Director, Strategy (Communications Planning) - Media - Remote

DEPT®; New York (NY); On-site; USD 138,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare, Dental, and Vision coverage

401k plan with matching

Paid time off (PTO)

Paid Company Holidays

Parental Leave

Job summary

DEPT® in New York is looking for a Director of Communications Planning to drive the strategic architecture that connects brands to culture. You will lead communications planning for leading clients and bring a combination of strategic depth and channel expertise.

With a focus on audience-first strategies, you will ensure cohesive messaging across all media channels while mentoring a team of planners. DEPT® offers a competitive salary between $138,000 and $175,000 along with a range of benefits including healthcare and PTO.

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of experience in communications planning or media strategy.
• Proven ability to own senior client relationships as a strategic partner.
• Deep expertise across the full media ecosystem: paid, owned, and earned.

Responsibilities

• Lead communications planning across assigned accounts.
• Translate brand and business briefs into integrated communications frameworks.
• Write and develop creative briefs.

Skills

Communications planning

Media strategy

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Tools

GWI

MRI-Simmons

Nielsen

Comscore

Job description

WHY DEPT®?

We are pioneers at heart. We are always leaning forward, thinking about what we can create tomorrow that does not exist today. Born digital, we are a new model of agency with a deep skillset in tech and marketing. That’s why we hire curious, self‑driven, talented people who never stop innovating.

Our culture is big enough to cope and small enough to care. With people across 20+ countries, we’re big enough to provide you with the best tools, global opportunities, and benefits that help you thrive. We invest in you, your growth, your team, and give you the autonomy to solve our clients’ problems, no matter where you are in the world.

THE ROLE

As a Director, Communications Planning, you are a senior strategic leader who sits at the heart of how we connect brands to culture. You own the strategic architecture that sits between a brand’s positioning and its channel execution. Reporting to the Group Director of Integrated Strategy & Media Planning, you will drive the communications planning discipline for industry‑leading clients, shaping how brands show up across the full media ecosystem with precision, relevance, and impact. You bring a rare combination of strategic depth, channel expertise, and leadership presence, translating business ambitions into integrated communications strategies that move people and drive measurable growth.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Lead communications planning across assigned accounts—developing audience‑first strategies that define the role of each channel, the logic of message sequencing, and the measurable outcomes each phase of a plan is designed to drive.
• Translate brand and business briefs into integrated communications frameworks: audience segmentation, consumer journey mapping, channel roles and sequencing, and a clear articulation of what moves someone from awareness through to action.
• Write and develop creative briefs. You understand that a great brief is a strategic act— it shapes what creative makes, not just how it gets made.
• Serve as a senior strategic partner to clients on communications, campaign strategy, channel planning, and audience engagement. You’re in the room when planning decisions are being made.
• Lead integrated communications planning across paid, owned, and earned media—defining the role of each channel, sequencing messaging, and establishing clear KPIs tied to business outcomes.
• Translate complex business challenges into sharp, compelling strategic frameworks that inspire both clients and internal creative and media teams.
• Partner closely with discipline leads across media, creative, CRM, and e‑commerce to ensure full‑funnel alignment from strategy through execution.
• Drive new business efforts by developing insight‑led communications strategies and presenting with authority and conviction on a national stage.
• Oversee audience analysis, consumer journey mapping, and competitive intelligence to uncover opportunities for brand growth and differentiation.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of planners—fostering a culture of strategic rigor, intellectual curiosity, and collaborative excellence.
• Champion measurement and learning agendas, partnering with analytics teams to evaluate performance and continuously evolve planning approaches.
• Stay ahead of emerging media trends, platform innovations, and cultural shifts—bringing fresh thinking and proactive POVs to clients and internal teams.
• Represent DEPT®’s strategic capabilities in the market, contributing to thought leadership, industry events, and agency positioning.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

• 8–12 years of experience in communications planning, media strategy, or integrated planning within an agency environment, including leadership experience.
• Proven ability to develop and own senior client relationships, acting as a strategic partner and trusted advisor at the executive level.
• Deep expertise across the full media ecosystem—paid, owned, and earned—with a strong understanding of how channels work together to drive business outcomes.
• Experience leading integrated marketing strategies across media, creative, CRM, and/or e‑commerce.
• Strong leadership skills with a track record of building, mentoring, and developing high‑performing planning teams.
• Exceptional strategic thinking with the ability to turn complex data, research, and insights into clear, actionable, and inspiring communications frameworks.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills with the ability to craft and deliver compelling narratives to senior stakeholders and C‑suite clients.
• Proficiency with planning tools and audience intelligence platforms (GWI, MRI‑Simmons, Nielsen, Comscore, etc.).
• New business experience with a proven ability to contribute to and win pitches at the agency level.
• AI proficiency and a forward‑thinking mindset—comfortable leveraging emerging tools to enhance planning efficiency and insight generation.
• A collaborative, solutions‑oriented leadership style with the ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, matrixed environment.

WHAT DO WE OFFER

• Healthcare, Dental, and Vision coverage
• 401k plan, plus matching
• PTO
• Paid Company Holidays
• Parental Leave

WE SUPPORT YOU BEING YOU

DEPT® is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We believe our work is its best when our people feel safe and free to be themselves. We’re committed to an inclusive and barrier‑free recruitment, selection process and workplace, regardless of anyone’s identity, background, beliefs, lifestyle or disabilities. Tell us about any accommodations you need. It’s totally confidential and only used to make sure you feel fully supported at every step.

DEPT® participates in E‑Verify, meaning your Form I‑9 information will be sent to the federal government to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION

At DEPT®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives.

We encourage you to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us.

US Remote Range

Salary range: $138,000—$175,000 USD (based on 40‑hour workweek, location, expertise, and impact).