Director, Media

Are you ready to embark on an exciting journey where your talents are valued, and your potential is limitless? At Deerfield, we believe in fostering a culture of excellence, where every team member is empowered to make a difference and contribute to our collective success.

Deerfield is the marketing and communications partner of choice. Purpose-built to scale with our clients, our specialist teams craft stories that matter and bridge meaningful connections to advance healthcare products to the people who need them most. Our full-service capabilities are rooted in storytelling and powered by technology to deliver focused strategy, optimized execution, and tangible outcomes. Further, our flexible working model allows us to scale and grow alongside our clients – whether providing expert consultation, serving as a strategic executional partner, or acting as full agency of record. We are built to serve and designed to deliver.

Position Summary

The Director, Media spearheads and directs the strategic formulation of media plans that intricately allocate budgets across diverse channels, aligning seamlessly with client marketing objectives. This entails leading in-depth market analyses and harnessing deep insights into customer behavior to discern the most appropriate channels, spanning both traditional and digital landscapes. Furthermore, the Director orchestrates ongoing plan refinement and optimization, ensuring nimble adaptability to evolving market dynamics. This position is the voice of the client, and can speak eloquently about the strategy, objectives, plan, and expected results. Positioned as the mastermind behind the client's media strategy, they drive transformative business outcomes while also mentoring and guiding their team towards strategic acumen and professional elevation.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Expertise

• Manage media team, optimizing workflows and department capabilities; mentor and train media planners in direct response and brand marketing; lead strategic initiatives to align clients' media strategies with business objectives
• Demonstrate proficiency in cross-channel media tools and response forecasting
• Provide expertise in online and offline marketing for impactful campaigns
• Enhance agency's media expertise in segmentation, strategy, and execution
• Execute media planning and buying, maintaining direct client service
• Collaborate with teams and clients on cross-channel media strategies
• Identify target audiences using data for precise online advertising
• Determine optimal media vehicles and calculate ROI for effectiveness
• Prepare media plans, negotiate prices, and ensure accurate placements
• Conduct campaign analysis to resolve issues and improve performance
• Develop results analyses, translating data into actionable insights
• Ensure timely and budget-conscious campaign execution with quality assurance
• Demonstrate leadership and project management skills
• Oversee media planning negotiations for optimal terms and placements
• Contribute to new business efforts, driving growth and expansion
• Plan and execute media strategies, optimizing campaign success
• Negotiate with third-party sites and utilize research tools for decisions

Client Centric

• Lead the team in understanding clients' brands, business objectives, and media strategies to create actionable plans
• Immerse in learning about clients' market positioning and unique identities to anticipate their evolving needs and trends
• Participate authoritatively in client calls, providing project updates and aligning initiatives with client goals
• Develop positive stakeholder relationships, fostering a collaborative environment for mutual success
• Provide timely counsel, address feedback, and build strategic rapport with media partners to safeguard clients' interests
• Establish enduring client relationships based on trust, serving as a strategic advisor in media navigation
• Master client and partner management, ensuring meticulous documentation and proactive engagement
• Represent the agency at industry conferences and trade shows, showcasing thought leadership and fostering connections
• Attend partner meetings confidently, driving alignment and fostering productive collaborations
• Align client strategies with precision, fostering relationships that elevate the agency's reputation
• Build mid-level client relationships, passionately representing the agency's values and capabilities for impactful outcomes and long-term partnerships

Team Leadership

• Orchestrate a culture of open communication and shared goal alignment, placing paramount importance on transparency and collaboration throughout the team
• Provide strategic guidance and unwavering support, empowering team members to navigate intricate media planning challenges with sophistication and confidence while serving as the driving force behind team collaboration and goal alignment, fostering synergy and a culture of excellence within the department
• Offer mentorship and professional development opportunities to entry-level team members, actively engaging in their onboarding process to nurture talent and elevate the team's capabilities
• Oversee at least one direct report, responsible for goal setting and reviews in alignment with VP directives; provides mentorship, education, and motivation to junior team members
• Play a pivotal role in junior-level recruitment, contributing to talent acquisition efforts

Communication

• Engage actively with clients and media partners, ensuring clear communication of project status and objectives, organization and responsiveness to drive client satisfaction
• Provide counsel and promptly respond to feedback, demonstrating proactive leadership and commitment to client satisfaction
• Build rapport with media partners to advance clients' business interests strategically and establish relationships based on trust and respect, essential for long-term partnerships
• Guide the team towards achieving business objectives through strategic communication and proactive management

Collaboration

• Build strong, cohesive teams with clients, media partners, and internal departments and collaborate to achieve shared goals, address issues and seize growth opportunities
• Take ownership of responsibilities, ensuring alignment with team and agency objectives
• Establish clear communication channels to foster trust and alignment to foster cross-functional collaboration and synergy with internal departments
• Provide leadership and management, coaching team members for performance and development and deliver media training to improve planning and execution, and present compellingly to stakeholders

Critical Thinking

• Foster a culture of creativity and innovation, driving initiatives for groundbreaking ideas and developing unique concepts that captivate audiences while applying strategic thinking and analysis to solve challenges and develop forward-thinking solutions
• Lead brainstorming sessions, contributing fresh perspectives to inspire creativity and collaborate to refine and implement innovative solutions
• Stay updated on industry trends and emerging technologies, integrating advancements into strategies
• Communicate innovative concepts clearly and effectively to stakeholders
• Solicit and incorporate feedback to refine strategies and enhance project outcomes, championing excellence and innovation

Engagement

• Champion a culture of holistic well-being and fulfillment within the workplace to strategically promote purpose, energy, and mindfulness throughout the organization
• Foster robust relationships and uphold a culture of flexibility, accountability, and security
• Provide oversight and accountability for initiatives aimed at promoting work-life balance and professional growth

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in relevant field
• 7 years advertising experience
• Media experience required
• Extensive online media experience required
• 4 years management experience preferred
• Pharma Industry experience required

Required Skills

• Demonstrate a distinguished track record of steering teams to success through mentorship and development initiatives, while orchestrating high-impact projects that drive organizational growth and innovation
• Bring extensive expertise in all media channels, leveraging advanced strategies to optimize overarching media presence and maximize return on investment
• Possess in-depth knowledge of leading ad serving technologies and industry-standard platforms, ensuring seamless campaign execution and performance optimization
• Exhibit robust analytical skills, adept at discerning the effectiveness of media tools and technologies utilized by the media team, identifying areas for improvement and innovation to elevate agency's capabilities and market presence
• Mastery knowledge of media management & finance platform (Media Ocean - Prisma or equivalent) required
• Strong proficiency and the ability to provide coaching and management of junior team members managing media planning / buying end-to-end across several clients
• Strong financial acumen required
• Knowledge of DoubleClick, Google Campaign Manager 360, Google Analytics 4, Vivvix, and other self-service platforms
• Expert know of Microsoft Excel / Google Sheets, Microsoft Powerpoint / Google Slides, Microsoft Word / Google Docs

At Deerfield, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic work environment, so if this role and our culture excite you, we encourage you to apply even if you do not have the exact experience or meet all of the requirements outlined in this job posting. Our HR team will review your resume and experience to see if you align at a different level or possibly better align to other open positions.

Deerfield is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.