Advertising Operations Specialist

The Advertising Operations Specialist Serves as an operational partner to Sales and cross-functional business teams, to prioritize work, resolve operational challenges, coordinate projects, and provide analytics and insights that help inform sales and other business partners. The Specialist provides operational guidance, pertinent advertising fulfillment data, and provides support that enables Sales to respond quickly to client opportunities. This role coordinates cross-functional communication, oversees operational priorities, and ensures project work is completed accurately, efficiently, and timely.

The Specialist also owns key reporting processes and dashboards, supports workflow management, quality assurance, process documentation, and collaborates on continuous process improvement. By developing expertise in Crain's advertising systems, products, and fulfillment processes, this role identifies opportunities to improve operational efficiency, enhance the customer experience, and support scalable growth across the organization.

Location
Preference is to work onsite 3 days a week from one of our offices: Chicago, New York City, Detroit, Cleveland, Grand Rapids or Houston. Possible to work remote from one of the locations listed below for the highly qualified individual.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Serve as a primary operational partner for Sales, Finance, Product, Marketing Automation, fulfillment teams and technology vendors by evaluating business needs, establishing priorities, and coordinating successful execution of advertising initiatives.
• Provide data and insights for sales specific to inventory availability, campaign execution, fulfillment capabilities, and reporting to support client opportunities and enable efficient go-to-market execution. Own the Revenue Operations support queue by assessing business priorities, determining appropriate resolution paths, coordinating cross-functional resources, and driving timely issue resolution while identifying opportunities for operational improvement.
• Develop, maintain and improve departmental documentation, standard operating procedures, workflow documentation, and knowledge resources.
• Support quality assurance, troubleshooting, testing, and operational readiness for new products, technologies, and system enhancements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on strategic projects, product launches, system implementations, and process improvement initiatives by managing deliverables, recommending enhancements and ensuring successful adoption

Technical Skills

• Microsoft Excel
• Google Workspace
• Jira or similar
• SharePoint or knowledge management platforms
• Workflow documentation tools
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Google Ad Manager fundamentals (training provided)
• Naviga fundamentals (training provided)
• Digital advertising concepts
• Project coordination tools

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 2+ years of experience in advertising operations, digital media, marketing operations, business operations, or project coordination.
• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret operational data and identify trends.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.
• Interest in advertising technology, digital publishing, and operational excellence.
• Desire to learn technical systems and build expertise across Revenue Operations.

Pay Transparency Disclosure:
The estimated salary range for this position is $60,000 to $75,000.
The final salary offering will take into account a wide range of factors, including experience, accomplishments and location. The salary range provided should not be considered as a salary limit or cap. In addition to base salary, Crain also offers competitive benefits including retirement plan savings contributions and bonus opportunities based on individual and company performance.

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About Crain Communications: 

Crain Communications is a leading business news and information company with a portfolio of 24 media brands that provide indispensable coverage and data for professionals globally and across sectors, including advertising, automotive, energy, finance, healthcare, staffing, and workforce solutions. Many of Crain’s brands are the most influential media properties in the industries and communities they serve, including Ad Age, Automotive News, Pensions & Investments, Modern Healthcare, Staffing Industry Analysts, as well as Crain’s regional business brands. For more than a century, our dedication to deep sector expertise and journalistic integrity has enabled us to provide trusted insights across all our platforms, empowering today’s business leaders to make industry-shaping decisions. To learn more about Crain Communications, visit crain.com.

Environmental Demands 

Where you work matters. The job posting will provide specific information on where and when your amazing work would be performed. Employee work location is determined by the needs of the specific team and may include on-site, hybrid or remote.  Employee work location is subject to change.

• An “in-office” role would require the employee to come into the office most days with occasional flexibility to work remotely if tasks can be performed elsewhere and if the manager approves.  
• A “remote” role would allow an employee to work from a home office that is in one of the states Crain does business in. We can only employ a remote / "work from home" employee if they reside in one of these states: AZ, CA, CO, IL, MD, MA, MI, MN, NV, NY, NC, OH, OR, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, and Washington, DC.
• A “hybrid” role would be a mix of in-office and remote work. There may be a specified schedule for coming into the office or it could be at the discretion of the employee with the manager’s approval, subject to change. 
• Employees who live within a reasonable commute distance from a Crain office are expected to work on-site 3 days per week.

Many positions will also include work done in “the field.” Depending on the role, this may include conducting in-person interviews, attending work-related events, meeting with sources or clients. Specifics will be noted in the job posting but are subject to change as a role evolves.   Employees may be exposed to adverse environmental conditions, specifically during field work. Other typical job functions are performed under conditions such as those found in general office work.  

Travel to cover news stories/events, meetings with clients, and to our geographically separated offices may be required.  It is the nature of many positions to experience non-standard working hours and be on-call when needed for responding to email, meeting with clients, attending work-related events, story development or breaking news. Most employees perform work Monday through Friday, although early-morning, evening or weekend shifts may be required.   Work schedule and travel requirements are subject to change as a role and needs evolve over time.  

Physical Demands 
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of many Crain jobs and are subject to change. 

Physical activities will include frequent in-person or virtual interactions.  For most positions, it is essential to be able to remain at a desk/computer workstation for prolonged periods, perform computer-related tasks, and create/maintain documents within filing systems.  Must have close visual acuity to perform an activity, such as preparing and analyzing reports and information, transcribing, viewing a computer terminal, or extensive reading.  The typical physical requirements are light work—exerting up to 25lbs of force occasionally and/or up to 10lbs of force frequently and may include climbing, pushing, standing, hearing, walking, reaching, grasping, kneeling, stooping, and repetitive motion.  Some positions will have additional physical requirements, including exerting up to 50lbs of force to move and/or carry equipment, supplies, files, or other materials as the role requires.  

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions and meet the environmental and physical demands of the role. 

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities  The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)