Planning Performance Associate Director

Comms & Strategic Planning London, England


Description

Position at EssenceMediacomX

Position/Title: Media Planning Associate Account Director
The Client:
EE launched in 2012, shaking up the telco industry by showing people how the magic of technology makes the everyday better.  EE is a brand that defies accepted wisdom and pushes the boundaries of innovation – it was the first brand to launch 4G, launched EETV before SkyQ and was the first brand to launch 5G.  EE expect EMX to challenge norms and develop new ideas to help deliver on the objective of showing their customers that the brand truly understands them.  For this reason, staying on top of the latest media opportunities, audience research and effectiveness data is essential.

Practice Summary:
Media Planning are experts on the paid media landscape and how consumers interact with it. We architect and steward holistic media plans throughout their lifecycle, owning the creation of overall plans, cross-channel budget allocation, in flight cross-channel optimisation & reporting and post-campaign analysis. We are our clients’ key contacts for a unified view across all aspects of their campaigns, narrating the story of the campaign from planning recommendation through to PCA. 
Position Summary:
The Media Planning Associate AD is responsible for working with junior team members to ensure client budgets are used optimally via effective planning, in-flight cross-channel optimisations and insightful post campaign analysis to inform future campaigns. They are responsible for the day-to-day management of media plans and their proper implementation, working to fulfil the agreed media objectives in the context of changing market conditions. They demonstrate strong working knowledge of the overall media landscape and available research, using these to inform planning recommendations.
In this role we are looking for someone with retail experience as EE look to explore many new verticals in their portfolio. In this space we are the challenger brand and we need to be reactive to succeed in a fast paced environment. You will be a sharp and strategic thinker who balances a creative mindset with a meticulous and rigorous approach.  You will lead the team in delivering the best solutions for our clients, driving collaboration across both the planning teams as well as the wider community of specialists here at EMX.
Essential Functions/Responsibilities:
  • Oversee and quality assure all deliverables produced by junior team members.
  • Ensure the delivery of high quality tactical response presentations, actionable weekly reporting, insightful post campaign analyses and clear briefs to Activation.
  • Deliver clear and compelling rationale to support media investment recommendations and to evidence campaign performance versus expected outcomes.
  • Take a lead role in client presentations and in briefing to Activation.
  • Work with Activation and Analytics to design test & learn approaches for assigned campaigns.
  • Take responsibility for the performance of assigned media budgets against intended outcomes.
  • Contribute to internal thought leadership and team process/workflow enhancement, increasing work quality, making us more efficient, and increasing Essential satisfaction.
  • Set the quality standard for one or more planning deliverables per year, improving them over time via team/client feedback and incorporation of evolving external context.
  • When appropriate, support the development of media plans and presentations for new business pitches.
  • When required, assist with new client onboarding, working closely with Client Services.
  • Identify and build out one case study per quarter suitable for internal sharing.
  • Line manage 1-2 direct reports to support career development and Essential satisfaction
  • Ability to manage upwards where necessary, delivering solutions and new thinking to benefit both team and client
  • Balance key specialisms with an up to date and rounded view of key markets, channels, technology and platforms
  • Have experience in implementing a rigorous test and learn programme that drives innovation and learning for the cleint

Competencies (specific knowledge, skills and abilities):
  • Forecast expected outcomes of campaigns and manage spend accordingly.
  • Competent spreadsheet capability (VLOOKUP, Pivot Table) are a must.
  • Superior presentation design skills, in slides or document format.
  • Understanding of industry standard media research tools (e.g. Comscore, GWI, TGI, YouGov).
  • Sound written and verbal communication skills, with the desire to learn and advance.
  • Excellent organizational skills, close attention to detail and ability to quality control work.
  • Ability to adhere to deadlines.
  • Superb client relationship and management skills.
  • Proven problem solving and decision making skills.
  • Ability to work independently and to collaborate in a team environment.
  • Skilled in quantitative reasoning.

Management Responsibility
  • Motivate junior team members, leading by example while teaching new skills.
  • Provide timely and actionable feedback to aid in team development and improvement.
  • Develop strong relationships across the client team to facilitate flawless execution of plans.
  • Communicate effectively across all levels of the team.
  • Understand when to escalate issues to managers.
  • Provide awareness and recognition for jobs well done.

Required Education and Experience: 
  • Bachelor’s degree 
  • Experience may be substituted for the education
  • Proven experience in media at Manager level, with solid understanding of the principles of marketing and advertising.

What you can expect from us:
As an EMX employee, we promise you a workplace that invests in your career, cares for you and is fun and engaging.  We believe these factors create a workplace where you can be yourself and do amazing work. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, or marital status.
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibility and activities may change at any time with or without notice.