Associate Director, Programmatic

Mindgruve; San Diego, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Flexible spending account

Voluntary life and accident plans

401(k) retirement plan with matching

Job summary

Mindgruve seeks a seasoned Associate Director of Programmatic to own strategy, planning, and buying across the programmatic team, serving as a senior client relationship lead and cross-functional mentor. The role focuses on Amazon DSP, DV360, and The Trade Desk, with travel ~15% annually.

You will manage senior client relationships, drive quarterly business reviews, and contribute to new business pitches while guiding the team to deliver measurable media outcomes for multiple industries.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Advertising, or a related field.
• 7-9 years of progressive programmatic advertising or digital media experience.
• Proven experience managing a programmatic team and senior client relationships.
• Expert knowledge of Amazon DSP, DV360, and The Trade Desk.
• Strong leadership, strategic thinking and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Own integrated media strategy, planning, and buying across media teams.
• Lead client strategy, KPI development, and reporting for key accounts.
• Maintain senior client relationships and act as a trusted programmatic advisor.
• Lead QBRs with narrative, performance, and forward-looking recommendations.
• Vet vendors and tools; contribute to new business pitches and RFPs.
• Develop industry POVs and guide programmatic innovation.
• Mentor the programmatic team and ensure on-time delivery.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Advertising, Business

7-9 years of progressive programmatic advertising experience

Tools

Amazon DSP

DV360

The Trade Desk

Job description

We are a global digital agency comprised of strategists, creatives, media experts, data scientists, and engineers driven by one common purpose — accelerate business growth through marketing and digital transformation. Named a top 3% Google Premier Partner and recognized by Inc. 5000 and Adweek’s 75 Fastest Growing Companies, we’re constantly looking for “A” players to join our team.

The rapid growth is attributed to our strongest asset — our people. Our teams are highly collaborative and work closely with each client to set clear goals and objectives so that we can deliver exceptional results. Mindgruve is a place where every opinion is valued. Not only will you be empowered to contribute ideas, but you will also play a key role in the execution and driving success for brands across a variety of industries. Sound fun? Perfect — you’ll fit right in.

The Associate Director, Programmatic owns integrated media strategy, planning, and buying across the programmatic team — serving as a senior client relationship lead, a cross-functional collaborator, and a mentor to the broader team. This role is responsible for vendor IO approvals, QBR ownership, new business contributions, and setting pillar-level goals, operating primarily across Amazon DSP, DV360, and The Trade Desk.

What You’ll Do Here:

Integrated Strategy & Client Leadership (50%)

• Own integrated media strategy, planning, and buying across media teams
• Own and lead client/campaign strategy and KPI development for assigned accounts
• Maintain senior client relationships and act as a trusted programmatic advisor
• Lead client reporting calls for high-priority accounts
• Own and lead QBRs — narrative, performance, and forward-looking strategic recommendations
• Handle makegood conversations with clients and partners
• Provide insights on emerging technology, industry trends, and programmatic innovation
• Own SME platform responsibilities — complete monthly and quarterly platform updates

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration (35%)

• Manage and mentor the programmatic team including day-to-day guidance and career development
• Work closely with account management, project management, creative, and development teams
• Establish and maintain project timelines across the programmatic pillar
• Establish media team and pillar goals in partnership with Director-level leadership
• QA insights produced by the team before client delivery

Operations, Vendor & Business Development (15%)

• Vet vendors and media tools for platform fit, performance, and strategic value
• Contribute to new business pitches and RFP responses
• Develop industry POVs for agency thought leadership and client education
• Perform other related duties and projects as assigned
• Perform other related duties and projects as assigned

We Need a Person With:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Advertising, Business, or a related field; advanced degree a plus
• 7-9 years of progressive experience in programmatic advertising or digital media
• Proven experience managing a programmatic team and owning senior client relationships
• Deep expertise across Amazon DSP, DV360, and The Trade Desk required
• Experience contributing to new business pitches and agency growth initiatives preferred
• Expert-level knowledge of programmatic platforms, ad tech ecosystem, and measurement solutions
• Strong leadership, mentorship, and organizational management capabilities
• Executive presence with excellent client communication and presentation skills
• Strategic thinker capable of connecting media performance to client business outcomes
• Strong cross-functional collaborator across creative, analytics, and account teams
• Highly organized and detail oriented, with the ability to handle multiple simultaneously
• Excellent communication skills, including verbal and written
• Professional demeanor with the ability to interface with poise and confidence with leadership and clients
• Ability to ensure confidentiality with business matters and employee privacy
• Travel is required for this role, approximately 15% each year

Compensation:

Salary: $105,000 - $120,000 (Pay range is based on a market reference point and potential job offers may vary based on the skills, education, experience and geographic location of the individual candidate. The compensation range reflects base rate only.)

Compensation will be commensurate with experience. Additionally, for eligible full‑time employees, we offer a competitive benefits package including medical insurance, dental insurance, and vision insurance; a flexible spending account; voluntary life and accident plans; and a 401(k) retirement plan with matching. We have six office locations in the US: San Diego, California, Los Angeles, California, Covington, Kentucky, Denver, Colorado, Nashville, Tennessee and Charleston, South Carolina. We're seeking local candidates (or those open to relocation) who are able to work collaboratively with us in one of our office's; however, based on business needs and unique job functions, some roles may be eligible for remote work. (Bonus points if you’re bilingual in Spanish and/or Portuguese.)

Mindgruve is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Thought Leadership from the Brightest Minds in the Industry .