Planning Lead

Job Description: About dentsu As champions for meaningful progress, we help our clients to win, keep and grow their best customers with best-in-class services and solutions in media, CXM, and creative. We all are striving to be a force for good — for our people, for our clients, for the industry and for our society. We keep our people at the centre, creating space for growth, understanding and learning so they can thrive. We embed diversity, in our mindset, in our solutions and in our teams to empower an inclusive, equitable and culturally fluent environment. Building this culture within our teams makes us better collaborators with each other and with our clients, driving better outcomes for all. With more than 66,000 dedicated specialists teaming across 143 markets, our ‘8 ways’ shape and guide the way we do things here, so that, together, we can achieve the ‘never before’ for our clients, for society and for each other. We dream loud. We inspire change. We team without limits. We all lead. We make it real. We climb high. We choose excitement. We are a force for good. We are dentsu. Your team The Global Addressable Media team is working across London and Amsterdam, delivering digital media services to connect brands with consumers via best-in-class digital ad experiences and drive sustainable growth. We believe in the core principle of Value for All, by leading the transformation of the digital advertising industry so it creates an honest, clear & meaningful value exchange for our people, clients, society, consumers and the media industry. Together with 100 like-minded colleagues we run digital campaigns for advertisers over 50+ markets around the world. We have over 30 different nationalities in our teams and work closely with teams of Google, Meta, Amazon and many others to learn and use the most of those technologies. If you want to lead the transformation of the digital advertising industry with us, this role is just for you! What are you going to do? As Planning Lead, you will be responsible for developing and executing innovative media strategies that deliver impactful results for client across a diverse markets. You will drive the strategic vision for paid media campaigns, ensuring they align with client objectives and effectively utilize the latest media trends and technologies. In this role, you will oversee the creation of comprehensive media plans, managing campaign timelines and budgets to ensure efficient execution and optimal performance. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams and partners, including creative, planning, client management, and buying teams, to deliver high-quality campaigns that meet client expectations. Regularly reporting on campaign performance, you will provide actionable insights and strategic recommendations for optimization, positioning clients for sustained growth and success. Your focus will be on continuously improving campaign delivery, refining processes, and incorporating emerging trends into media strategies. Potentially, you can also lead and mentor a team of planners, fostering a collaborative environment that promotes creative thinking and data-driven decision-making. Conducting regular performance reviews and client meetings will be essential, allowing you to discuss results, gather feedback, and identify new opportunities for growth and innovation. We are looking for a highly skilled candidate with a proven track record in media planning, campaign execution, and performance analysis. You should demonstrate a blend of strategic thinking, strong analytical skills, and a deep understanding of the paid media landscape. A passion for staying ahead of industry trends, excellent communication abilities, and the ability to manage multiple stakeholders effectively are essential. You should thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, capable of navigating complex challenges and delivering outstanding results for clients. Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities are key, as you will be instrumental in developing talent and ensuring the success of both your team and your clients. What are you going to achieve? The role's primary purpose is to develop and execute effective media strategies that drive results through well-targeted and optimized campaigns. The Planning Lead ensures that media plans align with client goals, deliver measurable outcomes, and take advantage of emerging trends in the media landscape. By focusing on strategic planning, execution, and optimization, they play a key role in meeting client objectives, improving performance, and delivering value while maintaining the high standards for media excellence. This role has the following focus areas: Strategic Media Planning and Execution:

• Develop Media Strategies: Create comprehensive media plans that align with client objectives, ensuring effective audience targeting, channel selection, and campaign structure;
• Campaign Optimization: Continuously monitor and optimize campaigns based on performance data to improve key metrics such as ROI, impressions, and conversions;
• Market Research: Stay informed about market trends, competitor activity, and emerging technologies to ensure media strategies are cutting-edge and impactful.

Client Relationship Management:

• Client Liaison: Serve as the key point of contact for clients regarding media strategies, campaign performance, and recommendations for improvement.
• Client Presentations and Reporting: Deliver regular reports and performance insights to clients, presenting results and providing actionable recommendations for optimization;
• Strategy Adjustments: Work closely with clients to refine media strategies based on feedback, market conditions, or shifts in business goals.

Budget Management:

• Budget Oversight: Ensure campaigns are executed within budget, optimizing spend to maximize performance and return on investment (ROI);
• Cost Efficiency: Identify opportunities to optimize budgets by recommending more effective channels, targeting options, and media buys.
   

Collaboration with Cross-Functional Teams:

• Work with Media Buying Teams: Collaborate with media buyers to ensure proper execution of media plans, overseeing tactical media buying decisions;
• Creative and Content Coordination: Ensure alignment with the creative team to develop content that resonates with target audiences and supports campaign goals;
• Data and Analytics Integration: Partner with analytics teams to gather data, analyze results, and refine strategies to improve campaign performance.

Performance Monitoring and Reporting:

• Track Key Metrics: Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) like click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and customer engagement;
• Performance Reviews: Conduct regular performance reviews and audits of campaigns, adjusting plans as necessary to meet or exceed client objectives.

Continuous Improvement and Innovation:

• Process Optimization: Continuously assess internal processes and workflows to improve efficiency, communication, and overall campaign execution;
• Stay ahead of trends: Keep up with industry trends, emerging technologies, and changes in the digital landscape to drive innovation in campaigns and ensure competitive advantage.
   

Stakeholder Management:

• Internal Stakeholder Coordination: Work with senior leadership and other internal teams to ensure media strategies are aligned with overall business goals;
• Client Business Reviews: Participate in or lead business review meetings with clients to discuss campaign outcomes, feedback, and next steps.

Training and Development:

• Mentor Junior Team Members: Provide guidance and professional development opportunities for junior planners to help them grow in their roles;
• Team Knowledge Sharing: Foster a learning culture within the team, sharing insights, best practices, and industry knowledge to improve the overall effectiveness of the planning function."
   

Team Management and Leadership:

• Lead and Manage Planning Team: Supervise and mentor a team of media planners, providing guidance, training, and support to help them meet both client and agency goals;
• Team Collaboration: Foster a collaborative environment within the planning team, ensuring seamless communication with creative, buying, and analytics teams to ensure campaign success;
• Resource Allocation: Ensure that team members are efficiently managing their workload, helping them prioritize tasks to meet deadlines and performance goals.

Who are you?

• You have 5+ years of experience in media, advertising, or marketing, with a strong understanding of media planning and buying;
• You have strong knowledge in Programmatic and Paid Social buying;
• You have advanced experience with analysis & insights;
• You have advanced experience with client service and budget management;
• You are an expert in organisation & prioritisation;
• You are an expert in media planning;
• You have advanced project management skills;
• You have advanced market research skills;
• You have a passion for digital marketing and the desire to grow within this industry.

What do we offer?

• 3 extra days off (yes, at dentsu we take your well-being very seriously) - next to 25 annual holiday days off there are 3 Well-being Days;
• 2 Social Impact Days - you can volunteer for the cause of your choice;
• Extensive learning and development possibilities - wide range of in person and online training courses;
• Clear career progression - you can grow towards a Lead position; Needless to say that besides the vertical growth in your role there is plenty of opportunity to grow horizontally as well;
• Plenty of room for socializing and other cool things besides work, such as Friday afternoon gatherings, boot camps, boxing lessons, karaoke, a game of pool or table tennis and the well-known dentsu parties;
• A hybrid work model, we work 3 days at the office, 2 days at home;
• And, of course, a good salary and excellent fringe benefits.

#LI-CK1 Location: Amsterdam Brand: Global Addressable Time Type: Full time Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract (Fixed Term)