Director, Media Strategies

Spark Foundry is a global media agency that exists to bring HEAT – Higher Engagement, Affinity, and Transactions – to brands. By combining flawless media fundamentals with aggressive innovation, Spark inspires consumers to pay more attention; to care more about our clients’ brands; and to buy more products and services from them.
 
Balancing the nimble spirit of a startup with the powerhouse soul of Publicis Media, Spark Foundry delivers the best of both worlds to a client roster that spans some of the world’s best and most beloved brands and companies. We combine boutique-caliber insights and service with the buying clout and first-look access of a global leader, bringing the heat to challenger brands that want to act like giants, and to giant brands that want to act like challengers.
 
With a bottom-up culture that celebrates diversity and aims for all voices to be heard, Spark has become a magnet for the industry’s best talent, with one of the best retention rates in the industry. And by applying a whole-person approach to professional and personal development, Spark develops a workforce that is well prepared for today’s challenges, and also poised to create meaningful careers in the years to come.
 

Because we know that heat arises the intersection of complementary forces, our professionals come from myriad disciplines and backgrounds: data, analytics, and insights; content and creative production; communications and strategy; finance and marketing; and sociology, psychology, and other liberal arts disciplines.

The Director, Media Strategies manages the strategy and digital planning process for assigned clients. The Director is a leader who contributes to brand strategy, builds solid relationships with clients across all levels and functions, and is able to manage, lead, and develop their internal strategy team while also playing an active “hands-on” role in the deployment of strategic plans. They should also be fiscally accountable to Spark Foundry ensuring proper budget management and identifying upside revenue potential for the agency.

Digital Integration:  

• Utilize digital knowledge to ensure digital is planned and accounted for appropriately, as well as understand the channel role of programmatic to assure adequate funding  
• Develop data strategies for all digital channels  
• Bring thought leadership in data quality and activation across channels  
• Coordinate closely with Video Investment and Social teams for cross-channel deals and partnerships   
• Help determine best buying model (direct vs. programmatic) for Digital Video activities  
• Play an active role in programmatic strategy, planning, optimization; will not be hands-to-keys for programmatic (this will be in close coordination with the external programmatic team)  
• Be a strong relationship bridge builder for Agency to the external programmatic team  
• Display a strong understanding of existing programmatic partner capabilities and the ability to vet potential programmatic or data partners and provide POV’s for MC digital needs   
• Create digital playbooks (i.e. Audio Playbook, OTT Investment Principles, etc.) 
• Monitor digital media developments across the industry (e.g. ACR strategy & industry mergers, D&I data targeting capabilities across vendor partners, 1st party data capabilities by partners, negotiating Programmatic Guaranteed (PG) in up front deals, supply path optimization, personalization)  
• Assist in writing Brand Safety and buying guidelines for all digital channels; find opportunities to bring consistency and drive full utilization across the team  

Role Objectives:

• Strong leadership presence and client management skills
• Leads thinking to inspire innovative solutions, creativity and a proactive approach
• Digital mindset/fluency and an insatiable curiosity
• Flexibility and agility to manage complex processes
• Embodies Spark Foundry’s values and cultivates them among team members
• Ensure the team delivers sound strategic plan recommendations based on clear understanding of client objectives
• Maintain an in-depth knowledge of client businesses with a focus on upstream initiatives
• Expert command of Media Research resources, capabilities and limitations
• Exemplify collaboration by building and maintaining productive relationships across all communications areas (internal teams and agency partners)
• Ability to think beyond “media” as an active collaborator in the Integrated Marketing Communications process
• Thorough knowledge of marketing and communications
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; solid presentation skills
• Authoritative, leadership presence
• Ability to prioritize and organize issues/projects for self and staff
• Moderate travel

• 8+ years of Digital Media Planning, Buying, and Management experience in progressive levels of responsibility
• Demonstrated business acumen and a track record of success in the media services profession
• Strategic thinker, seeing the bigger picture, with ability to analyze everything and think critically when solving problems to come up with unconventional solutions
• Ability to establish and manage P&L statement
• Previous leadership and team management
• Ability to build great relationships with clients, vendors, and reps
• History of negotiating to get the job done right and track record of success in Media
   

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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