Director of Programmatic Media (Remote)

Company Description

Vericast is the financial institution (FI) performance partner. We help banks and credit unions drive growth, improve efficiency, increase engagement and navigate change through the power of data, technology and people. Our advanced analytics, data-driven insights and integrated solution set enable better execution with agility, precision and scale. That’s why thousands of financial institutions look to Vericast and our 150 years of financial services expertise to help them achieve more.

Job Description

The Director of Programmatic Media is a strategic leadership role responsible for establishing and scaling
Vericast's direct programmatic advertising capabilities as part of our evolution into a full-service performance marketing agency for banks and credit unions. This role combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, requiring someone who can evaluate and onboard DSP partners, establish best practices, and build the foundation for a scalable programmatic practice that will become a cornerstone of our agency offering. Reporting to the VP of Agency Services, this position will lead the expansion of our programmatic infrastructure, including platform assessment and implementation, while supporting current campaign execution. The ideal candidate brings deep programmatic expertise from the financial services sector, understands the unique compliance requirements of bank and credit union marketing, and is energized by
the opportunity to build new capabilities within an established organization. This is a critical hire supporting our 18-24 month roadmap to manage $100M in media under management.

KEY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
 Programmatic Infrastructure & Capability Expansion: Lead the evaluation, selection, and implementation of DSP partnerships (e.g., The Trade Desk, Google DV360, Amazon DSP) to expand Vericast's direct platform capabilities; Conduct comprehensive RFP/RFI processes to assess platforms based on client needs, technical capabilities, compliance features, and cost efficiency; Establish and strengthen direct platform relationships, negotiate contracts with DSP vendors, data providers, and verification partners; Design and document programmatic best practices, SOPs, and governance frameworks tailored to financial services compliance requirements; Build technical infrastructure roadmap including audience segmentation strategies, creative specifications, tracking systems, and reporting dashboards; Build attribution modeling capabilities that connect paid search performance to both online conversions and offline outcomes (branch visits, phone calls, in-person account openings), requiring sophisticated data curation and integration with client first-party data; Develop scalable processes that support both current campaign needs and future growth to $100M in media under management (40%)

 Strategic Planning & Market Intelligence: Serve as internal subject matter expert on programmatic advertising trends, platforms, and innovation in financial services marketing; Develop programmatic service offerings and go-to-market positioning that differentiates Vericast from generalist agencies; Analyze competitive landscape and identify opportunities in programmatic for mid-market banks and credit unions ($2B-$50B assets); Partner with Product, Analytics, and Creative teams to integrate programmatic into omnichannel strategies leveraging Vericast's proprietary consumer financial data; Contribute to new business pitches and client presentations as programmatic SME when needed; Monitor industry developments in ad tech, privacy regulations, and platform changes to ensure Vericast stays ahead of the curve (25%)

 Campaign Execution & Optimization: Provide hands-on support for programmatic campaigns, serving as an internal expert to optimize performance and guide strategic decisions; Execute tactical campaign setup, audience configuration, and in-flight optimizations as needed; Collaborate with Media Specialists and Data Analysts to ensure programmatic campaigns are properly tracked, attributed, and optimized toward client KPIs. Apply data-driven optimizationstrategies (bid management, creative testing,  audience refinement) to improve ROAS and meet/exceed benchmarks; Ensure all programmatic campaigns comply with financial services regulations including UDAAP, Fair Lending, TCPA, CAN-SPAM, Reg Z, GLBA, and FCRA, as well as platform policies (e.g., Meta Special Ad Categories, Google Financial Services restrictions); Design and validate targeting methodologies, audience selection logic, and campaign strategies to proactively ensure regulatory compliance—not solely relying on platform guardrails (20%)

 Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: Partner with VP of Agency Services and SVP of Product & Engineering to align programmatic strategy with business objectives and technology roadmap; Work closely with Data Engineering and Analytics teams to integrate first-party data, website behavioral data, transaction data, and third-party segments into programmatic targeting and optimization strategies; Collaborate with Creative Services to define programmatic creative requirements and ensure assets are optimized for performance across display, native, CTV/OTT, and emerging formats; Educate internal stakeholders on programmatic capabilities, use cases, and value proposition for financial institution clients; Serve as liaison with Compliance and Legal to validate programmatic processes meet regulatory standards (10%)

 Vendor & Partner Management: Build and maintain relationships with DSP account teams, leveraging partner resources for beta access, training, and co-marketing opportunities; Negotiate favorable terms, pricing structures, and SLAs with platform partners to maximize margin and service quality; Coordinate with ad verification vendors (IAS, DoubleVerify) and data partners (LiveRamp, TransUnion) to ensure measurement and targeting integrity (5%)

