Media Planner and Buyer - New Balance

Who are we:

Mediahub is a full-service media agency with a unique structure and client offer. We grew out of creative agency MullenLowe in the hot crucible of the digital and data revolution that has transformed media over the last ten years.

We believe media’s strongest growth lever is innovation. AI and algorithms are useful for efficiency but lead brands to say similar things in similar places to similar audiences.  Effectiveness comes from innovation, and innovation comes from creativity. At Mediahub, our positioning, More Pilot, Less Auto, offers clients an antidote to the ‘mindless media’ that results from automation, bringing active stewardship to deliver media effectiveness.

We offer the best of both worlds: an entrepreneurial culture backed by the global scale of Mediabrands. You’ll join an agency that’s full of energy, experimentation and ambition. We’re a home for pilots, not passengers.

• Anticipate Tomorrow. We don’t wait for the future, we build it. We listen hard, act early, spot shifts in the media landscape before they land, and shape what comes next
• Perform with Pride. Excellence isn’t an outcome, it’s a mindset. We care deeply about our responsibility to deep craft, to each other, and the world around us
• Turn No into Next. Rejection doesn’t stop us, it sharpens us. We turn rejection into redirection
• Question What Others Won’t. We challenge the comfortable, embrace experiments, and ask questions without fear of failure
• Fight Inertia. Momentum comes from openness. We resist complacency by listening fully, sharing boldly, and acting with intent
• Be Brave. The riskiest thing is playing it safe. Bravery gets us to ideas others will never reach.

Responsibilities: 

The Media Planner/ Buyer will be the day-to-day steward for New Balance across EMEA. The person in this role will be required to maintain a strong knowledge of the clients' business to deliver against their needs and objectives.

You will help craft and execute innovative multi-channel media campaigns that deliver against New Balance’s core objectives. Leveraging your expertise in media planning and buying, you’ll push boundaries to deliver high-impact brand awareness campaigns for major sponsored events like the London and Valencia Marathons while adopting a more tactical approach for product launches. This role offers the opportunity to shape standout campaigns that capture attention, engage audiences, and elevate the brand on a global stage.

Knowledge:

• Display a mastery of media fundamentals across all channels both online and offline such as TV, OOH, CTV, Digital Display and Social
• Show a keen interest in and knowledge of emerging trends across the media landscape.
• Demonstrate proficiency with industry systems/tools (TGI, GWI, YouGov Audience Console, Nielsen etc.)
• Support ideation, meet regularly with Media Owners and keep up to date with industry news, so that you are abreast of developments and can talk confidently to clients about new, innovative solutions and in doing so, continue to push the boundaries of their marketing so that we are consistently delivering the most effective solutions for them.
• Strategic thinking: Understand the client’s business, the industry in which they operate, their business and campaign objectives and the difference between those two. Understand how to build stories to deliver insights in an effective and convincing way to drive media recommendations.
• Planning: Understand the media mix, phasing, targeting, key partners, and the detail behind media.
• Relationships: Build trustworthy relationships internally, with agency partners and with clients
• Buying: Comfortable with using booking systems (Prisma and MX) and billing processes so that invoices are sent out and paid on time. Should also have an eye on commercial opportunities, from barter to short term offers, in order to leverage maximum value for both the client and the business.
• Ideation: Thinking a little differently when it comes to problem-solving, to design innovative, creative solutions and delivering them to clients in an engaging and coherent way.
• Team building: Supervise, mentor and grow Executive Planners, and Apprentices.

Skills & Requirements:

• Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills required
• Strong Communication and Presentation skills
• High Attention to detail
• Impeccable organisational skills, comfortable with multitasking and working across multiple projects simultaneously
• Experience planning, negotiating and executing across all channels
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders, e.g. suppliers, advertising/marketing agencies, media owners and internal specialist resources.
• Experience working with a team internationally is useful although certainly not a mandatory.

Employee Transparency:

At IPG Mediabrands, we celebrate differences and believe this makes us stronger. IPG Mediabrands are equal-opportunity employers committed to championing an inclusive culture that provides a sense of belonging for all our employees. We do not discriminate against any applicant based on age, disability, race, colour, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, belief, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law. 

Please reach out to our Talent Inclusion Specialist Jess at [email protected] if you would like to have a confidential conversation regarding any adjustments that would ensure our recruitment process is accessible for you. Please note requesting a reasonable adjustment will not affect your application. 

The Perks:

We aim to provide all our people with a supportive and fun work environment where you can develop your full potential and benefit from the broad range of opportunities within the agency. When you join us, we want to make sure you feel valued – and that you are rewarded for your fantastic work. So, we also offer a range of benefits: 

• Flexi–leave, with 25 days annual leave to be taken as minimum. In addition to your holiday entitlement, the office usually closes between Christmas & New Year 
• Free breakfast and free lunch
• Early finish Fridays 
• Core Hours (Mon-Thurs, flexible start/finish times)  
• Retail discounts 
• Wellbeing programme 
• Interest free season ticket loan 
• Paid time off for Volunteering 
• Group Income Protection 
• Life Assurance 
• Private Medical Insurance or Health Cash Plan (dependent on level) 
• Group Personal Pension Plan with matched contributions from 3-6% 
• Generous Parental Leave & Pay  
• Independent mortgage advice 
• Financial education 
• Employee Assistance Programme 
• Free eye tests 
• Flexible benefits including Dental, Travel insurance, Cycle to Work, Gym Discounts and many more!