Associate Vice President, Media Planning

Move Your Career Forward with DAC as an Associate Vice President, Media Planning

Who We Are

We are DAC—a global full-funnel performance media agency dedicated to delivering transformative results. With expertise spanning SEO, paid media, creative production, analytics, and local optimization, we combine the brightest minds with innovative technology to deliver seamless, forward-thinking strategies. Powered by AI, data, and creative ingenuity, we deliver integrated campaigns that engage customers at every touchpoint—from global audiences to individual store locations.

Position Summary

The Associate Vice President, Media Planning will have the unique responsibility of helping to further define and integrate our media planning offering (both linear/traditional and digital) within our award-winning full-funnel media agency. As a leader within the media team, this individual will provide strategic leadership while still demonstrating a deep knowledge of each channel and media planning in order to provide value to clients and teach/train a team of subject matter experts.

The key objectives for this role are four-fold:

• Expand our integrated media planning function across linear/offline as well as upper funnel and performance digital media, to ensure DAC’s nascent but expanding traditional/linear and upper funnel media offerings are in line with the expectations of both the industry and ourselves as an award-winning agency
• Support Strategic Insights, Proove Intelligence (Analytics) and Media activation teams to establish and iterate on a full-funnel, online and offline measurement framework
• Help teach and train the agency on upper funnel (incl. digital as well as linear/traditional/ATL) language/lingo, buying processes, and measurement. Though the primary focus of the role is planning, hands-on buying experience with traditional/offline media is a bonus for this role
• Grow and lead a world-class Planning team that can scale with the needs of the agency’s business. This role requires a proven ability to manage a small but growing team in the face of change, including ensuring team knowledge is current, staffing and resourcing is effective for our client mix, and work is distributed appropriately across the team.  Effective team management is as important as in-depth knowledge of media planning

What You’ll Do

• Use 3rd party research tools such as MRI Simmons, Pathmatics, Kantar, GWI, Nielsen and iSpot, as well as analytics data such as GA4 and client-owned CRM data, to identify and define key audiences, media channel insights, and objectives
• Work hand-in-hand with Strategic Insights, Client Strategy, Media, and Content Strategy & Creative (where applicable) teams to create truly integrated, full-funnel media plans
• Work with Media leads, Strategy and Proove teams to establish Full Funnel Media measurement framework
• Partner with Strategic Insights, Media and Proove Intelligence (analytics) teams to ensure media plans are data-driven with defined objectives, and properly measured -- including bringing forth appropriate solutions for awareness, brand lift, consideration and other “upper-funnel” measurement
• Research and vet new upper funnel (traditional and/or digital) media opportunities and vendors/partners, and work with Account, Strategy and Media teams to define and present new campaign ideas to clients
• Act as a client-facing subject matter expert for clients that have significant upper-funnel buys alongside Account management, Media and Strategy team members
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of the clients’ businesses and the customer journey
• Liaise with partners/vendors to plan and execute as required (e.g., local cable buying agency)
• Support internal training initiatives including authoring materials and leading training sessions on key traditional/linear/ATL channels and upper funnel media tactics, including planning, buying, measurement, and “lingo”
• Build relationships with key publishers, platforms, networks and partners
• Create sales/pitch and marketing materials
• Assist in development of new business pitch materials; attend and present in pitches
• Provide thought leadership where applicable, including within DAC’s owned content as well as conferences and events
• Demonstrate expert-level knowledge of the role different channels and tactics play in integrated media plans
• Responsible for demonstrating an understanding of consumer behaviors within media, and a working knowledge of media relevant to the client’s business including TV (linear, national/local, and digital/streaming), digital including social, search and programmatic, experiential, audio/radio, print, OOH, and partnerships
• Stay up to date with the industry, including trends, new vendors, etc.
• Track and measure media program health and report on it to Senior Vice President of Digital Media, agency executives and account teams, as required
• Hire, train and build a world-class planning team as business needs dictate

Preferred Requirements

• 12+ years of relevant experience in media planning/buying. While planning is the more critical element of the role, an in-depth understanding of buying is also required
• Proven existing relationships with vendors, platforms and publishers
• Form relationships internally with key stakeholders
• Demonstratable comfort in traditional and digital media
• Effective and impactful communication at all levels
• Demonstrable experience with enterprise-level client campaigns
• Experience across multiple industry verticals is preferred
• Demonstrable presentation skills (creation of materials and in-room presentation)
• Solid knowledge of tactics, vendors, methodologies, and industry trends and topics
• A growth mindset for expanding opportunities within the client base
• A growth mindset for expanding an agency’s offering
• Eager to understand, test and implement new-to-DAC methodologies with a view to improving service offering
• Knowledge of Canada, UK, and EU markets a plus

What You’ll Get

• Professional Growth: Work with top-tier clients and cutting-edge tools in the performance marketing industry
• Collaborative Culture: Be part of a global organization that values curiosity, transparency, and innovation
• Competitive Benefits:
  • Competitive salary and comprehensive health benefits
  • Generous PTO, wellness initiatives and parental leave
  • Retirement saving plans
  • Opportunities for continued learning and professional development
  • A supportive, collaborative, and casual work environment

How We Work

This role requires two in-office days per week, with three days in-office during the three-month orientation period. Remote work is not available for this position.

This description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this position. The actual duties, responsibilities, and qualifications may vary based on assignment or group. DAC is an equal opportunity employer, committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, disability, or any other basis prohibited by applicable federal, provincial, state, or municipal law. If you require an accommodation in any aspect of the selection process, please reach out to [email protected].

At DAC we celebrate your contributions, provide you with opportunities, and support your total well-being. Our offerings include health, vision, dental, life, disability, financial, and retirement benefits, as well as paid leave, professional development, tuition assistance, work-life programs, and employee assistance support. Full-time employees are eligible to participate in the DAC benefit programs.

Salary at DAC is determined by various factors, including but not limited to location, the individual’s particular combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, as well as contract-specific affordability and organizational requirements. The projected compensation range for this position is $185,000 to $200,000 USD. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position and is just one component of DAC’s total compensation package for employees.