Digital Investment Manager, Paid Social & Programmatic

NOVUS Media LLC; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care benefits

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

NOVUS seeks a Digital Investment Manager to lead paid social and programmatic activation across clients, balancing strategic insights with hands-on execution in a hybrid Chicago area setting.

You’ll manage campaigns, mentor junior staff, and collaborate with partners to optimize performance while expanding opportunities in social and programmatic media. A bachelor’s degree and 3–5 years of performance media experience are preferred.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3–5 years’ work experience in performance media.
• Experience managing paid social campaigns across Meta, TikTok, Snap, Pinterest, and Reddit.
• Hands-on programmatic activation across CTV, OLV, Display, Streaming Audio, and Native.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the paid social subject-matter expert for clients and translate platform capabilities into strategic recommendations.
• Proactively introduce new paid social opportunities to drive performance and growth.
• Manage the team’s daily duties, ensuring accuracy and timeliness of deliverables (pacing, trafficking, QA, A/B testing, reporting).
• Oversee digital operations and quality assurance across campaigns, refining processes for high-quality output.
• Mentor and train junior staff to support growth and development.
• Analyze data trends and develop improvement solutions; educate Campaign Managers on processes.
• Support new business pitches with tactical expertise and innovative recommendations.
• Collaborate with leadership to improve workflows, tools, and systems.

Skills

Paid social expertise

Programmatic activation

Team leadership

Client relations

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Google Ads

Meta Ads

Amazon Ads

Innovid/Flashtalking

Google Analytics

Asana

Job description

We’re looking for a hungry and energetic emerging leader. The ideal candidate will have experience or demonstrated interest in performance digital, with a focus on paid social, planning and buying. Skills and aptitude are critical on our small (but growing) and scrappy team, but we’re also looking for plain ‘ole good humans – a person who runs fast, works smart, and brings a smile to the proverbial office every day.

The Digital Investment Manager must demonstrate strong competency of the fundamentals necessary for planning, activating and managing digital media performance and paid social campaigns. They will be able to develop, adapt and communicate our paid social POV to clients. They will be proficient in social and programmatic platforms and have experience managing and training junior staff members in all aspects of client and campaign management. This role will need to be able to collaborate with both internal and external partners. The candidate must possess a core area of expertise in programmatic channels and activation, with a focus on paid social.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as the paid social subject-matter expert for clients, translating platform capabilities across Meta, TikTok, Snap, Pinterest, and Reddit into strategic recommendations that advance client goals.
• Proactively bring new paid social opportunities – audiences, formats, and creative approaches – to clients to drive measurable performance and growth.
• Manage the team’s daily duties, ensuring accuracy and timeliness of all deliverables (including but not limited to pacing, trafficking, QA, creative swaps, A/B testing, reporting).
• Oversee digital operations and quality assurance across all campaigns, continuously refining processes to deliver high-quality, error-free work.
• Mentor and train junior staff to ensure continuous growth and development.
• Analyze and interpret data trends and develop improvement solutions; educate Client Services / Campaign Managers on changes to process.
• Support new business pitches with tactical expertise and innovative recommendations.
• Collaborate with leadership and peers to develop solutions that will enhance our campaign performance, operational efficiency, tools, and systems, and improve current workflows.
• Build, implement, and manage campaigns day-to-day, ensuring buys are properly executed and pacing to plan.
• Be able to act as a “player/manager” - know how to balance delegation and training with being hands on to help get things done.
• Build and maintain relationships with key vendors and partners, meeting with sales reps to evaluate the value and applicability of their media vehicles/tactics for the plan.
• Manage client relationships, leading presentations and providing a primary point of contact.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor or department head.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Above all, must be curious, collaborative, and eager to learn.
• Minimum 3-5 years’ work experience in performance media required and can demonstrate a history of being able to quickly learn and adapt in a fast paced, dynamic environment.
• Ability to manage paid social media campaigns across a variety of objectives, from awareness to conversion, across the top social networks including Meta, TikTok, Snap, Pinterest, and Reddit.
• Demonstrated hands on programmatic activation experience a must, across relevant programmatic channels like CTV, OLV, Display, Streaming Audio, and Native.
• Expert in the use of relevant buying platforms (i.e. Google Ads, Meta Ads, Amazon Ads, Innovid / Flashtalking, etc.).
• Working knowledge of digital ad operations and tagging/tracking tools such as Google Analytics.
• Working knowledge of 1P and 3P data sources to deliver campaign performance.
• Minimum 1-2 years’ experience managing direct reports.
• Bachelor’s degree or coursework in related industry strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (especially Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel).
• Strong analytical capabilities with aptitude for determining the optimal ways to set up, deliver, troubleshoot, QA, and optimize campaigns.
• Agency experience preferred.
• Experience with managing multiple projects and deliverables.
• Knowledge of project management software like Asana a plus.
• This position may require occasional travel for client meetings, agency events, and other business needs. The employee must be willing and able to travel as reasonably required, sometimes with limited advance notice.

PLEASE NOTE

This is a hybrid position requiring a combination of in-office work at our Chicago location and remote work from home. The specific schedule will be finalized upon hire. We are only looking for candidates in/around the Chicago Metro Area and do not offer relocation assistance.

POSITION SUMMARY

We’re looking for a hungry and energetic emerging leader. The ideal candidate will have experience or demonstrated interest in performance digital, with a focus on paid social, planning and buying. Skills and aptitude are critical on our small (but growing) and scrappy team, but we’re also looking for plain ‘ole good humans – a person who runs fast, works smart, and brings a smile to the proverbial office every day.

