Planning Director

The Candidate Ltd; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Career progression

Brand exposure

Job summary

The Candidate Ltd in London is seeking an experienced Planning Director to lead strategic media planning across high-profile brands and cross-functional teams.

You will mentor junior planners, translate client strategy into integrated cross-channel campaigns, and partner with senior stakeholders to deliver measurable business results while championing planning excellence across the agency.

This is a hybrid role with opportunities for growth and exposure to major consumer brands.

Qualifications

• Significant experience within a media agency planning environment.
• Strong understanding of integrated media planning across online and offline channels.
• Experience leading strategic planning for major client accounts.
• Excellent presentation and storytelling skills.
• Confidence interpreting data and translating insights into commercial recommendations.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and managing campaign delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of integrated media plans across multiple client accounts.
• Translate marketing strategy into effective cross-channel media recommendations.
• Work closely with specialist teams to deliver exceptional planning and campaign execution.
• Build trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders.
• Lead campaign briefing, planning presentations, and strategic recommendations.
• Drive creative thinking, brainstorming sessions, and innovative media solutions.
• Use consumer insights, market data, and campaign performance to inform planning decisions.
• Ensure campaigns are delivered to the highest standard, identifying opportunities for optimisation throughout.
• Mentor and develop junior members of the planning team.

Skills

Media planning

Integrated planning

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Presentations

Job description

We're working exclusively with a highly regarded media agency looking to appoint an experienced Planning Director to join its growing planning team.

This is an opportunity to lead strategic media planning across a portfolio of high-profile brands, working with talented specialists to create innovative, insight-led campaigns that deliver measurable business results.

This is a senior role for someone who enjoys combining strategic thinking, media expertise and strong client leadership, while helping to develop both people and planning excellence across the agency.

The Role

As Planning Director, you'll:

• Lead the development of integrated media plans across multiple client accounts.
• Translate marketing strategy into effective cross-channel media recommendations.
• Work closely with specialist teams to deliver exceptional planning and campaign execution.
• Build trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders.
• Lead campaign briefing, planning presentations, and strategic recommendations.
• Drive creative thinking, brainstorming sessions, and innovative media solutions.
• Use consumer insights, market data, and campaign performance to inform planning decisions.
• Ensure campaigns are delivered to the highest standard, identifying opportunities for optimisation throughout.
• Mentor and develop junior members of the planning team.

About You

You’ll ideally bring:

• Significant experience within a media agency planning environment.
• Strong understanding of integrated media planning across online and offline channels.
• Experience leading strategic planning for major client accounts.
• Excellent presentation and storytelling skills.
• Confidence interpreting data and translating insights into commercial recommendations.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and managing campaign delivery.
• A collaborative, commercially minded approach with a passion for producing outstanding work.

What's on Offer

• Opportunity to join one of the UK's leading media agencies.
• A collaborative, supportive culture with genuine opportunities for progression.
• Exposure to well-known consumer brands and exciting integrated campaigns.
• Hybrid working.
• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities.

If you're an experienced media planner looking to step into a business where strategy, creativity and collaboration are genuinely valued, we'd love to hear from you.

Please note due to high volumes of applications unfortunately we are not always able to respond to all unsuccessful applicants. However we wish everyone who applies the very best with their job search.