Strategic Planning Lead

Role Summary

The Strategic Planning Lead is responsible for supporting media strategic planning for key accounts. This role is responsible for hands-on support of the Director(s) involved in said key accounts in creating consistently excellent, insight-driven, and industry-leading media strategies and plans. At times, the Strategic Planning Lead will become the main strategic lead with Director(s)’s support.

Who You Are 

• Knowledgeable: You have a BA/BS and minimum of 3-5 years media planning experience. Commerce experience is a PLUS.
• Thought Leadership: Consistently participates in a culture of curiosity and applies it through contributing to test-and-learn recommendations across key accounts, as well as continuously advances understanding in dedicated client’s industry to fuel media strategy recommendations. You will supports director(s) with producing thought leadership content for key accounts. 
• Strategic Planning Skills:  You will be primarily responsible for audience development and channel planning, which ladder up to the media strategy.  You will need to understand client business challenges and how specific media channels work together to help solve those challenges, pulling brand, category, and audience data to garner insights to support strategic media recommendations. You will have an active role in designing/pressure testing audience segments that are most valuable to a client and engage these segments with appropriate media strategies.
• Client Acumen:  Ability to serve as a point of contact for internal stakeholders and at times, create relationships with key clients as a trusted media lead. Knowledge of key clients’ business challenges and considers how media can best be leveraged to drive marketing results. You may support director(s) for new business pitches by leading research data pulls to inform audience design and channel strategy.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate on key accounts with Activation, Investment, CX, BD, and DS&A for creating consistently excellent client work. Once a plan is approved, collaborates with Media Activation MSMs to walk through media plan details and transition any communication initiated with direct partnerships. Accountable to campaign performance reviews by providing context to performance and collaborating on actionable insights.

What You’ll Do  

This position is a critical component of a client team within Goodway, and requires comfort with occasional client contact, although not client ownership.
You will be focused on: 

• Consistently utilize Goodway Group’s strategic planning methodology, including the media process, media framework, and LOB “great work” rubric, to develop media plans aligned with client goals, business objectives, target audience, and customer journey.
• Utilize research, planning, and forecasting tools to inform and prepare budget allocations based upon the media brief and/or overall marketing strategy. 
• Design and pressure-test audience segments to engage with appropriate media strategies.
• Assist in strategic analysis of campaigns, drawing insights to inform and improve future campaign performance.
• Collaborate with the Media Activation Team to monitor performance and craft client recommendations when significant shifts are needed.
• Facilitate seamless handoff of media plans to Media Activations to ensure proper setup and optimization.
• Actively collaborate with cross-functional team members across key accounts and support Director(s) in bridging strategic planning and activation.
• Continuously deepen understanding of clients’ industries to strengthen strategic media recommendations.
•  Support Director(s) in incorporating LOB-specific media initiatives and services (e.g., Agency LOB media+ services) across key accounts.