Senior Vice President of Media Performance and Strategy

Published: 6/14/2022

Job Description

Summary/objective

The SVP, Media Performance and Strategy is a senior executive who leads the agency's Media department and provides oversight of the Strategy department. This individual sets the vision for how MKR plans, buys, and measures media on behalf of clients, and ensures the agency's strategic work stays aligned with client goals and agency standards. The SVP also supports the agency's new business development efforts, working closely with the Director of Business Development and participating in prospecting and pitch activity. As a member of the agency's senior leadership team, this individual also shares responsibility for the financial health and operational performance of the departments they lead.

Essential functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Lead the Media department to ensure best practices across media planning, buying, and post-buy activity, and oversee client-level media buying strategy to maximize client ROI

Maintain appropriate involvement in key client relationships and complex media engagements, providing senior-level strategic guidance and hands-on support when needed.

Provide oversight and direction for the Strategy department, ensuring the development of high-level marketing roadmaps, brand positioning, and research-driven insights meets agency and client standards, while the VP Growth Intelligence and Digital Strategy direct report leads day-to-day execution and output

Ensure Strategy's work is aligned with Media's planning and buying approach so clients receive a consistent point of view across disciplines

Weigh in on high-stakes, complex, or at-risk strategic engagements where senior-level judgment and client credibility are helpful

Own full P&L accountability for the Media and Strategy departments, including annual budget development, in-year forecasting, and margin management against agency profitability targets

Set and manage departmental resource allocation across staffing, tools, and vendor spend to balance service quality with profitability

Analyze and report on department financial performance to the President and agency leadership on a regular cadence, flagging risks early and identifying opportunities to improve margin

Partner with Finance on pricing, scoping, and staffing models for Media and Strategy engagements to protect profitability across the client roster

Serve as a core member of the agency's senior leadership team, shaping agency-wide strategy, investment priorities, and long-range planning alongside the President and other executives

Represent the Media and Strategy point of view in cross-agency decisions on organizational structure, service offerings, and resourcing, and weigh in on enterprise-level initiatives beyond the departments they lead

Develop and execute a staffing strategy for the Media and Strategy departments that anticipates growth, seasonality, and shifting client needs

Own succession planning for key roles across both departments, ensuring bench strength at the director and VP level so the agency is not dependent on any single person

Lead talent development for staff across both functions, building formal training curricula, running quarterly development reviews for Media and Strategy staff, and recommending promotion and compensation decisions to HR based on department performance data

Negotiate vendor, media partner, and technology contracts to secure favorable commercial terms on behalf of the agency

Develop media investment plans across paid channels grounded in data analysis, research, and creative insight that ladder up to established client goals and KPIs

Support the Director of Business Development in building and advancing the agency's new business pipeline, including occasional personal prospecting and relationship-building with prospective clients

Participate in new business pitches and RFP responses as a subject-matter contributor, particularly on media and strategy approach

Serve as an external voice for the agency's media and strategy point of view through speaking engagements, published thought leadership, and industry visibility

Research new and emerging media buying platforms and measurement technologies, including AI-driven planning and optimization tools, and pilot those that improve client-facing media performance

Develop and maintain productive relationships with agents, media representatives, and strategic partners to secure optimal placements, rates, and terms on behalf of all clients

Mentor and lead Media and Strategy department leads directly, setting performance expectations and holding them accountable to client and financial outcomes

Competencies

Strategic leadership and vision for agency and client success across media and strategy disciplines

Strong financial acumen, including hands-on experience owning a P&L, building budgets, forecasting revenue and costs, managing margin, and allocating resources across a department

Demonstrated ability to operate as part of a senior leadership team, contributing to enterprise-level strategy and organizational decisions beyond one's own department

Track record building staffing plans, succession plans, and talent development programs for multi-discipline teams

Comfortable supporting and contributing to new business pitches, though not required to lead pipeline generation independently

Fluency reading media performance data (delivery, pacing, ROAS/ROI) and translating it into client-facing recommendations

Must have experience planning and buying traditional media (TV, radio, print, OOH) and digital media (display, CTV, video, streaming audio, paid search, paid social, and emerging platforms)

Must understand media measurement, including GRP/TRP, reach, frequency, CPM, CPP, CPA, CPC, ROAS, ROI, and other KPIs

Strong understanding of brand and marketing strategy development, including research, positioning, and audience insights

Prior P&L ownership at the department or agency level within advertising or media services

Great understanding of business functions (Sales, Marketing, Management, and Finance)

Working knowledge of data analysis and performance metrics

Ability to reallocate media budgets and staffing quickly in response to shifting client priorities or market conditions

Excellent organizational skills managing multiple client budgets and deadlines concurrently

Supervisory responsibilities

Supervise VPs, directors and staff within the Media department

Oversee the Strategy department, including its VP-level direct report

Set staffing structure, hiring plans, and succession plans across both departments

Conduct regular one-on-ones and performance check-ins with direct reports in Media and Strategy

Build and evolve MKR's digital and performance media offering, ensuring the agency has best-in-class capabilities across paid search, paid social, programmatic, streaming, digital video and emerging channels.

Establish a clear performance marketing framework connecting media investment to measurable client outcomes, including ROAS, CPA, conversion, revenue and other business KPIs.

Evaluate and implement the technology, data, analytics and AI tools needed to improve targeting, optimization, measurement and reporting.

Identify gaps in MKR's digital capabilities and develop the talent, partnerships, technology or services necessary to close them.

Partner with Client Engagement and Business Development to expand digital services within existing accounts and position MKR's digital capabilities in new-business pitches.

Create stronger cross-channel attribution and reporting standards that translate media performance into meaningful business insights for clients.

Serve as a senior strategic advisor to clients, helping them understand where and how to invest digital marketing dollars for growth.

Work environment

Hybrid, 2-3 days per week in office. (exceptions made for out-of-state employees)

Physical demands

Long periods of sitting/standing at a desk

Travel required

As needed for client requirements, pitches, and industry events

Required education and experience

Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, advertising, or related field

12+ years of industry experience connected to client success, media partnership relations, and business leadership

8+ years of management experience

Preferred education and experience

15+ years of agency-specific experience

Experience overseeing both media and strategy functions

Comfort participating in new business pitches and client-facing prospecting conversations