and be able to teach and assist with strategy, plan development and execution. This position will lead a large retailer account, working in tandem with cross-agency partners and the internal media team. Responsibilities extend to all channels - traditional, digital, CTV, advanced data, etc.
Responsibilities:
- Generate strategic media initiatives and lead the implementation of the media plans for clients or products
- Play a critical role in understanding the changing media landscape and guiding internal and external partners on the best media strategies to achieve the client's goal
- Oversee campaign strategy and development – includes tactical and partnership research, strategic recommendation, deck creation, client presentation, and any necessary follow-ups
- Responsible for quality control of media, overseeing daily tasks and responsibilities across the media team
- Develop strong, collaborative client relationships, instilling trust
- Manage timelines, projects, and communication with the team, helping with prioritization and goals
- Supervising, training and developing skills of Supervisors, Planners and Assistants to help promote team growth
- Manage vendor relationships, including regular vendor meetings to stay up to date on current media opportunities
- Active participant in meetings and collaboration with multiple agency disciplines/partners
Qualifications:
- Team leader, knows what it takes to manage a large group across a multi-faceted client
- Full knowledge of cross-channel planning and buying of digital media (Programmatic, Mobile, CTV/OLV) and traditional media best practices, tools and technologies
- Broadcast experience managing network integrations and relations
- A passion for staying abreast the ever-changing media landscape; using learnings to inform strategic discussions and decisions
- Thorough understanding of specific marketing goals across various brands and how to cater each media plan accordingly
- Confident and comfortable with presenting to clients and partners
- Ability to communicate data findings and reports in a clear, cogent fashion
- Ability to problem solve and foster team motivation
- A team player with a positive attitude and strong prioritization capabilities; someone who embodies a can-do attitude
- Flexible and able to keep up with a fast-paced, constantly-evolving environment
Professional Skills & Experience:
- Bachelor's Degree and 8+ years of experience in media planning and buying
- Great attention to detail and strong analytical skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to manage multiple clients/assignments in a fast-paced environment
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office software (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
- Expert on some or all the following media related programs: MRI, DCM, Media Tools, ComScore, Kantar