Carat is the world's first media agency and privileged to work with some of the most storied brands in the world. Most recently named a leader amongst global media agencies by Forrester, Carat is ranked the #1 media agency in the world. With over 12,000 experts in over 100 countries. Carat is a dentsu company and provides an unparalleled capability to unlock real human understanding and connect people and brands through powerful and engaging media experiences.

The Associate Director, Digital role is a leadership role as well as a managerial one.  The Associate Director sets the working style for the group, leads the strategic direction and is tasked with being a partner to Comms Planning and the clients.  The Associate Director is an expert on the clients’ business and a leader on the business and within the agency.  The Associate Director is responsible for demonstrating a strong working knowledge of the media space and available media research.  This individual is responsible for identifying business opportunities and solutions as well as driving innovation and digital impact on a regular basis.  The Associate Director sets the tone for how the account is managed by ensuring focus on delivering against key client objectives and deploying appropriate resources while maintaining profitability.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

 Media Planning and Execution:

• Strategic work product that ladders back to client/campaign goals and KPIs
• Accountable for digital plan output timeliness, accuracy, and overall excellence
• Lead the process of strategic digital planning/execution and serve as a resource for  advice and counsel for all junior levels
• Demonstrate ability to utilize resources to help guide client’s marketing goals using a data driven approach to create output (e.g., syndicated, proprietary, analyst, historical)
• Create client savings analyses based on negotiation, billing and invoices, cost avoidance and added value
• Responsible for ensuring that all budgets and campaign plans and execution align with client budget parameters
• Understand and adopt new techniques and technologies relevant to clients’ digital media strategies
• Work seamlessly with Video, Publishing, Audio, Local and OOH activation teams utilizing digital tactics
• Provide and discuss industry information on media, markets and related dynamics
• Maintain relationships with media community; continue to develop publisher and higher relationships for exchange of ideas
• Demonstrate ability to sell DAN and all its offerings
• May participate in the creation and negotiation of yearly client contracts and supplemental proposals and manage account profitability
• May participate in the setting of negotiation strategies

Client & Internal Relationships:

• Build trusting, collaborative relationships with clients at appropriate levels
• Maintain client relationships at appropriate levels
• Manage expectations of clients and deliverables
• Monitor manpower and identify over/underage
• Work with Client Team lead to secure appropriate staff commensurate with workload
• Accurately represent the client’s point of view when reviewing work, leverage this perspective when providing feedback to team and presenting to client
• Work with Client Team lead to identify opportunities to offer other agency service line offerings to existing clients
• Grow business opportunities within current clients, where appropriate
• Participates and presents in New Business efforts and presentations, where appropriate
• Capable of effectively managing up and down the reporting structure
• Ability to collaboratively work with activations teams where responsibilities cross over

 Strategic Thinking & Leadership:

• Ensures all relevant parties are informed and knowledgeable
• Provide and/or guide strategic input for all plans internally and externally
• Develop and maintain digital planning processes and procedures across team
• Demonstrate problem solving and intervention when necessary
• Understand and analyze the root causes of problems and develop ways to rectify
• Guide and assist staff to arrive at potential solutions to problems/issues
• Ensure key information is provided to team regarding client issues, internal agency issues, changes in account status, etc.
• Train, motivate and develop a team
• Construct and deliver accurate, honest and timely performance management documents
• Identify opportunities for automation to streamline processes

Communications Skills:

• Establish and maintain communications process with clients, Comms Planning, creative, etc. for each piece of business within the team
• Direct the development of client presentations and other important communication, communication that is clear, compelling and persuasive
• Lead client presentations
• Communicate key information about our company representing the values and goals of the organization internally and externally
• Adapts communication style to relevant audience
• Links communication to audience’s concerns and perspectives
• Moves audience to desired action through clear and persuasive delivery of information

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 7 + years of media planning experience
• Client service experience
• Understanding of key research sources
• Proven leadership ability – experience managing a team of planners & supervisors
• Experience in digital marketing and current knowledge of trends and innovations in traditional media
• High-level proficiency in MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook

• Generous paid holiday schedule
• Flexible Working Options—WFH, visit office if that's your preference
• Comprehensive healthcare plans
• 401(k) with employer match
• Flexible time-off
• 16 weeks paid parental leave

The anticipated salary range for this position is $68,000 - $106,000. Salary is based on a range of factors that include relevant experience, knowledge, skills, other job-related qualifications, and geography.  A range of medical, dental, vision, 401(k) matching, paid time off, and/or other benefits also are available. For more information regarding dentsu benefits, please visit dentsubenefitsplus.com  

Employees from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds encouraged to apply.
Dentsu (the "Company") is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee of the Company, on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, veteran or military status, genetic information, or any other legally-recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done that will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing an undue hardship on the Company. Please contact [email protected] if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process or to request or discuss an accommodation in connection with a job at the Company to which you are applying.

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