Senior Associate, Planning

Company Overview: 
UM is a global media agency committed to Futureproofing our clients' businesses.  We leverage the transformational power of rich business analytics and real-time intelligence to maximize growth and activate the full consumer journey across content and connections. As the leading global media network in Mediabrands, UM operates in over 100 countries, with more than 3,000 people innovating on a roster of global clients including Accenture, American Express, GoPro, Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss & Co, Mattel, Sony, and Spotify. UM is globally headquartered in New York, with North American offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Birmingham, Detroit, Montreal, and Toronto.   

At UM, we know our employees are our greatest asset. We are committed to fostering a culture rooted in Diversity, Equity & Belonging, where everyone feels they belong, and their contributions are valued. We prioritize personal and professional growth, encourage an entrepreneurial spirit to pursue passion projects, and celebrate our people and community with moments of joy and spontaneity. Our leadership is dedicated to building a culture of care that permeates every element of the company from work flexibility to career planning to regular talent reviews, and more. Our DNA, for UM, helps guide us in all that we do:   

Fearless: We bring our authentic selves to work and put our whole selves into the work  

Optimistic: We approach challenges with empathy and curiosity, infusing joy into everything we do  

Relentless: We’re unwavering in our pursuit of the right solution, eager to reimagine what’s possible  

Unified: We band together to accomplish what we could not otherwise do alone  

Masterful: We’re constantly growing in our craft, setting new standards for our industry and our world  

We are proud to be named an AdAge Best Place to Work several times over, a Top Workplace in the US by Great Places to Work, a top 10 FORTUNE 2022 Best Workplaces in Advertising & Marketing and She Runs It’s 2021 Outstanding Company for Working Mothers. But feedback is most meaningful when it comes from our own people: over 90% of our employees say the agency is a great place to work and 95% say they are proud to work at UM. 

Position Overview 

As Senior Associate, Planning, you’ll support the vision and strategic plan for the account, ensuring success across Work Quality, Client Relationships, Financials, and Team Health. You’ll play a key role in planning and executing media strategies integral to their business success and launch industry-leading work that propels the business forward. 

Responsibilities 

• Support the creation of omnichannel media plan recommendations, including but not limited to TV, Print, Radio, Digital, OOH, and Emerging Media opportunities, informed by qualitative and quantitative inputs 

• Develop a mastery of syndicated research sources, planning tools, and media math  

• Continue to develop and refine your understanding of media planning concepts/process, presentation, and written communication skills 

• Develop and maintain the accuracy of tactical components of media plans such as flow charts, spreadsheets, and budget summaries  

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with clients, vendors, publishers and internal teams to ensure an effective creation and implementation of campaigns   

• Develop strategic POVs (point of views) of media partner offerings and technology as it relates to client objectives  

• Using syndicated research, pull and compile category trends, audience consumption, partner data and competitive activity, to derive strategic trends and insights to inform planning 

Required Skills and Experience  

• Exhibits a strong desire to learn and a positive attitude that would complement the UM culture 

• Detail-oriented with strong time management, organization, creative thinking, analytical and problem-solving skills 

• Ability to work effectively cross functionally with internal and external teams 

• Strong written, verbal communication, and presentation skills 

Desired Skills and Experience  

• 1+ years of media planning or buying experience 

• Proficient knowledge of basic planning principles and media math 

• Proficient working knowledge of Microsoft Office (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)  

• Ability to quickly learn proprietary tools and processes and experience preferred with third-party market research, and cloud-based collaboration tools such as MediaTools, Prisma/MBOX, DCM, Nielsen Ad Intel, Pathmatics, eTelmar, MRI Simmons, comScore, eMarketer, SharePoint, etc. 

We offer a Total Rewards package that includes medical and dental coverage, 401(k) plans, flex spending, life insurance, disability, employee discount program, employee stock purchase program and paid family benefits to support you and your family. To give you the ability to better meet your personal needs, and in support of your physical and emotional well-being, you will receive discretionary time off days and company-wide Appreciation Weeks and Wellness Days. 

We also offer a competitive Total Compensation package, including a competitive salary and eligibility for an annual discretionary incentive award or a relevant incentive award. 

The salary range for this position is posted below.  Where an employee or prospective employee is paid within this range will depend on, among other factors, actual ranges for current/former employees in the subject position, market considerations, budgetary considerations, tenure and standing with the Company (applicable to current employees), as well as the employee’s/applicant’s skill set, level of experience, and qualifications.   

It is the policy to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, veteran status, disability, or any other basis prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law. 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 

The employer will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act of 1990. The job description will be reviewed periodically as duties and responsibilities change with business necessity. Essential and other job functions are subject to modification. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

For applicants to jobs in the United States: In compliance with the current Americans with Disabilities Act and state and local laws, if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation to apply for a position with, please email [email protected].