Client Planning Manager

Job Description:

ROLE PURPOSE

We’re looking for an ambitious, proactive and enthusiastic Client Planning Manager to join the Xbox EMEA planning team at Carat.

Reporting into the Client Account Director, this is a key role sitting within the Microsoft & Carat EMEA Hub in the UK, and will oversee the day-to-day account deliverables, and supported by our Senior Account Exec. You’ll be planning, launching and reporting on strategically driven, innovative media campaigns across key EMEA markets. Gaming is an exciting sector for media planning & we’re always hunting for the next best media execution – recent highlights include Xbox OOH takeovers at GamesCom (the biggest gaming conference in the world) and projections for Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga on the White Cliffs of Dover! We are looking for an idea-led and inquisitive candidate to deliver what comes next.

Carat is the global media agency servicing Microsoft across 70+ markets worldwide. A dynamic and progressive company, Microsoft are one of the world's most valuable listed companies and one of Dentsu’s most valuable clients. Agility, Collaboration and Innovation are key areas of focus around how they work and expect others to work and thus share many values with Carat.

Our UK teams work across the Microsoft line of business product ecosystem across EMEA territories including Xbox, Teams, M365, Surface and Commercial (B2B) as well as other initiatives that come with being at the cutting edge of the world of immersive tech.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Managing the Business:

• Support the Client Director and Account Director with the delivery of multiple workstreams simultaneously to meet client expectations 

• Coordinate the team’s projects, ensuring all work is provided to our local and global teams in an accurate and timely manner 

Relationship Management:

• Supports the Client Account Director with general client liaison and administration 

• Builds a direct relationship with clients through running of day-to-day status and client requests

• Builds and maintains collaborative working relationships with all specialist teams (e.g. AV, Digital, Search, Social, OOH) 

Finance & Budget Management:

• Work with the Senior Account Executive & Operations team to ensure regular financial reports are accurate and match our PO budgets and that invoices are reconciled in a timely manner

• Work with the Senior Account Executive to ensure all account billings are sent in a timely manner  

• Work with global Finance teams to ensure UK financial reports match Global budget trackers 

Reporting Oversight:

• Work with Senior Account Executive & Analytics Team to collate biweekly performance reports, insights, and optimization recommendations 

• With support from the Client Account Director, lead in the development, review, and presentation of regular campaign performance reports 

Communications Planning:

• Create and review target audience insights based on audience definition provided in Microsoft campaign briefs, providing actionable insights from media tools.

• Support Client Account Director in translating audience media consumption insights into holistic media mix recommendations that deliver on Microsoft’s business objectives and reflect a local UK nuance 

• Support Client Account Director & specialist teams in building out detailed, tactical plan recommendations and executing plans once approved 

• Strong experience of digital campaigns and technologies

• Work effectively alongside US Carat teams to collaboratively build global client recommendations with local nuances

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Knowledge & Interpersonal Skills:

• Focused on clients

• Thinks Global

• Curious and learning focused

• Confident presentation skills

• Excellent attention-to-detail and highly organised

• Understanding of the gaming landscape – being a gamer yourself is not a necessity but a plus!

Experience & Qualifications: 

• 3-4 years’+ strong end-to-end comms planning experience

• Experience of working with and managing multiple client stakeholders

• Experience working across a global or multi-market client is preferable but not a necessity

• Experience managing client finances and billing tools

• Influences immediate and extended team (to deliver media and planning responses)

• Understanding of multiple media channels & solid experience of and a flair for digital media, including brand and performance

A FEW OF THE BENEFITS

Whether it’s the joy of working with people at the top of their game or the Dentsu social calendar, people love working here – and we hope you will too

• Career development through dentsu University and other tools; with access to courses, textbooks and mentorship

• Private Medical Insurance, Company Pension, Life Insurance, Critical Illness Cover and other corporate benefits

• A selection of other benefits including multiple Wellbeing Days per year, season ticket loan and volunteer days

INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY

We’re proud to be different and that starts with our people. We believe in equal opportunities for everyone. We won’t define people by their race, gender, sexual-orientation, age or disability. Individuality is what makes us great, we want everyone to bring their full self to work and create something amazing. That’s what we care about. So, whether you’re joining us, or looking to move to a different part of the business, we work hard to make sure we create equal opportunities for everyone.

We are happy to discuss flexible and agile approaches to working for all our roles – we can’t promise we will be able to offer you everything you want or need but we do promise to discuss it with you openly and honestly. If you have any reasonable adjustment needs arising from a disability or medical condition to fully participate in the recruitment process, please discuss this with our recruitment teams.

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