Director of Media Buying

Job description

The Director of Programmatic & Media Buying is a senior strategic leader responsible for driving client success, media planning excellence, and operational performance across the agency’s Programmatic Media practice. This role serves as the primary programmatic subject matter expert, ensuring that client strategies, media plans, and campaign execution consistently deliver measurable business outcomes while meeting the agency’s standards for quality, innovation, and service excellence. Working closely with Client Services and Marketing teams, this role leads strategic planning for key client accounts, elevates programmatic capabilities across the organization, and establishes best practices that drive consistent performance and operational efficiency. This individual plays a critical role in supporting client retention and growth by providing senior-level consultation, thought leadership, and strategic guidance across Display, Video, CTV, Audio, Native, and emerging programmatic channels. The Director of Media Buying also leads and mentors a team of programmatic professionals, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and professional development. While partnering with agency leadership on service evolution, staffing, and operational priorities, this role is primarily focused on ensuring exceptional client outcomes, scalable delivery processes, and best-in-class programmatic planning and execution. **What You'll Do** **Client Success & Strategic Leadership** - Serve as senior strategic lead across key enterprise programmatic relationships. - Guide annual, quarterly, and campaign-level media planning to ensure plans align with client business objectives. - Provide executive-level consultation on audience strategy, channel mix, measurement frameworks, and budget allocation. - Partner with Client Services leadership to support retention, growth, and overall client satisfaction. - Lead escalations, performance reviews, and strategic recommendations for high-priority accounts. - Ensure programmatic strategies are integrated with broader marketing initiatives. **Media Planning Excellence** - Establish and uphold best practices for programmatic planning across Display, Video, CTV, Audio, Native, and emerging channels. - Review and elevate media plans, audience strategies, testing frameworks, and measurement approaches. - Drive consistency in planning methodologies, forecasting, and performance evaluation. - Ensure planning recommendations are grounded in data, business objectives, and market opportunities. - Act as a senior reviewer and quality assurance lead for major programmatic initiatives. **Operational Excellence & Team Leadership** - Lead day-to-day operational health of the programmatic team. - Drive workflow efficiency, delivery consistency, quality standards, and process improvements.Partner with department leadership on capacity planning, staffing recommendations, and resource allocation. - Coach and mentor Associate Directors, Strategists, and Media Buyers. - Support onboarding, training, and development initiatives to strengthen team capabilities. - Ensure operational processes support both client success and scalable growth. **Innovation & Practice Development** - Identify emerging technologies, platforms, and opportunities that enhance client performance. - Partner with executive leadership on evolving programmatic offerings, positioning, and go-to-market strategies. - Champion adoption of new capabilities, measurement approaches, and planning methodologies. - Represent the agency as a thought leader internally and externally when appropriate. **What You'll Bring** - 10+ years of digital media buying and programmatic advertising experience. - 5+ years leading teams, departments, or agency service lines. - Extensive expertise managing multimillion-dollar media investments across programmatic channels. - Proven experience leading enterprise-level client relationships. - Strong understanding of agency operations, resource management, and financial performance. - Experience owning departmental budgets, forecasting, and profitability targets. - Deep experience across Demand Side Platforms (StackAdapt, DV360, TTD, etc.), Ad Servers (Campaign Manager), Web Analytics (Google Analytics), and MTA/MMMs. - Excellent written and verbal communication and presentational skills - Exceptional time management and organization skills - Knowledge of remarketing and advanced targeting tactics, including dynamic creative, CRM, site retargeting, search retargeting, keyword contextual, affinity, look-a-like, predictive, etc. **Benefits and Perks We Provide** - **Remote Workplace.** You have the option to work at our office in Boston or remotely in one of these states: AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, ID, IL, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MO, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, SC, OH, OK, PA, RI, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA. - **Paid Time Off.** Receive generous paid vacation benefits that increase each year you’re with us, 14 Company Holidays, and Summer Fridays from Memorial Day through Labor Day. - **401K + Match.** 401K plan with 4% Safe Harbor employer match after one year of employment and financial literacy services provided through our retirement provider. - **Life Insurance Benefit.** No-cost coverage to ensure peace of mind for your family. - **Short Term Disability Benefit.** We've got you covered if you need to be OOO with an illness or injury that keeps you out of work. - **Healthcare.** Choose from several competitive healthcare plans for you and your family with 80% employer coverage for all medical and dental premiums, 100% employer coverage for vision, and the option to participate in the FSA program. - **Commuter Benefits.** Allocate pre-tax funds towards your commute to save up to 40% per year in transportation expenses. - **Continuing Education.** Access to monthly team-led webinars, exclusive 829-cohort based learning, digital course platforms, and funding opportunities to attend national conferences and events. **What We Believe** At 829 Studios, we boldly embrace diversity, inclusivity, and equal opportunity. Our goal: a team rich in backgrounds, perspectives, and talents. Why? Because inclusivity powers our brilliance and client success. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, religion, creed, color, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, disability, mental illness, age, ancestry, genetic information, military service, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws. **Who We Are** 829 Studios is a Boston-based integrated digital marketing agency with a mission to propel organizations to unlock their full potential and accomplish their most ambitious goals. We harness the power of logic with magic – a balance of data-driven strategy and brand-focused creative. We partner with diverse organizations across various industries and our client list encompasses venture-backed start-ups, publicly traded companies, non-profits, and more. By committing not only to our growth as a company, but the development of our employees and teams’, we have created a collaborative environment that fosters ingenuity and promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging values within our community. 829 has been recognized as one of the nation’s top agencies by the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Privately Held Companies, Adweek 100 Fastest-Growing Digital Agencies, Boston Business Journal's Fast 50 (Massachusetts' 50 Fastest-Growing Private Companies), HubSpot's Top Digital Agencies list, and a we are and employee-certified Great Place to Work. **Salary Range:** $120,000-$150,000 We determine compensation based on experience, demonstrated skills, and current market conditions at the time of hire to ensure fairness and consistency across roles. Actual compensation will depend on experience and may be adjusted based on skills, qualifications, and alignment with the scope and impact of the role.