What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Media Planner position at Walk-In Media?
About the Role
Walk-In Media is seeking a Senior Media Planner with 2–4 years of agency experience to join our planning team. This is a strategy-led role: the candidate must have strong channel knowledge across digital and traditional media disciplines — including programmatic, OTT/CTV, paid social, paid search, display, OOH, print, linear television, and radio — and be able to build integrated, cross-channel media strategies. Digital is the priority channel mix, but all channels must be understood strategically. Walk-In Media’s in-house programmatic, paid social, paid search, and linear buying teams handle platform execution; the Senior Planner owns strategy, briefing, and cross-channel integration.
Roles & Responsibilities
Media Strategy & Planning
• Lead day-to-day planning across 3–5 client accounts; translate briefs into data-driven, cross-channel media strategies with clear audience mapping and KPI alignment spanning digital (programmatic, OTT/CTV, paid social, paid search, display) and traditional channels (OOH, print, linear TV, radio).
• Evaluate and size target audiences; leverage syndicated research tools (Nielsen, Comscore, MRI-Simmons, Kantar, eMarketer) to ground recommendations in audience and market intelligence.
• Brief in-house programmatic, paid social, and paid search specialists; coordinate linear TV and radio buys with the in-house buying team. Hands-on execution experience is a plus, but not required — strong strategic direction and clear briefing are essential.
• Stay current on platform innovations, partner opportunities, consumer trends, and industry developments; bring proactive recommendations to clients and the internal team.
Campaign Execution & Operations
• Manage the full campaign lifecycle from setup through wrap; ensure all campaigns are executed on time, on budget, and to specification. Proficiency in Google Campaign Manager (CM360) for trafficking is required, as is a working knowledge of UTM parameters for tracking.
• Set and manage budgets, pacing, and spend allocations across channels; manage insertion orders, vendor setup, billing reconciliation, flowcharts, authorizations, and campaign documentation.
• Coordinate with the in-house linear buying team on TV and radio campaigns: develop the strategic brief, define audience targets, set budget parameters, and review proposed buys and post-buy analyses.
Analytics, Reporting & Optimization
• Coordinate with the in-house analytics team to develop a reporting framework aligned to each campaign’s media strategy and KPIs. Use agency-maintained dashboards to monitor pacing, evaluate performance, and identify and communicate optimization recommendations to channel specialists and the account team.
• Brief the analytics team on tracking requirements, UTM taxonomy, and measurement objectives prior to launch. Develop post-campaign wrap reports with results, learnings, and strategic recommendations.
Client Engagement & Collaboration
• Manage day-to-day client communications across assigned accounts via email, weekly calls, and in-person meetings. Present plan recommendations, performance results, and strategic insights directly to clients with confidence and clarity.
• Meet with vendor and publisher representatives; evaluate proposals and negotiate placements and pricing on behalf of clients. Support new business pitches by contributing media planning expertise and presenting Walk-In Media’s capabilities.
• Work closely with Analytics, Paid Social, Account Management, Creative, and Finance teams. Direct reports pending based on account growth; as the roster expands, this role is expected to supervise and develop junior media staff.
Qualifications & Requirements
Experience
• 2–4 years of media planning and buying experience in an agency environment across multiple clients and channels simultaneously.
• Strong channel knowledge across digital (programmatic, OTT/CTV, paid social, paid search, display) and traditional (OOH, print, linear TV, radio) from a strategic planning perspective. Hands-on platform execution a plus; the requirement is the ability to develop strategy, brief specialists, and coordinate effectively across all channels.
• Proven track record managing paid media budgets and delivering against KPIs (CPM, CPC, CPA, ROAS, reach/frequency, brand lift). Client-facing experience required. Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, or related field preferred.
Technical Skills
• Required: Google Campaign Manager (CM360) for trafficking; UTM parameter knowledge for tracking; advanced Excel (flowcharts, budget tracking, performance analysis); syndicated research tools (Nielsen, Comscore, MRI-Simmons, Kantar, eMarketer); media buying/billing platforms (MediaOcean, Prisma, or equivalent); GA4 and basic understanding of pixel tracking and conversion measurement.
• Preferred: Hands-on DSP experience (DV360, The Trade Desk, Amazon DSP); social ad platform familiarity (Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok); R/F modeling and planning software for scenario modeling; knowledge of linear TV and radio planning and buying fundamentals.
Core Competencies
• Strategic thinker who connects channel execution to client business objectives; builds compelling media rationale from brief to plan presentation. Strong quantitative skills; comfortable with budgets, data, and multi-source insights.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive; manages multiple campaigns and client demands simultaneously. Excellent written and verbal communication skills; confident presenting to clients and senior leadership. Collaborative, adaptable, and thrives in a fast-paced independent agency environment.
Preferred Certifications
• Google Campaign Manager (CM360) • Google DV360 • The Trade Desk Edge Academy • Meta Blueprint • Google Ads (Display, Video, or Search) • IAB Digital Media Buying & Planning • Google Analytics (GA4)