Associate Director, Media Strategy

Swoon; Montreal (administrative region); Hybrid; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work: 3 days in office

3 weeks vacation + holiday closure

Wellness days and personal time

Comprehensive benefits

Annual fitness reimbursement

Transit and bike discounts

Direct influence on strategy

Job summary

Swoon in Montreal is seeking a seasoned Media Strategy lead to design and execute integrated 360° media plans. You will partner with clients to align media with business goals, manage digital and traditional channels, and translate data into strategic decisions.

You will guide the team, mentor colleagues, and contribute to improving campaign processes while thriving in a fast-paced agency environment with hybrid work in Montreal.

Qualifications

• 5–7+ years of experience in media strategy, planning, or related discipline in an agency environment.
• Strong experience developing and executing integrated/360° media strategies.
• Deep understanding of the modern digital media ecosystem including programmatic, SEM, paid media, audience strategy, data, measurement, and optimization.
• Solid knowledge of traditional media with ability to connect offline and digital channels into cohesive strategies.
• Experience advising senior stakeholders and major clients.
• Strong presentation, communication, and business skills.
• Ability to translate data and media insights into strategic business recommendations.
• Experience leading, mentoring, or coordinating media strategy teams.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills.
• Collaborative, proactive, and solutions-oriented mindset.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced environment with multiple stakeholders and priorities.

Responsibilities

• Develop customized 360° media strategies aligned with client objectives, marketing strategies, consumer needs, and growth opportunities.
• Lead integrated media planning and execution across digital and traditional channels.
• Build data-driven media ecosystems focused on performance, optimization, and measurable results.
• Develop consumer journeys, messaging frameworks, media KPIs, and measurement strategies.
• Stay ahead of trends to identify new opportunities and translate insights into actionable recommendations.
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders as a strategic partner.
• Advise on media strategy, performance, and market opportunities for clients.
• Lead and mentor media strategists and cross-functional teams.
• Drive agency processes related to SOWs, BCRs, hours, invoicing, and workflows.

Skills

Media strategy

Media planning

Integrated/360° media

Programmatic/SEM

Traditional media

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Presentation & communication

Data-driven decision making

Project management

Job description

Location: Montreal, QC | Hybrid (3 days/week in office)

What You'll Do

Drive Integrated Media Strategy

• Develop customized 360° media strategies aligned with client business objectives, marketing strategies, consumer needs, and growth opportunities.
• Lead integrated media planning and execution across digital and traditional channels.
• Build innovative, data-driven media ecosystems focused on performance, optimization, and measurable results.
• Develop consumer journeys, messaging frameworks, media KPIs, and measurement strategies.
• Stay ahead of emerging media, technology, audience, and consumer trends to identify new opportunities.
• Translate complex media and data insights into clear, actionable business recommendations.

Be a Strategic Client Advisor

• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and become a strategic partner to clients.
• Advise senior leadership on media strategy, performance, market opportunities, and evolving industry trends.
• Develop a strong understanding of clients' industries, competitive landscapes, business challenges, and opportunities.
• Identify opportunities to improve campaign performance and expand strategic partnerships.
• Proactively address campaign challenges and develop solutions that protect both performance and client relationships.
• Lead and facilitate strategic workshops focused on consumer journeys, messaging, media performance, and business objectives.

Lead & Develop Teams

• Provide strategic direction and guidance to media strategists and other specialists.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to ensure successful delivery of integrated campaigns.
• Mentor and coach team members while supporting their professional development.
• Share media expertise through internal training and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
• Help establish and evolve media best practices, processes, tools, and methodologies.
• Foster a collaborative environment where teams can do their best work.

Drive Operational Excellence

• Help ensure effective execution of agency processes, including SOWs, BCRs, hours, invoicing, and campaign workflows.
• Partner with senior leadership to improve processes and ways of working.
• Take a proactive, solution-oriented approach to resolving complex project and campaign challenges.

What You'll Bring

• 5–7+ years of experience in media strategy, media planning, or a related discipline, primarily within an agency environment.
• Strong experience developing and executing integrated/360° media strategies.
• Deep understanding of the modern digital media ecosystem, including programmatic, SEM, paid media, audience strategy, data, measurement, and optimization.
• Solid knowledge of traditional media, with the ability to connect offline and digital channels into cohesive media strategies.
• Experience advising senior stakeholders and major clients.
• Strong presentation, communication, and business skills.
• Ability to translate data and media insights into strategic business recommendations.
• Experience leading, mentoring, or coordinating media strategy teams.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills.
• A collaborative, proactive, and solutions-oriented mindset.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced environment with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.

The Leadership Mindset

We're looking for someone who brings both strategic expertise and strong people leadership.

• Empathetic leader: You support, coach, and develop people while bringing teams together around a shared vision.
• Strategic thinker: You see the bigger picture and can connect media decisions to broader business and marketing objectives.
• Transparent communicator: You build relationships through honesty, accountability, and trust.
• Agile problem-solver: You thrive in complex environments and are comfortable adapting when priorities change.
• Collaborative partner: You believe the strongest work comes from bringing different perspectives and areas of expertise together.

What You'll Get

• Hybrid work: 3 days in the office and 2 days working remotely.
• Generous time off: 3 weeks of vacation plus an agency-wide holiday closure.
• Additional personal time: Doubled public holidays, 5 personal wellness days, and 1 volunteer day.
• Comprehensive benefits: Life, prescription drug, dental, paramedical, travel, and other coverage options.
• Wellness support: Annual reimbursement toward fitness activities or home fitness equipment.
• Transportation benefits: Discounts on public transit and bike-sharing memberships.
• Professional growth: Work alongside experienced media professionals and have a direct opportunity to influence strategy, processes, and the future direction of the agency.