The Associate Director, Digital Investment, will work within a buying team as well as designated client teams. You will provide media buying recommendations as needed to the planning team and/or to the client directly. The Associate Director provides counsel to the planning/client teams regarding marketplace rates and conditions, drives the buying, and negotiating process for assigned clients and ensures a high quality of execution. You will also responsible for supervising the Investment Managers, Associates and Sr. Associates, mentoring and team building.

YOUR IMPACT:

• Work on plan development and recommendation development, including:
• Lead buying and negotiation strategies
• Work with strategy team and utilize 3rd party syndicated research resources (i.e. ComScore, Nielsen, etc.) to develop partner recommendations for upfront and standard buys
• Finalize consideration sets, help Associate/Sr. Associate to craft RFPs and work with team to review all proposals from publishers/vendors
• Work with Research/Analytics to collect relevant information on past performance
• Lead negotiations of recommended plans with partners for all standard and integrated buys
• Review and distribute POV's for relevant partners and opportunities written by Sr. Associates
• Meet with industry representatives to gain insight to all phases and points of contact of media partners
• Provide and obtain information/intelligence from Wavemaker/GroupM Investment leadership to be presented to strategy team and clients when appropriate

• Manage Managers, Sr. Associates and Associates on the implementation and optimization of campaigns, including:

• Keeping up to date on all communications with planning team including buy authorizations, tracking reports, buy changes, creative specifications, etc.
• Ongoing buy management and stewardship of campaigns (pacing, updates in Prisma, optimizations etc.)
• Create optimization recommendations along with Analytics/Research and strategy teams
• Oversee Associates/Sr. Associates to ensure agreed to optimizations with partners are executed correctly
• Work with the Analytics/Research team or Strategy team on reporting and analysis
• Take an active role in coordinating all reporting with strategy and analytics
• Benchmark and value reporting
• Coordination and input on standard buy campaign reporting
• Draw meaningful insights from data and articulate into report
• Supervise Sr. Associates and Associates to ensure accurate and timely vendor invoice approval and reconciliation with Finance teams
• Ensure all financials are updated in Prisma
• Manage client financials such as budget reconciliation and budget management
• Ensure team coordination with Media Operation Coordinator (MOC).

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Experience in a buying role
• Must have worked in an interactive/digital environment
• Strong leadership

• Strategic thinker
• Team player
• Strong negotiating skills
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Detail oriented with exceptional critical thinking and problem solving abilities
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Proficiency with 3rd party syndicated research resources such as ComScore and Nielsen
• Proficiency with Prisma and 3rd party ad servers (i.e. DFA, Sizmek)
• Ability to multi-task, work successfully with teams, and work under pressure
• Excellent time management skills
• Ability to analyze, evaluate, and effectively communicate various media research data
• Demonstrate professional, proper techniques and etiquette when dealing with individuals internally and externally through all means of communication at all times

ABOUT WAVEMAKER:

We believe there always is a better way to grow. We positively provoke growth for our clients by reshaping consumer decision-making and experiences through media, content and technology. The Wavemaker way is globally consistent. Fueled by the world's most powerful consumer data, we understand where and how marketing can intervene decisively to help brands win more sales.

Our name is our mission and our method. To make waves, you need to be provocative, even fearless. We do our best work for brave brands and people who want to be challenged to go further and faster. We know it's not easy, but if it's in you, we will get it out of you.

Our 7,600 people across 90 markets provoke growth for some of the world's leading brands and businesses. Our attitude of Positive Provocation is enabled by:

• deep knowledge we have of our clients' business
• confidence to challenge what's gone before
• the support to go further than we thought possible

We are a part of GroupM, WPP's global media investment management company. Discover more on wavemakerglobal.com, Twitter and LinkedIn

GroupM and all of its affiliates embrace and celebrate diversity, inclusivity, and equal opportunity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We are a worldwide media agency network that represents global clients. The more inclusive we are, the more great work we can create together.