Sr. Specialist, Media Operations

Job description

The Sr. Specialist, Media Operations supports the operational governance, financial integrity, technical measurement infrastructure, VIN feed coordination, and OEM co-op compliance of AutoNation’s media ecosystem. This role serves as a critical executional partner within the Integrated Media Strategy & Comms Planning team, working closely with Finance, Marketing Analytics, Media Strategy, IT, and Agency partners to ensure media activity is fiscally accurate, technically enabled, operationally compliant, and performance protected. The Sr. Specialist ensures budgets are reconciled accurately, campaigns are properly tracked, inventory feeds are maintained correctly, and compliance standards are upheld. This role participates in pacing validation, optimization coordination, and reporting accuracy while helping maintain the systems and processes that power media performance. The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented, systems-minded operator who thrives in complex environments and excels at connecting financial stewardship, operational rigor, and technical execution. Key Responsibilities Operational Excellence & Data Integrity • Support documentation and continuous improvement of end-to-end media operational processes to ensure fiscal and technical integrity. • Maintain tagging, tracking, taxonomy, and naming convention standards across all channel sand partners. • Coordinate implementation and QA of media tags to ensure accurate campaign tracking, attribution, and reporting. • Assist in maintaining governance over lead scoring models, quality tiering, and intent classification frameworks. • Serve as a key checks-and-balances partner between Analytics (budget guidance), Media Strategy (allocation decisions), and Agency teams (execution). • Maintain operational SOPs and governance documentation. • Identify workflow inefficiencies and recommend automation or tooling improvements. • Support cross-team workflow improvements to increase scalability and execution consistency. • Assist in continuous improvement initiatives across finance, feeds, tracking, and reporting. Media Technology & Ad Operations • Partner with Marketing Analytics, Digital Marketing, IT, and agency teams to ensure tracking and tagging accuracy. • Conduct regular tag audits to identify and resolve broken or misaligned tracking. • Support VIN-level and store-level feed coordination to ensure inventory is structured and activated properly across platforms. • Assist in managing feed logic to support performance optimization and OEM compliance. • Coordinate feed updates and routing logic with IT and external feed partners. • Escalate feed-related issues that may impact performance or compliance. Financial Operations • Translate approved top-down budgets (by Line of Business) into store-level allocations within tracking systems. • Manage monthly invoicing workflow and partner with Marketing Finance and Analytics for reconciliation. • Ensure alignment between agency pacing reports and internal budget trackers to prevent over/underspend. • Validate reallocations between LOBs or markets to ensure financial accuracy and documentation. • Prepare recurring budget updates and variance reports for leadership review. • Support forecasting and proactively flag financial risks or discrepancies • Ensure accurate Coupa uploads, approvals, and documentation alignment. Reporting & Insights • Owns media analytic analysis across traditional media, digital media and 3P platforms to guide optimizations • Deliver clear, concise budget and pacing updates for internal stakeholders. • Translate complex operational, technical, and financial data into actionable insights for media strategy refinement. • Support leadership in assessing media investment performance from an operational, fiscal, and technical setup standpoint. Agency & Cross-Functional Partnership • Maintain operational alignment between Marketing Analytics, Media Strategy, and Agency execution. • Serve as an operational point of contact for agency teams to address budget, pacing, and tagging questions. • Work with agency partners to identify process improvements in reporting, budget pacing, and measurement accuracy. • Support the creation of documentation for operational best practices. Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in marketing, Business Administration, Finance, or related field. • 5+ years in media operations, marketing finance, or advertising; client-side experience preferred. • Strong understanding of media planning/buying processes across channels. • Experience with tracking, tagging, and ad operations workflows. • Skilled in Excel; familiarity with Power BI & Qlik Sense tools a plus. • Organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities. Exciting Benefits and Perks Await You: Competitive compensation and 401k matching Enjoy a healthy work-life balance with insurance plans (health, dental, vision) and maternity benefits. Associate purchase and discount programs for new and pre-owned vehicles, services, parts, collision, accessories, and AutoGear Access amazing deals and discounts through YouDecide, a website with offers from top providers and retailers Join our DRVPNK mission to raise and donate millions of dollars to cancer research and treatment, partnering with cancer charities nationwide AutoNation is one of the largest automotive retailers in the United States, offering innovative products, exceptional services, and comprehensive solutions, empowering our customers to make the best decisions for their needs. With a network of dealerships nationwide strengthened by a recognized brand, we offer a wide variety of new and used vehicles, customer financing, parts, and provide expert maintenance and repair services. Through DRV PNK, we have raised over $40 million for cancer-related causes, demonstrating our commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of our Associates, Customers, and the communities we serve. AutoNation is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment in our workplace and the services we provide. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds who are passionate about making a positive impact. Even if you do not meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. Join our team and help us foster a culture of belonging while contributing to our revolutionary work in the automotive industry. We value innovation, teamwork, and a commitment to making a positive impact in the world.