Senior Media Planner, Programmatic
Starcom Mediavest Group Germany Gmbh, Chicago, IL, United States
Senior Media Planner, Programmatic
As a Senior Media Planner, Programmatic, you will be a strategic leader responsible for developing, executing, and optimizing programmatic media plans that drive meaningful business outcomes for our clientsprimarily within the luxury automotive category. You'll collaborate closely with internal teams, agency partners, and platform vendors to architect smart, data-driven strategies across display, video, audio, and emerging programmatic channels. You will play a central role in evaluating new technologies, shaping audience strategies, and ensuring flawless execution across DSPs. You'll also translate performance insights into compelling stories that influence clients and guide ongoing optimization and testing. Develop full-funnel programmatic media plans, including strategy, audience recommendations, budget allocation, inventory selection, and KPIs. Lead campaign briefing, setup, forecasting, pacing, and optimization workflows in partnership with activation teams. Evaluate and recommend audience segmentation strategies, leveraging 1P/2P/3P data, contextual opportunities, and platform-native solutions. Collaborate with analytics and insights teams to define measurement frameworks, testing roadmaps, and learning agendas. Analyze campaign results and generate actionable insights that shape ongoing strategy. Provide thoughtful guidance on channel roles, programmatic trends, and emerging technologies. Partner with creative, account, and production teams to ensure alignment on messaging, placements, and deliverables. Lead communication with platform partners (DV360, The Trade Desk, Amazon DSP, etc.) to stay ahead of innovations and competitive intelligence. QA all programmatic media plans and deliverables, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and excellence. Present strategic recommendations, insights, and results to internal teams and client stakeholders. Support junior team members through guidance, mentorship, and performance feedback. Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, or related field. 46+ years of experience in digital media planning, with at least 3 years focused specifically on programmatic media. Strong understanding of DSPs (DV360, TTD, Amazon, Yahoo DSP, etc.) and programmatic buying mechanics (PMPs, PG, RTB, auction dynamics). Experience developing strategies for audience targeting, data activation, measurement, and attribution. Ability to analyze performance data and synthesize into clear insights and recommendations. Experience working with luxury, automotive, or premium brands is a plus. Strong cross-channel understanding of display, video, CTV, audio, native, and emerging programmatic formats. Excellent communication, presentation, and storytelling skills. Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment with attention to detail. Familiarity with ad serving, measurement, and verification tools (DCM/CM360, MOAT, IAS, GA/GA4, Adobe, etc.). Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and project management workflows. Hands-on-keyboard DSP experience Google Marketing Platform or Trade Desk Certifications Experience with brand lift studies, MMM, MTA, or advanced analytics Exposure to identity solutions, clean rooms, or privacy-safe data models Experience with automation/bulk sheets for optimization, reporting, and trafficking efficiencies Experience with DCO at scale Regional media planning experience We live by our C.O.R.E. values: Collaborative - We work together to get better stuff done than we could alone. Optimistic - Honest and confident in our quest forward; believing the impossible is possible. Results-driven - Creativity is always in service of results and never for its own sake. Entrepreneurial - Build something new. Shoot for the moon. We offer comprehensive benefits and 'work perks' like great options for medical / dental / vision insurance, 401(k) with company matching, unlimited PTO, generous paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement, family forming assistance reimbursement, pet adoption assistance + "pawternity" leave, etc. We have a hybrid work schedule (3 days a week in office / 2 days from wherever your heart desires). We're part of Publicis Groupe which is a huge global network, so there are many resources that come with that like Business Resource Groups for a variety of communities like Publicis Parents, VivaWomen, Egalit, etc. We give back to our communities with our annual Day of Good and volunteer opportunities throughout the year. We love to grow our talent and promote from within whenever possible, and we offer professional development trainings and regular structured performance reviews. We have a lot fun! We have a whole committee called "Team Fun" that plans parties and events for us to celebrate birthdays, holidays, cultural moments, etc. Some recent fun events include a flower bouquet bar, origami lessons, and hearing from creative entrepreneurs at our Moonshot speaker series.
