Group Head - Media Strategy

Dentsu India; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 8,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Dentsu India seeks an experienced Group Head - Media Strategy to lead media and communications planning for a leading automotive account in Bengaluru. Develop integrated strategies across TV, digital, print, radio and retail, backed by consumer insights and competitive analysis.

The role involves guiding senior client discussions, mentoring the strategy and media planning team, and driving campaigns from concept to execution while optimizing ROI.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree required; MBA or postgraduate degree in marketing, communications or business preferred.
• 9–12 years in media, communications or brand strategy with at least 5 years leading teams in an agency or on the marketing side of a large advertiser.
• Work on automotive, two-wheeler or similar high spend, high involvement categories; EV experience is a plus.
• Hands-on experience building integrated plans across traditional and digital media for national brands with strong regional reach.
• Comfortable presenting to CMO level and senior marketing stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Build and own the yearly media and communications strategy for the brands.
• Turn consumer, category and competitor insight into clear choices on audience, channel and message, including regional and language specific plans.
• Lead strategy for launches, festive season campaigns and always-on brand work.
• Agree with the client's analytics and sales teams how effectiveness will be measured: reach, consideration, leads, test rides and sales.
• Guide the media mix across TV, digital, social, influencers, OOH, print, radio, retail and dealer activation, along with partnerships and sponsorships.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Media planning

Budget management

TV and digital media

OOH media

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Automotive sector knowledge

Education

Graduate degree

MBA or postgraduate in marketing

Job description

Dentsu international comprises of six leadership brands - Carat, dentsu X, iProspect, Isobar, dentsuMB and Merkle Sokrati, each supported by its specialist divisions and scaled services. With best-in-class services and solutions in Media, Customer Experience Management (CXM), and Creative, Dentsu international operates in over 145 markets worldwide with more than 66,000 dedicated specialists.

Part of Dentsu International, dentsu India helps some of the biggest & most interesting brands who are our clients everyday to win, keep and grow their best customers and achieve meaningful progress for their businesses. With best-in-class services and solutions in Media, CXM (Customer Experience Management) and Creative, Dentsu India is the 2nd biggest Advertising agency network in India while the dentsu international is the 5th largest in the world.

In good times and bad, we partner with brands to achieve meaningful progress as we are a force for good & for meaningful growth. Our teams of optimists, entrepreneurs and first-movers coalesce around the needs of our clients, unlocking unique possibilities for sustainable value and lasting change.

Learn more at:

https://www.dentsu.com/careers

Role summary

Job Title: Group Head - Media Strategy

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced Group Head - Media to lead media and communication strategy for a leading automobile account. The role involves developing integrated media strategies across TV, digital, print, radio and other platforms, backed by strong consumer insights, market understanding and competitive analysis. The candidate will drive strategic planning and execution for national campaigns, product launches, regional initiatives and dealer-level activities, while serving as a key strategic partner and trusted advisor to senior client stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy and planning

• Build and own the yearly media and communications strategy for the brands.
• Turn consumer, category and competitor insight into clear choices on audience, channel and message, including regional and language specific plans.
• Lead strategy for launches, festive season campaigns and always-on brand work.
• Agree with the client's analytics and sales teams how effectiveness will be measured: reach, consideration, leads, test rides and sales.
• Guide the media mix across TV, digital, social, influencers, OOH, print, radio, retail and dealer activation, along with partnerships and sponsorships.

Working with the client

• Be the senior strategic contact for the brand's marketing leadership. Present strategy, reviews and recommendations.
• Keep an eye on changes in the business and the category, and bring the client ideas before they ask.
• Work with creative, digital, data and production teams so the strategy shows up in the final work.

Leading the team

• Lead and mentor the strategy and media planning team, from senior planners to executives.
• Set the standard for plans, decks and reports, and review work before it goes to the client.
• Encourage testing and learning, and make sure good results get shared within the team.

Business side

• Work with the planning across media functions, buying and trading teams.
• Help grow the account and contribute to new business generation in the group.

Required Skills & Experience

• Education: Graduate degree needed. MBA or a postgraduate degree in marketing, communications or business is preferred.
• Experience: 9 to 12 years in media, communications or brand strategy, with at least 5 years leading teams, in an agency or on the marketing side of a large advertiser.
• Work on automotive, two-wheeler or similar high spend, high involvement categories. EV experience is a plus.
• Hands-on experience building integrated plans across traditional and digital media for national brands with strong regional reach.
• Comfortable presenting to CMO level and senior marketing stakeholders.

Key Skills Required

• Strategic thinking: can take messy data and consumer insight and turn it into a clear point of view and a plan people can act on.
• Strong command of TV, digital, OOH, print, radio and retail media, and how they work together in an automotive purchase journey.
• Good understanding of India's two-wheeler market, including differences between regions, and between rural and urban buyers.
• Comfortable with budgets, media economics and measuring effectiveness.
• Persuasive in the room, with clear writing and good storytelling.
• A people leader who develops talent, gives honest feedback and keeps a high bar.
• Works well with creative, digital, data and client teams without slowing things down.