Manager, Planning

Dentsu Aegis Network Ltd.; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental insurance

RRSP

Paid time off

Benefits for permanent employees

Job summary

Dentsu Media in Vancouver is seeking a Planning Manager to lead media planning strategy across a portfolio of clients and to develop a high-performing team. You will guide end-to-end planning, ensuring strategic excellence, operational efficiency, and measurable client outcomes.

You will collaborate with Media Buying, Operations, Data & Analytics, and partner agencies, champion data-driven planning, and drive innovation through Dentsu capabilities.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in Media, Advertising, Marketing, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field.
• Minimum 5+ years of media planning experience across all media channels, with at least 2+ years of experience leading and developing teams.
• Proven ability to manage, coach, and retain top talent while driving team performance and engagement.
• Advanced understanding of media planning, audience strategy, campaign management, optimization, and measurement principles.
• Strong knowledge of media research, planning, and reporting tools.
• Experience working with data, analytics platforms, ad technology, bid management platforms, DSPs, and supply-side partners.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships and manage expectations with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong business acumen and analytical capabilities, including budget management and translating data into actionable insights and recommendations.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP), PowerPoint, and Outlook

Responsibilities

• Leads, coaches, and develops a team of media planning professionals, providing ongoing mentorship, performance management, and career development support.
• Owns and directs media planning strategy across assigned client portfolios, ensuring plans align with client business objectives and deliver measurable results.
• Guides the team in developing integrated media strategies that maximize media investment, efficiency, and campaign effectiveness across all channels.
• Serves as a senior strategic advisor to clients, providing insights, recommendations, and thought leadership on media trends, audience behavior, and market opportunities.
• Drives employee engagement and retention through talent development, succession planning, and collaboration with Leadership and Human Resources.
• Elevates the team's media expertise by championing the use of data, technology, audience insights, and advanced planning methodologies.
• Identifies skill gaps and development opportunities within the team and creates actionable development plans to support performance and growth.
• Promotes adoption and integration of Dentsu capabilities, including The Story Lab, Dentsu Data Labs, Cardinal Path, ICUC, and other strategic offerings to enhance client outcomes.
• Partners with Media Buying and Activation teams throughout campaign execution to ensure strategic alignment, performance optimization, and issue resolution.
• Establishes and enforces planning best practices, governance frameworks, and quality control processes across client accounts.
• Collaborates with partner agencies and cross-functional teams to ensure cohesive communication strategies and effective channel integration.
• Oversees the development of client-facing reports, presentations, and recommendations that clearly communicate strategy, performance, and business impact.
• Supports and leads new business initiatives, including RFP responses, strategic recommendations, client presentations, and pitch participation.
• Contributes to departmental growth initiatives, process improvements, and operational efficiencies within a shared services environment.
• Fosters a high-performance culture focused on accountability, continuous improvement, collaboration, innovation, and data-driven decision-making.

Skills

Media planning

Team leadership

Data analytics

Budget management

Client relationship management

Microsoft Excel

Education

Post-secondary degree in Media/Advertising/Marketing/Business Administration/Communications

Tools

DSPs

Bid management platforms

Media research tools

Dentsu capabilities (The Story Lab, Data Labs)

