Associate Director, Planning

The Associate Director will lead the development and execution of integrated media plans for our pharmaceutical clients. This role is ideal for a strategic, hands-on media professional who can translate client business objectives into thoughtful, data driven media recommendations across traditional and digital channels.

Essential Functions

• Client Management: Maintain knowledge about the industry and brand/client – product benefits, efficacy, MOA, industry challenges, client processes and client corporate culture. Place clients on the leading edge of media change. Maintain on-going contact with day-to-day clients, lending credibility and endorsement to major projects
• Media Planning: Oversee media plan development and take the lead on all presentation development. Creates media plans that are strategically and executional sound. Review all plans to ensure quality and flawless execution can be achieved. Integrate concepts seamlessly with creative product and clients’ marketing plans
• Team Management: Manage and train staff and delegates to build an efficient team

Media Planning and Execution

• Accountable for plan output timeliness, accuracy, and overall operational excellence
• Lead the process of strategic planning/execution that ladders back to client/campaign goals
• Utilize appropriate resources to help guide client’s business goals using a data driven approach to create outputs (e.g., syndicated, proprietary, analysis, historical) for strategic and tactical planning
• Engage with Strategy to develop and support audience segmentation and prioritization
• Responsible for ensuring that all budgets and campaign plans and execution align with client parameters across all online and offline channels
• Understand and adopt proven channels and new innovations relevant to clients’ media strategies including but not limited to search, video, programmatic, addressable, emerging social platforms, and direct to publisher
• Work seamlessly with other activation teams guiding and challenging them to ensure highest quality thinking and performance
• Maintain relationships with media vendors; continue to develop publisher and elevate relationships for exchange of new opportunities/ideas
• Serve as a resource for advice and counsel for all junior levels guiding and assisting to help identify potential solutions to problems/issues

Strategic Thinking & Leadership

• Provides and discuss industry information on media, markets and related topics
• Ensures all relevant parties are informed and knowledgeable about client business challenges and opportunities as well as internal agency issues, changes in account status, etc.
• Provide and/or guide strategic input for all plans internally and externally
• Develops and maintains planning processes and procedures across teams/disciplines especially focused on high-risk areas such as finance and data security
• Understand and analyze the root causes of problems and develop ways to rectify
• Train, motivate and develop the junior team
• Create and deliver accurate, honest and timely performance management documents
• Identify opportunities for automation to streamline processes
• Demonstrate ability to sell SOLVE(D) and all its offerings

Communications Skills

• Own and maintain communications process with account, creative and clients
• Direct the development of client presentations and other important communications that are clear, compelling and persuasive
• Lead client presentations and day-to-day meetings
• Adapt communication style to relevant audience
• Move audience to desired action through clear and persuasive delivery of information
• Communicate key information about our company representing the values and goals of the organization internally and externally