As a Senior Media Planner, Programmatic, you will be a strategic leader responsible for developing, executing, and optimizing programmatic media plans that drive meaningful business outcomes for our clientsprimarily within the luxury automotive category. You'll collaborate closely with internal teams, agency partners, and platform vendors to architect smart, data-driven strategies across display, video, audio, and emerging programmatic channels. You will play a central role in evaluating new technologies, shaping audience strategies, and ensuring flawless execution across DSPs. You'll also translate performance insights into compelling stories that influence clients and guide ongoing optimization and testing. Develop full-funnel programmatic media plans, including strategy, audience recommendations, budget allocation, inventory selection, and KPIs. Lead campaign briefing, setup, forecasting, pacing, and optimization workflows in partnership with activation teams. Evaluate and recommend audience segmentation strategies, leveraging 1P/2P/3P data, contextual opportunities, and platform-native solutions. Collaborate with analytics and insights teams to define measurement frameworks, testing roadmaps, and learning agendas. Analyze campaign results and generate actionable insights that shape ongoing strategy. Provide thoughtful guidance on channel roles, programmatic trends, and emerging technologies. Partner with creative, account, and production teams to ensure alignment on messaging, placements, and deliverables. Lead communication with platform partners (DV360, The Trade Desk, Amazon DSP, etc.) to stay ahead of innovations and competitive intelligence. QA all programmatic media plans and deliverables, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and excellence. Present strategic recommendations, insights, and results to internal teams and client stakeholders. Support junior team members through guidance, mentorship, and performance feedback. Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, or related field. 46+ years of experience in digital media planning, with at least 3 years focused specifically on programmatic media. Strong understanding of DSPs (DV360, TTD, Amazon, Yahoo DSP, etc.) and programmatic buying mechanics (PMPs, PG, RTB, auction dynamics). Experience developing strategies for audience targeting, data activation, measurement, and attribution. Ability to analyze performance data and synthesize into clear insights and recommendations. Experience working with luxury, automotive, or premium brands is a plus. Strong cross-channel understanding of display, video, CTV, audio, native, and emerging programmatic formats. Excellent communication, presentation, and storytelling skills. Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment with attention to detail. Familiarity with ad serving, measurement, and verification tools (DCM/CM360, MOAT, IAS, GA/GA4, Adobe, etc.). Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and project management workflows. Hands-on-keyboard DSP experience Google Marketing Platform or Trade Desk Certifications Experience with brand lift studies, MMM, MTA, or advanced analytics Exposure to identity solutions, clean rooms, or privacy-safe data models Experience with automation/bulk sheets for optimization, reporting, and trafficking efficiencies Experience with DCO at scale Regional media planning experience We live by our C.O.R.E. values: Collaborative - We work together to get better stuff done than we could alone. Optimistic - Honest and confident in our quest forward; believing the impossible is possible. Results-driven - Creativity is always in service of results and never for its own sake. Entrepreneurial - Build something new. Shoot for the moon. We offer comprehensive benefits and 'work perks' like great options for medical / dental / vision insurance, 401(k) with company matching, unlimited PTO, generous paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement, family forming assistance reimbursement, pet adoption assistance + "pawternity" leave, etc. We have a hybrid work schedule (3 days a week in office / 2 days from wherever your heart desires). We're part of Publicis Groupe which is a huge global network, so there are many resources that come with that like Business Resource Groups for a variety of communities like Publicis Parents, VivaWomen, Egalit, etc. We give back to our communities with our annual Day of Good and volunteer opportunities throughout the year. We love to grow our talent and promote from within whenever possible, and we offer professional development trainings and regular structured performance reviews. We have a lot fun! We have a whole committee called "Team Fun" that plans parties and events for us to celebrate birthdays, holidays, cultural moments, etc. Some recent fun events include a flower bouquet bar, origami lessons, and hearing from creative entrepreneurs at our Moonshot speaker series.