We're hiring a VP of Programmatic Strategy & Operations to serve as the right hand to the SVP of Programmatic & Activation Technology. This is a rare seat: you'll be operating at the intersection of strategic media development, cross-functional partnership, and operational excellence — across a 33+ person team managing over a quarter of a billion in annual media investment for some of the most demanding brands in the country.
If you think in systems, translate complexity into clarity, and have deep conviction about how programmatic media should actually work — this role was built for you.
Programmatic Strategy & Media Plan Development
- Lead the strategic development of programmatic media plans — not just activation briefs, but the full architecture: channel selection, DSP strategy, audience construction, deal structures (PMP, PG, open market), and budget allocation logic
- Design media strategies that span CTV, display, video, DOOH, and emerging formats, with a clear point of view on how each channel contributes to outcomes — not just reach
- Build plans that are rooted in the business objective first, media logic second, and platform mechanics third; sequence matters
- Translate client briefs and investment strategies into sophisticated, defensible programmatic plans that agency strategy and investment teams can rally behind
Ecosystem Fluency & Cross-Channel Architecture
- Demonstrate mastery of how the programmatic ecosystem interconnects: DSPs, SSPs, DMPs, CDPs, clean rooms, identity graphs, bid infrastructure, and ad servers — and how each decision in one layer impacts performance in another
- Serve as the internal authority on the evolving landscape: signal loss, identity resolution, contextual targeting, attention metrics, MFA/brand safety — and translate that knowledge into actionable strategy for client teams
- Own the relationship between programmatic and the broader biddable ecosystem, ensuring paid search, social, and programmatic are working together, not in parallel silos
- Partner with activation technology and engineering on proprietary tooling (PACER, InSite AI, SPO) — contributing strategy input that shapes product development, not just using the tools
Measurement, Reporting & Analytics Partnership
- Go beyond standard delivery reporting — build measurement frameworks that answer real business questions: incrementality, path-to-conversion, cross-channel attribution, and audience quality
- Partner closely with analytics and data science teams to develop custom testing frameworks: DSP bakeoffs, incrementality studies, reach/frequency analysis, and outcome-based measurement
- Own the reporting narrative for key accounts: translate complex programmatic data into insights that are clear, credible, and connected to what the client actually cares about
- Build non-standard reporting frameworks for accounts where standard metrics don't capture real value — work with analytics to develop custom signals and dashboards
Technical Depth & Platform Excellence
- Maintain hands-on fluency across the major DSP environments — DV360, The Trade Desk, Amazon DSP — including advanced features: algorithmic bidding, custom goal configuration, first-party data onboarding, deal curation, and log-level data
- QA isn't just for specialists — you understand trafficking structures, pixel implementation, brand safety controls, frequency logic, and bid landscape mechanics deeply enough to identify where errors originate and how to prevent them
- Provide technical direction on audience strategy: segmentation logic, lookalike modeling, suppression lists, contextual targeting layers, and data marketplace evaluation
- Evaluate and pressure-test new ad tech partnerships — DSPs, data providers, measurement vendors — with genuine technical rigor, not just sales deck review
Cross-Functional Leadership & Team Operations
- Serve as the primary operational lead for the programmatic team — absorbing day-to-day escalations, QA oversight, and capacity management so the SVP can focus on product, executive relationships, and roadmap
- Directly manage Directors and Associate Directors across national and regional account pods; you are their strategic coach, not just their escalation path
- Bridge programmatic with investment, strategy, analytics, and local teams — building the internal credibility and communication channels that reduce friction and raise quality across accounts
- Partner with the SVP on org design, hiring, and the staffing model as the team continues to grow into new business
Qualifications
- 10+ years in programmatic media with progressive responsibility — you've moved from execution to strategy to leadership, and you haven't lost touch with any of those layers
- Expert-level knowledge of the programmatic ecosystem: not just how to run campaigns, but how DSPs, SSPs, identity, data, and measurement actually work together (and where they break)
- A track record of developing sophisticated programmatic strategies — plans that go beyond standard templates and reflect genuine thinking about how media drives business outcomes
- Real experience building measurement frameworks beyond last-click: incrementality, multi-touch, brand lift, custom attribution — and the ability to partner with analytics teams to execute them
- Deep technical platform knowledge: DV360, The Trade Desk at minimum, plus working familiarity with ad servers, CDPs, clean rooms, and identity solutions
- Experience managing senior direct reports (Directors and above) with the emotional intelligence to coach, challenge, and retain high performers under pressure
- Agency experience required — you understand how to navigate internal politics, manage client expectations, and build cross-functional alignment in a complex org structure
- Automotive account experience strongly preferred — the volume, complexity, and regional/national split is unlike most other verticals
Skills Required
- 10+ years in programmatic media with progressive responsibility
- Expert-level knowledge of the programmatic ecosystem (DSPs, SSPs, DMPs, CDPs, identity, measurement)
- Track record developing sophisticated programmatic media strategies beyond templates
- Experience building measurement frameworks: incrementality, multi-touch attribution, brand lift, custom attribution
- Deep technical platform knowledge: DV360, The Trade Desk (minimum), Amazon DSP, ad servers, CDPs, clean rooms, identity solutions
- Hands-on fluency with DSP advanced features: algorithmic bidding, custom goal configuration, first-party data onboarding, log-level data
- Experience managing senior direct reports (Directors and above) with coaching and retention skills
- Agency experience (required)
- Automotive account experience
- Hybrid role requiring minimum 2 days in-office per week (El Segundo)
What We Do
Named “Most Innovative Agency” by Campaign US, Canvas Worldwide is an independent media agency that provides ingenious solutions for brands looking to challenge the status quo. And as a mission-based agency, our rallying cry, "Challenge the Comfortable," is our team philosophy to push outside our comfort zones to solve problems in new ways – because there can be no greatness without enduring a bit of discomfort. Canvas was created to embrace the rapid pace of change in the industry with the belief that future viability means reimagining what's possible. This fresh, strategic approach to media marketing services has produced an environment in which it’s possible to fearlessly try the unusual. Under the “Challenge the Comfortable” banner, the Canvas team dedicates itself to getting outside of our comfort zones and resisting the conventional. Launched in 2015, we are dual-headquartered in Los Angeles and New York, with regional offices in Chicago, Dallas, Denver and Atlanta. Canvas Worldwide services clients such as Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Starz, MGM Studios, McDonald's and more. At Canvas, assumptions are left behind, everything is questioned, and in the process, the unexpected—sometimes even magical—happens daily. So, if you’re bold enough to Challenge the Comfortable… then we want YOU to come work for the most innovative agency in the country!
