Digital Planning Business Director

PHD UK; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Digital Planning Business Director to lead a dynamic team in delivering exceptional digital strategies across EMEA. This role combines creativity with strategic insight, overseeing a talented group to develop innovative digital campaigns for high-profile clients. You will engage with diverse stakeholders, ensuring that digital planning not only meets but exceeds expectations. If you're passionate about pushing the boundaries of digital media and thrive in a fast-paced environment, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in biddable channel planning within agencies.
• Hands-on experience with programmatic, social, or search biddable platforms.

Responsibilities

• Oversee digital planning output and workflows for the team.
• Manage relationships with local markets and the digital activation team.

Skills

Biddable Channel Planning

Stakeholder Management

Digital Media Strategy

Creative Thinking

Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree

Tools

Omni Studio

Programmatic Platforms

Social Media Platforms

Search Biddable Platforms

Job description

PHD Greater London, England, United Kingdom

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PHD Greater London, England, United Kingdom

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About The Role

Have you ever thought to yourself, “I wish I could work on a really fast-paced tech client with a hunger for digital excellence, and ensure they receive top-notch digital planning across EMEA while also driving a learning agenda and contributing to the client’s definition of digital in the future?” If so, this is the job for you.

PHD EMEA is recruiting an experienced Digital Planning Business Director to join our regional team and work on large brand media campaigns for our clients.

You will oversee a team of four, ensuring they produce excellent digital plans for all EMEA markets (including four priority markets, three secondary markets, and a selection of emerging markets). Unlike many regional and global roles, your team will focus on digital campaign planning. You’ll support them by raising standards, challenging outputs, and refining processes as they translate communications strategies and budget splits into tangible digital channel plans.

You’ll be part of a regional digital planning team of five, supporting specific European markets and building strong relationships. Think of this role as managing a local digital planning team, “near-shored” to our London team.

This role is ideal if you:

• Want to work on a digitally literate and ambitious client
• Enjoy fast-moving projects and proactively suggest new analysis or optimization areas
• Have a challenger approach and collaborate effectively for optimal outcomes
• Desire to be a digital expert within a full-service media agency, expanding beyond traditional digital boundaries

Responsibilities

The Digital Planning Business Director will be responsible for the team’s digital planning output, workflows, and relationships with local markets and the digital activation team. You will support the team with brief responses, and be central to conversations with regional clients, supporting their ambitions and learning agendas to maximize ad effectiveness through testing, innovation, and best practices.

The ideal candidate will have hands-on knowledge of biddable campaign execution and be a creative thinker, applying that knowledge to strategic client challenges. You should enjoy working directly with clients and bringing innovative digital thinking to brand campaigns.

Digital Media Planning

• Set digital media planning standards based on PHD’s best practices, client history, your experience, and industry trends
• Help the team to:
• Understand target audiences deeply, based on briefs and media behaviors
• Develop an annual biddable media plan framework aligned with client strategy
• Define tactical directions for biddable channels with clear activation ideas
• Review tactical media plans with specialists and local markets for quality and innovation
• Review major digital media proposals before client or agency delivery
• Maximize the use of PHD’s Omni Studio planning tool for budget allocation based on reach, efficiency, and communication roles

Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Use strong interpersonal skills to manage and influence internal and external stakeholders
• Build and maintain strong relationships with local agencies and vendors
• Proactively identify relationship issues and resolve them before escalation
• Develop opportunities to expand digital channel scope and incorporate innovative formats
• Create compelling presentation materials to secure plan approvals and trust, including post-campaign analysis reports

Elevate Biddable Performance & Optimization

• Enhance knowledge across biddable channels through education, thought leadership, and sharing
• Translate marketing objectives into digital KPIs, encouraging proactive KPI development
• Work with clients and partners on testing frameworks to answer key business questions
• Set standards for working with activation specialists on optimization, reporting, and insights, aligned with business goals
• Contribute to post-campaign analyses and quarterly business reviews (QBRs)

About You

• Extensive experience in biddable channel planning within agencies, client teams, or ad tech specialists
• Passion for team management and development
• Strong problem-solving skills and pragmatic approach
• Hands-on experience with programmatic, social, or search biddable platforms
• Ability to plan holistically across multiple biddable channels
• Genuine passion for digital media, especially biddable channels
• Excellent interpersonal skills to manage and influence stakeholders
• Creative thinker motivated to explore innovative client solutions

About The Agency

PHD is a growth-focused media agency driven by innovation and creativity. Founded in London in 1990, we pioneered strategic and creative planning during a time focused on cheap, quick media buying. Our vision is to help brands grow faster through smart thinking and clever planning, continually evolving with changes in media, data, technology, and society. With over 100 offices in 74 countries, we create remarkable campaigns that lead to growth, leveraging data and technology.

Learn more at phdmedia.com.

Be Your Best

We encourage everyone to showcase their talents and offer support through adjustments in the recruitment process. Please discuss any specific needs with our Talent Team or email us confidentially at [e-mail].

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at OMG

Our vision is to be an agency where differences are valued, and everyone can thrive in a culture of equality, inclusion, and belonging. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment that reflects society, where diverse voices are heard and well-represented.

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Seniority level

• Director

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Strategy/Planning and Marketing

Industries

• Advertising Services