Associate Director, Media Planning

Bully Pulpit International; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% health insurance

401(k) with employer match

Generous vacation

Phone reimbursement

Unlimited sick time

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Bully Pulpit International is seeking an Associate Director, Media Planning to drive media strategy and execution for a diverse client base. You will lead mid-spend campaigns, present insights to clients, and develop comprehensive media plans aligned with campaign objectives.

Expect to work from one of our offices (Chicago, DC, NYC, SF, LA) at least 3 days a week, with a focus on strategy, analytics, and strong collaboration across teams.

Qualifications

• 6–9 years in digital media strategy, planning and direct-IO buying.
• Proven track record on campaigns for corporate reputation, public affairs, and/or political clients.
• Enthusiasm for Democratic/progressive politics and related clients.
• Advanced analytical thinking plus hands-on experience with media tools and BI software.

Responsibilities

• Lead mid-spend campaigns from start to finish and present to clients.
• Develop data-backed media plans aligned with client objectives.
• Oversee end-to-end campaign execution across digital and traditional platforms.
• Negotiate with partners and manage contracting to ensure flawless execution.
• Identify and implement process improvements for cross-team collaboration.

Skills

Digital media strategy

Campaign management

Client communication

Analytics & BI tools

Tools

GWI

Comscore

Datorama

Google Analytics

Tableau

Job description

Bully Pulpit International is an outcomes agency made up of strategists, data scientists, and artists. We come from politics, brands, and government and we communicate without barriers and measure what matters. We have more than 400 team members in six countries and thirteen offices — Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, D.C., London, Los Angeles, New York, Oslo, San Francisco, and Zürich. We apply our unique expertise across strategic communications, public affairs, research, and digital marketing to create sophisticated and customized strategies that make change possible for both American and European clients.

The Impact You Will Make

In this position as an Associate Director, Media Planning, you will act as a core contributor to team priorities, effectively communicating the strategic value and "why" behind specific departmental goals to the broader media team. You will also help develop, articulate, and evangelize the agency-wide departmental view on media strategy, emerging tactics, and technical execution, in addition to conducting deep‑dive media, industry, or company research to allow the agency to develop highly accurate, innovative, and strategic advertising and marketing plans.

• Starting Salary Range: $100,000 - $110,000 (+ annual bonus)
• Expectation to work from one of our offices (Chicago, DC, NYC, SF, LA) at least 3 days a week

What The Day-to-Day Looks Like

Media Strategy & Execution

• Independently run mid-spend clients and advertising campaigns from inception to completion
• Regularly present sophisticated media strategies, performance insights, and campaign reporting directly to clients
• Develop comprehensive, data-backed media plans that align closely with client and campaign objectives, collaborating with Client/Account Leads to ensure deliverables map back to high-level strategic approaches
• Lead end-to-end campaign implementation and management, overseeing how campaigns are executed, optimized, and analyzed across various digital and traditional platforms, including partner negotiation and contracting
• Proactively identify, improve upon, and develop new processes to streamline cross-team communication and ensure flawless execution of media plans

Collaboration & Workflow Management

• Foster strong, collaborative working relationships across all client and internal specialty teams (Buying, Marketing Analytics, Insights) to facilitate seamless execution
• Identify distinct areas for team-wide workflow and operational process improvements, partnering with Planning Directors to implement scalable solutions

Team Management & Mentorship

• Attract, retain, and elevate talent across the paid media team through active, empathetic management, regular mentorship, and structured training
• Serve as a role model for junior and mid-level planners, providing guidance on campaign management, analytical thinking, and client communication muscle

Requirements

What You Bring

• 6-9 years of relevant work experience in digital media strategy, planning, and direct-IO buying (agency experience preferred)
• Proven track record of independently running campaigns for corporate reputation, public affairs, and/or political clients
• Enthusiasm for Democratic/progressive politics and excitement to work alongside our non-profit, advocacy, and corporate social impact clients in addition to larger, corporate reputation accounts
• Advanced analytical thinking capabilities, with strong hands‑on experience utilizing media consumption tools (e.g. GWI, Comscore) and business intelligence/dashboard software (e.g. Datorama, Google Analytics, or Tableau)
• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn and navigate new digital systems, emerging media tech, and specialized proprietary tools with minimal downtime
• Expert‑level proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets for budget tracking, performance analysis, and data manipulation
• Exceptional organizational skills, rigorous attention to detail, and a demonstrated ability to manage multiple high‑stakes projects simultaneously
• A readiness to work independently, think big, solve complex problems creatively, and scale leadership capabilities rapidly within a fast‑paced environment

Benefits

BPI offers a wide range of benefits to U.S.-based employees, including 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) program with employer match up to 4%, generous time off for vacation, $50 monthly phone reimbursement, unlimited sick time, and 16 weeks of paid leave for new parents. BPI's benefits prioritize employee wellness and progressive support to our diverse workforce.

We're looking for all kinds of people. BPI Group is an integrated public affairs agency that delivers outcomes for the top organizations and leaders around the world. With expertise in strategic communications, digital marketing, creative, research, and measurement, we offer a cohesive approach across corporate, policy, and public affairs strategy in today's interconnected world. By combining incisive strategy and deep tactical expertise, we make change possible. Our transatlantic presence includes offices across thirteen markets in the US and Europe. We are an equal opportunity employer and make employment decisions based on individual commitment to excellence. We want to have the best qualified people in every job. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, status as a protected veteran, physical or mental disability, medical condition or genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member) or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state or local laws. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. BPI is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace that fosters a sense of belonging - so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider submitting an application. We consider applications holistically and you may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings! Let’s keep in touch. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter at bpigroup.com.