Senior Media Planner

Walk-In Media is seeking a Senior Media Planner with 2–4 years of agency experience to join our planning team. This is a strategy-led role: the candidate must have strong channel knowledge across digital and traditional media disciplines — including programmatic, OTT/CTV, paid social, paid search, display, OOH, print, linear television, and radio — and be able to build integrated, cross-channel media strategies. Digital is the priority channel mix, but all channels must be understood strategically. Walk-In Media’s in-house programmatic, paid social, paid search, and linear buying teams handle platform execution; the Senior Planner owns strategy, briefing, and cross-channel integration.

Lead day-to-day planning across 3–5 client accounts; translate briefs into data-driven, cross-channel media strategies with clear audience mapping and KPI alignment spanning digital (programmatic, OTT/CTV, paid social, paid search, display) and traditional channels (OOH, print, linear TV, radio).

Evaluate and size target audiences; leverage syndicated research tools (Nielsen, Comscore, MRI-Simmons, Kantar, eMarketer) to ground recommendations in audience and market intelligence.

Brief in-house programmatic, paid social, and paid search specialists; coordinate linear TV and radio buys with the in-house buying team. Hands‑on execution experience is a plus, but not required — strong strategic direction and clear briefing are essential.

Stay current on platform innovations, partner opportunities, consumer trends, and industry developments; bring proactive recommendations to clients and the internal team.

Campaign Execution & Operations

Manage the full campaign lifecycle from setup through wrap; ensure all campaigns are executed on time, on budget, and to specification. Proficiency in Google Campaign Manager (CM360) for trafficking is required, as is a working knowledge of UTM parameters for tracking.

Set and manage budgets, pacing, and spend allocations across channels; manage insertion orders, vendor setup, billing reconciliation, flowcharts, authorizations, and campaign documentation.

Coordinate with the in‑house linear buying team on TV and radio campaigns: develop the strategic brief, define audience targets, set budget parameters, and review proposed buys and post‑buy analyses.

Analytics, Reporting & Optimization

Coordinate with the in‑house analytics team to develop a reporting framework aligned to each campaign’s media strategy and KPIs. Use agency‑maintained dashboards to monitor pacing, evaluate performance, and identify and communicate optimization recommendations to channel specialists and the account team.

Brief the analytics team on tracking requirements, UTM taxonomy, and measurement objectives prior to launch. Develop post‑campaign wrap reports with results, learnings, and strategic recommendations.

Manage day‑to‑day client communications across assigned accounts via email, weekly calls, and in‑person meetings. Present plan recommendations, performance results, and strategic insights directly to clients with confidence and clarity.

Meet with vendor and publisher representatives; evaluate proposals and negotiate placements and pricing on behalf of clients. Support new business pitches by contributing media planning expertise and presenting Walk‑In Media’s capabilities.

Work closely with Analytics, Paid Social, Account Management, Creative, and Finance teams. Direct reports pending based on account growth; as the roster expands, this role is expected to supervise and develop junior media staff.

Qualifications & Requirements
Experience

2–4 years of media planning and buying experience in an agency environment across multiple clients and channels simultaneously.

Strong channel knowledge across digital (programmatic, OTT/CTV, paid social, paid search, display) and traditional (OOH, print, linear TV, radio) from a strategic planning perspective. Hands‑on platform execution a plus; the requirement is the ability to develop strategy, brief specialists, and coordinate effectively across all channels.

Proven track record managing paid media budgets and delivering against KPIs (CPM, CPC, CPA, ROAS, reach/frequency, brand lift). Client‑facing experience required. Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, or related field preferred.

Technical Skills

Required:

Google Campaign Manager (CM360) for trafficking; UTM parameter knowledge for tracking; advanced Excel (flowcharts, budget tracking, performance analysis); syndicated research tools (Nielsen, Comscore, MRI‑Simmons, Kantar, eMarketer); media buying/billing platforms (MediaOcean, Prisma, or equivalent); GA4 and basic understanding of pixel tracking and conversion measurement.

Preferred:

Hands‑on DSP experience (DV360, The Trade Desk, Amazon DSP); social ad platform familiarity (Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok); R/F modeling and planning software for scenario modeling; knowledge of linear TV and radio planning and buying fundamentals.

Core Competencies

Strategic thinker who connects channel execution to client business objectives; builds compelling media rationale from brief to plan presentation. Strong quantitative skills; comfortable with budgets, data, and multi‑source insights.

Highly organized, detail‑oriented, and proactive; manages multiple campaigns and client demands simultaneously. Excellent written and verbal communication skills; confident presenting to clients and senior leadership. Collaborative, adaptable, and thrives in a fast‑paced independent agency environment.

Preferred Certifications
No certifications listed.

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