M&C Saatchi - Director - Marketing Strategic Planning (8-9 yrs)

About Us:

We are a forward-thinking performance marketing agency with a mobile-first legacy and a data driven, ROI-positive approach. Our work spans multiple continents, and our collaborative, cutting-edge methods help us stay ahead in the fast-evolving digital marketing landscape.

Role Overview:

- We are seeking a dynamic Planning Director who can bridge the gap between data & insights and media planning.

- This role requires a mix of data-driven strategy development, consumer insights, and media planning.

- The Planning Director will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to deliver holistic marketing strategies that drive measurable results.

- This position is ideal for someone who is comfortable with strategic media tools and hands-on media planning, and has the ability to blend both to inform media strategy.

- This role would sit in our centralised global strategy team, which services account teams and new business teams in markets throughout APAC, EMEA and the Americas.

- The successful applicant will report into our Global Planning Director based in Sydney.

Key Responsibilities:

Consumer Insights & Strategy Development:

- Identify consumer mindsets across the customer journey and translate these insights into actionable strategies that drive brand engagement and conversions.

- Utilize both quantitative and qualitative data to create holistic digital strategies, ensuring they align with the client's business goals.

- Develop reports and presentations to share insights and strategic recommendations with clients and internal teams.

Media Strategy:

- Develop and implement data-driven media strategies across digital channels (Paid Social, Programmatic, Search) and traditional channels for clients and prospects.

- Own media planning and budgeting to achieve performance marketing goals while ensuring alignment with broader business objectives.

- Collaborate with the creative, data, and account teams to ensure media plans are strategically grounded and integrated with client goals.

Collaboration & Client Management:

- Build and maintain strong client relationships, offering proactive strategic guidance and ensuring that campaigns are delivering on business goals.

- Interface regularly with account leads and clients to present strategies, insights, and recommendations, contributing to long-term business growth.

Innovation & Industry Trends:

- Stay on top of emerging industry trends, new technologies, and digital marketing strategies to keep clients ahead of the curve.

- Suggest innovative ways to leverage new media channels and technologies to achieve client goals.

Team Leadership & Development:

- Mentor and support junior members of the strategy and media teams, ensuring alignment with best practices and company standards.

- Lead training sessions for strategy and media teams, ensuring their outputs contribute to the company's success.

Key Requirements:

- 8-10 years of experience in digital media planning, with a strong understanding of both creative and media aspects of campaigns.

- A strong understanding of the marketing funnel and comms planning.

- Proven expertise in managing campaigns across Paid Social, Programmatic, and Search.

- Strong analytical skills and experience working with data platforms such as GWI, Brandwatch, Google Analytics, etc.

- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to present and explain complex strategies to clients.

- Experience with both performance-driven campaigns and brand-building strategies.

- Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.

- A passion for consumer insights and digital marketing, with a constant drive to innovate and improve campaign effectiveness.

- Experience planning media in multiple markets.

Why Join Us?

You will be part of a dynamic, forward-thinking team where creativity, innovation, and collaboration are at the heart of everything we do.

The team, based throughout APAC, is growing along with the business and there are many career pathways.

If you're excited by the opportunity to drive strategy and media planning across diverse categories and markets, we'd love to hear from you!