The Digital Investment Manager must demonstrate strong competency of the fundamentals necessary for planning, activating and managing digital media performance and paid social campaigns. They will be able to develop, adapt and communicate our paid social POV to clients. They will be proficient in social and programmatic platforms and have experience managing and training junior staff members in all aspects of client and campaign management. This role will need to be able to collaborate with both internal and external partners. The candidate must possess a core area of expertise in programmatic channels and activation, with a focus on paid social.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as the paid social subject-matter expert for clients, translating platform capabilities across Meta, TikTok, Snap, Pinterest, and Reddit into strategic recommendations that advance client goals.
• Proactively bring new paid social opportunities – audiences, formats, and creative approaches – to clients to drive measurable performance and growth.
• Manage the team’s daily duties, ensuring accuracy and timeliness of all deliverables (including but not limited to pacing, trafficking, QA, creative swaps, A/B testing, reporting).
• Oversee digital operations and quality assurance across all campaigns, continuously refining processes to deliver high-quality, error-free work.
• Mentor and train junior staff to ensure continuous growth and development.
• Analyze and interpret data trends and develop improvement solutions; educate Client Services / Campaign Managers on changes to process.
• Support new business pitches with tactical expertise and innovative recommendations.
• Collaborate with leadership and peers to develop solutions that will enhance our campaign performance, operational efficiency, tools, and systems, and improve current workflows.
• Build, implement, and manage campaigns day-to-day, ensuring buys are properly executed and pacing to plan.
• Be able to act as a “player/manager” - know how to balance delegation and training with being hands on to help get things done.
• Build and maintain relationships with key vendors and partners, meeting with sales reps to evaluate the value and applicability of their media vehicles/tactics for the plan.
• Manage client relationships, leading presentations and providing a primary point of contact.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor or department head.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Above all, must be curious, collaborative, and eager to learn.
• Minimum 3-5 years’ work experience in performance media required and can demonstrate a history of being able to quickly learn and adapt in a fast paced, dynamic environment.
• Ability to manage paid social media campaigns across a variety of objectives, from awareness to conversion, across the top social networks including Meta, TikTok, Snap, Pinterest, and Reddit.
• Demonstrated hands on programmatic activation experience a must, across relevant programmatic channels like CTV, OLV, Display, Streaming Audio, and Native.
• Expert in the use of relevant buying platforms (i.e. Google Ads, Meta Ads, Amazon Ads, Innovid / Flashtalking, etc.).
• Working knowledge of digital ad operations and tagging/tracking tools such as Google Analytics.
• Working knowledge of 1P and 3P data sources to deliver campaign performance.
• Minimum 1-2 years’ experience managing direct reports.
• Bachelor’s degree or coursework in related industry strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (especially Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel).
• Strong analytical capabilities with aptitude for determining the optimal ways to set up, deliver, troubleshoot, QA, and optimize campaigns.
• Agency experience preferred.
• Experience with managing multiple projects and deliverables.
• Knowledge of project management software like Asana a plus.
• This position may require occasional travel for client meetings, agency events, and other business needs. The employee must be willing and able to travel as reasonably required, sometimes with limited advance notice.

PLEASE NOTE

This is a hybrid position requiring a combination of in-office work at our Chicago location and remote work from home. The specific schedule will be finalized upon hire. We are only looking for candidates in/around the Chicago Metro Area and do not offer relocation assistance.

WHY WORK AT NOVUS:

We Bring Brands To Where People Live Their Lives.

NOVUS is an independent local media planning and buying agency. We are focused on local media of all types including video, audio, OOH, digital, and print. We have carved out a unique position in the marketplace; with comprehensive data sets, proprietary tools and some of the best strategists in the industry, NOVUS builds and executes plans that achieve remarkable results.

NOVUS provides a collaborative work environment, with career advancement potential and offers an array of benefits as well as considerable time off allowances. Additionally, as a mid-sized agency, team members have direct exposure to senior management on a regular basis and they get the opportunity to work on a range of assignments with significant responsibilities. By joining one of the premier media companies in the industry, you'll be part of a team that is passionate, engaged, forward-thinking and seizing opportunities daily.

Position Salary

We are committed to providing salary ranges for all open positions. Please note that the specific compensation for this role will be determined based on your experience, qualifications, location, and internal equity considerations. The salary range for this position is: $80,000 - $110,000. This range reflects the base salary for this position.

NOVUS Benefits

NOVUS offers a full array of health care and wellness benefits, which currently includes medical, prescription, dental, vision, life and accidental death & dismemberment insurances, short and long-term disability, pre-tax flexible spending accounts, a health savings account, legal services, identity theft protection and an employee assistance program. Eligible employees are those that are full-time salaried or part-time salaried employees working 30 hours per week or more, as well as those whose eligibility is required by applicable state law. A group retirement savings plan is also available to all salaried employees. While the Company continually seeks to improve upon and add to its current benefits suite, it believes you will find the benefit programs as comprehensive as any in the industry.

A Word on Diversity

Novus Media is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against and applicant or employee of the Company, on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, marital or family status, age, gender identity or expression, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. Our agency is committed to creating a workplace where every employee feels welcomed, respected, and valued. We embrace diversity in all its forms, and we strongly encourage people from a variety of backgrounds to apply.

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.
For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.