Qualifications

EDUCATION

 Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Advertising, Business, Data Analytics, or related field (Required)

 Master's degree or advanced certifications (Preferred)

EXPERIENCE

 8 years of hands-on programmatic advertising experience, including campaign management, platform optimization, and vendor negotiations (Required)

 5 years working with financial services clients (banks, credit unions, fintech, mortgage lenders, wealth management, or insurance), with demonstrated understanding of compliance requirements and audience targeting strategies in regulated industries (Required)

 Proven track record of building or scaling programmatic capabilities, including platform implementations, infrastructure design, or significant program expansions (Required)

 Deep expertise with multiple DSPs (e.g., The Trade Desk, Google DV360, Amazon DSP, Xandr, MediaMath) and demonstrated ability to evaluate platforms based on technical capabilities, transparency, and cost-efficiency (Required)

 Experience managing large media budgets ($10M annually) with demonstrated ability to optimize toward performance KPIs (CPA, ROAS, engagement metrics) (Required)

 Hands-on experience with programmatic display, native, CTV/OTT, and video (Required)

 Expertise in audience segmentation, data onboarding (1st and 3rd party), identity resolution

(LiveRamp, UID2.0), and attribution modeling (Required)

 Agency experience strongly preferred; ideal candidate has worked at a performance marketing agency or trading desk serving financial services clients

 Strong understanding of privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA) and platform-specific advertising policies for financial services

 Background in omnichannel strategy integrating programmatic with paid search, paid social, and direct mail is a plus

 Demonstrated success with attribution modeling, offline conversion tracking, and connecting search performance to business outcomes beyond digital conversions

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES
 Technical Expertise: Expert-level knowledge of programmatic advertising ecosystems (DSPs, SSPs, DMPs, ad exchanges, ad servers); Proficiency in audience targeting methodologies: contextual, behavioral, geo-fencing, lookalike modeling, retargeting/remarketing; Strong understanding of bidding strategies (CPM, CPC, CPA, automated vs. manual bidding) and auction dynamics; Experience with tag management (Google Tag Manager), tracking pixels, conversion tracking, and website behavioral data integration for optimization and reporting; Familiarity with creative ad formats and specifications across display, native, CTV/OTT, and video. Working knowledge of brand safety tools, viewability measurement, and fraud prevention
 Financial Services Acumen: Deep understanding of bank and credit union marketing objectives (deposit acquisition, loan origination, credit card activation, branch traffic); Expert knowledge of financial services compliance landscape and ability to apply regulations within programmatic strategies: UDAAP, Fair Lending, TCPA, CAN-SPAM, Reg Z, GLBA, FCRA; Experience designing targeting methodologies and audience selection logic that proactively ensure regulatory compliance; Experience navigating platform restrictions for financial services advertisers (e.g., Meta Special Ad Categories); Ability to translate complex financial products into effective audience and creative strategies
 Analytical & Strategic Skills: Data-driven decision maker with strong analytical skills to interpret campaign performance and recommend optimizations; Ability to build business cases and ROI models to justify technology investments; Experience with A/B and multivariate testing to continuously improve performance; Comfortable working with attribution models and incrementality testing; Strategic thinker who can balance short-term execution with long-term capability buildout; Entrepreneurial mindset: comfortable with ambiguity and designing scalable processes
 Soft Skills: Execution-oriented - Willing to roll up sleeves and execute while thinking strategically about scalable solutions; Communication - Excellent ability to explain complex programmatic concepts to non-technical stakeholders; Collaboration - Strong cross-functional partnership skills across Product, Engineering, Analytics, Creative, and Sales teams; Influence - Ability to build consensus and drive change in a matrixed organization; Ownership - Takes initiative, drives projects to completion, and holds self accountable to high standards; Adaptability - Thrives in fast-paced environments, comfortable pivoting strategies based on new information; Client-Centric -When client-facing, able to build trust and position Vericast as a strategic partner

Additional Information

Base salary: $150,000-$180,000

Position is eligible for an annual bonus incentive program.

*Applications will be accepted through January 8, 2026, after which the posting will be closed and no longer available for submissions.*

The ultimate compensation offered for the position will depend upon several factors such as skill level, cost of living, experience, and responsibilities.

At Vericast, we don’t just accept differences - we celebrate them, we support them, and we thrive on them for the benefit of our employees, our clients, and our community. As an Equal Opportunity employer, Vericast considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other classifications protected by law. Applicants who have disabilities may request that accommodations be made in order to complete the selection process by contacting our Talent Acquisition team at [email protected]. EEO is the law. To review your rights under Equal Employment Opportunity please visit: www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf.

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