Job description

Job Description

Our mission is toDrive Business Performance.We use data to create personalized and connected experiences that deliver transformative business outcomes. Our role is to ensure our clients meet their quantifiable business goals every day, consistently, in every market. We are entirely focused on delivering better business results through optimization, creation and analysis across all digital platforms. Our scope ranges from recommending how to use content more effectively to optimizing daily media channel performance and maximizing visibility in eCommerce platforms. The Planning Manager is responsible for leading media planning strategy across a portfolio of clients while developing and managing a high-performing team. This role oversees the end-to-end planning process, ensuring strategic excellence, operational efficiency, and delivery against client business objectives. The Planning Manager collaborates closely with internal teams including Media Buying, Media Operations, Trafficking, Data & Analytics, and partner agencies to drive integrated media solutions and achieve client goals. As a senior planning lead, the Planning Manager plays a critical role in shaping media strategy, maintaining planning quality standards, fostering client relationships, and driving innovation through data, technology, and Dentsu capabilities. Accountabilities Leads, coaches, and develops a team of media planning professionals, providing ongoing mentorship, performance management, and career development support. Owns and directs media planning strategy across assigned client portfolios, ensuring plans align with client business objectives and deliver measurable results. Guides the team in developing integrated media strategies that maximize media investment, efficiency, and campaign effectiveness across all channels. Serves as a senior strategic advisor to clients, providing insights, recommendations, and thought leadership on media trends, audience behavior, and market opportunities. Drives employee engagement and retention through talent development, succession planning, and collaboration with Leadership and Human Resources. Elevates the team's media expertise by championing the use of data, technology, audience insights, and advanced planning methodologies. Identifies skill gaps and development opportunities within the team and creates actionable development plans to support performance and growth. Promotes adoption and integration of Dentsu capabilities, including The Story Lab, Dentsu Data Labs, Cardinal Path, ICUC, and other strategic offerings to enhance client outcomes. Partners with Media Buying and Activation teams throughout campaign execution to ensure strategic alignment, performance optimization, and issue resolution. Establishes and enforces planning best practices, governance frameworks, and quality control processes across client accounts. Collaborates with partner agencies and cross-functional teams to ensure cohesive communication strategies and effective channel integration. Oversees the development of client-facing reports, presentations, and recommendations that clearly communicate strategy, performance, and business impact. Supports and leads new business initiatives, including RFP responses, strategic recommendations, client presentations, and pitch participation. Contributes to departmental growth initiatives, process improvements, and operational efficiencies within a shared services environment. Fosters a high-performance culture focused on accountability, continuous improvement, collaboration, innovation, and data-driven decision-making.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in Media, Advertising, Marketing, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field.
• Minimum 5+ years of media planning experience across all media channels, with at least 2+ years of experience leading and developing teams.
• Proven ability to manage, coach, and retain top talent while driving team performance and engagement.
• Advanced understanding of media planning, audience strategy, campaign management, optimization, and measurement principles.
• Strong knowledge of media research, planning, and reporting tools.
• Experience working with data, analytics platforms, ad technology, bid management platforms, DSPs, and supply-side partners.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships and manage expectations with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong business acumen and analytical capabilities, including budget management and translating data into actionable insights and recommendations.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP), PowerPoint, and Outloook

Additional Information

Vacancy: Is this posting for the purposes of filling an existing vacancy [Y/N] The salary range for this position is $80k-90k. Actual salary within the salary range will be based on a variety of factors including relevant experience, knowledge, and skills. A range of medical, dental, RRSP, paid time off, and/or other benefits also are available to all permanent employees.

AI Disclosure

[dentsu] utilizes artificial intelligence tools as part of its recruitment process, as during the sourcing and screening stages. All other parts of the dentsu application and hiring processes do not utilize artificial intelligence tools. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds foster a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better business results. We strive to create workplaces that reflect the clients we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work. We are committed to working with our candidates from all ability levels throughout the recruitment process to ensure that they have what they need to be at their best. If you need accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact [e-mail] or to begin a conversation about your individual accessibility needs throughout the hiring process.

Location

Vancouver

Brand

Dentsu Media

Time Type

Full time

Contract Type

Permanent

About dentsu

For over 120 years, innovation has been a core tenet of our offering – exploring new ways to reach, engage and nurture relationships with audiences. Together we drive a multiplier effect for clients at a global scale, through the development of Integrated Growth Solutions that are underpinned by our promise to clients: innovating to impact. Be a force for good. Sustainability is a vital part of our business and an important area of focus for our clients. We’re leading the way – helping to build a more sustainable planet. Dream loud. In this moment of transformation, we need our people to be fearless, embracing change and ambiguity, driven by the love for their work and excitement for the future. Team without limits. We create opportunities for connection and collaboration between our colleagues and clients, building a sense of belonging and having some fun along the way. Find out more about us Who we are Our Social Impact Our work