Vice President of Strategic Planning (Gaming)

At the Havas Media Network, we lead the way in media planning using Converged, our proprietary data platform, to integrate consumer insights, media intelligence, and performance analytics for smarter, high-impact campaigns, all powered by AI.

Our culture is people-first, collaborative, and driven by innovation. Through our unique Havas "Village" model, we seamlessly connect media, creative, and PR to deliver integrated, meaningful media experiences.

Planning is at the heart of the agency, and the department is committed to helping brands engage audiences in the most effective and culturally relevant ways—making a real impact in the world. The planning department is evolving, and we are introducing a new layer of top talent to help the Chief Planning Officer create a new culture of excellence.

VP of Strategic Planning - Gaming

The VP of Strategic Planning is a powerhouse of strategic thinking, innovation, and execution. This role is critical to delivering award-winning work, driving client satisfaction, and setting new standards of excellence in strategic planning.

As a true industry leader, this VP pushes clients beyond the expected: crafting 360-degree strategic solutions that connect culture to commerce, and communities to gaming brands. They are relentless in seeking new opportunities, deeply immersed in the gaming media landscape, and fearless in challenging the status quo.

The ideal candidate has deep experience leading large, cross-market campaign planning and activation for gaming clients. They possess a sharp understanding of gaming consumer behavior, the gaming media ecosystem, and are fluent in both endemic platforms (e.g., Twitch, IGN, Discord) and major industry events (e.g., E3, Gamescom, The Game Awards).

The VP of Strategic Planning will report into a SVP of Strategic Planning and work in a planning unit across a variety of clients.

We are looking for candidates who:

• Have experience in leading large cross market campaign planning and activation for gaming clients and game launches
• Have a deep understanding of the gaming consumer behavior and the gaming media landscape including endemic gaming properties and major gaming industry events
• Have successfully planned, negotiated and executed large multi-touchpoint creative marketing and media programs with major platforms and partners that with both endemic and non-endemic partners to support new gaming launches

Key Responsibilities

• Develops communications planning frameworks that map brand ecosystems and consumer journeys across all touch points.
• Leads effectiveness planning, ensuring strategies drive measurable business growth.
• Champions Converged (Havas' data platform and planning toolkit), ensuring every response is data-led.
• Engages with senior media owners to unlock exclusive opportunities for key clients.
• Drives innovation by setting clear targets for each media plan and delivering fresh, impactful ideas.
• Crafts compelling case studies that showcase best-in-class work and measurable success.

Elevating Agency Standards

• Shapes agency training programs, ensuring continuous learning and upskilling in comms planning.
• Mentors and coaches the Mx planning team, instilling critical thinking and mastery of planning tools.
• Leads thought leadership by identifying gaps in industry knowledge and proactively fills them with insights.
• Attends agency and industry events, sharing key learnings with the broader team.
• Oversees strategic delegation and tracking, ensuring seamless execution and team alignment.

Core Competencies

Client Leadership – Pushes clients toward excellence, takes initiative, and stays two steps ahead.

Storytelling – Masters data fluency, transforming analytics into simple, compelling narratives.

Strategic Planning – Combines industry expertise, client data, and category insights

to drive smart, growth-focused decisions—knowing when to break the rules for impact.

Framework Mastery – Confidently develops strategic frameworks and communication arcs that shape brand success.

Media Planning Excellence – Brings deep experience in media planning, always delivering innovative, high-performing solutions.

Growth & Business Development – Moves beyond spotting opportunities and masters the art of selling ideas to clients.

Pitch Leadership – Leads the planning output for pitches, ensuring standout strategies that win business.

This is a role for someone who doesn’t just plan—they inspire, challenge, and create. If you're a forward-thinking leader who loves games and is ready to redefine communications planning, this is your moment.