Director, Planning

UNAVAILABLE; New York (NY); On-site; USD 121,000 - 194,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

401K

Paid time off

Parental leave

Job summary

Spark Foundry in New York, NY, is seeking a Director, Strategy to lead the traditional media strategy and planning for key clients. You will guide senior teams, manage budgets, and deliver strategic plans across channels.

The role emphasizes leadership, client relationships, and revenue upside for the agency, with opportunities to influence integrated marketing initiatives and collaborate with cross-functional partners.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of Traditional Media Planning, Buying, and Management experience.
• Proven business acumen with a track record in media services.
• Strategic thinker with ability to analyze and solve problems.
• Experience establishing and managing P&L statements.
• Previous leadership and team management experience.
• Strong client/vendor relationship skills.
• History of negotiating to ensure quality delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead traditional media strategy and planning for assigned clients.
• Mentor and manage the internal strategy team while contributing hands-on in deployment.
• Ensure budget management and identify upside revenue potential for the agency.
• Build relationships across client levels and functions.
• Collaborate across communications teams and agency partners.
• Present sound strategic plan recommendations aligned with client objectives.
• Travel as required.

Skills

Leadership

Client management

Media planning

Strategic thinking

P&L management

Presentation skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing/Advertising

Tools

Media research tools

Job description

Company Description

Spark Foundry was built during the most transformative time in the history of advertising and marketing. We deliver everything a traditional media agency has to offer and have grown into one of the world’s most successful agencies by helping brands evolve their marketing by leveraging identity, commerce, artificial intelligence, and more to connect with people. Transformation is part of our DNA. Spark Foundry’s start-up spirit delivers high-touch approaches and a never-ending desire to challenge the status quo. Combined with Publicis Media’s powerhouse soul leveraging connected data assets, advanced AI applications, and investment clout, we “Bring HEAT to Brands.” No other agency possesses the expertise that we do to address today’s most pressing challenges to drive business transformation through media.

Job Description

The Director, Strategy manages the Traditional Media strategy and planning process for assigned clients. The Director is a leader who contributes to brand strategy, builds solid relationships with clients across all levels and functions, and is able to manage, lead, and develop their internal strategy team while also playing an active “hands-on” role in the deployment of strategic plans. They should also be fiscally accountable to Spark Foundry, ensuring proper budget management and identifying upside revenue potential for the agency.

Responsibilities

• Strong leadership presence and client management skills
• Leads thinking to inspire innovative solutions, creativity and a proactive approach
• Digital mindset/fluency and an insatiable curiosity
• Flexibility and agility to manage complex processes
• Embodies Spark Foundry’s values and cultivates them among team members
• Ensures the team delivers sound strategic plan recommendations based on clear understanding of client objectives
• Maintains an in-depth knowledge of client businesses with a focus on upstream initiatives
• Expert command of Media Research resources, capabilities and limitations
• Exemplifies collaboration by building and maintaining productive relationships across all communications areas (internal teams and agency partners)
• Ability to think beyond “media” as an active collaborator in the Integrated Marketing Communications process
• Thorough knowledge of marketing and communications
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; solid presentation skills
• Authoritative, leadership presence
• Ability to prioritize and organize issues/projects for self and staff
• Moderate travel

Qualifications

• 8+ years of Traditional Media Planning, Buying, and Management experience in progressive levels of responsibility
• Demonstrated business acumen and a track record of success in the media services profession
• Strategic thinker, seeing the bigger picture, with ability to analyze everything and think critically when solving problems to come up with unconventional solutions
• Ability to establish and manage P&L statement
• Previous leadership and team management experience
• Ability to build great relationships with clients, vendors, and reps
• History of negotiating to get the job done right and track record of success in Media

Additional Information

Our Publicis Groupe motto “Viva La Différence” means we’re better together, and we believe that our differences make us stronger. It means we honor and celebrate all identities, across all facets of intersectionality, and it underpins all that we do as an organization. We are focused on fostering belonging and creating equitable & inclusive experiences for all talent.

Publicis Groupe provides robust and inclusive benefit programs and policies to support the evolving and diverse needs of our talent and enable every person to grow and thrive. Our benefits package includes medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401K, as well as parental and family care leave, family forming assistance, tuition reimbursement, and flexible time off.

If you require accommodation or assistance with the application or onboarding process specifically, please contact [e-mail].

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Compensation Range: USD $121,315.00 - USD $194,220.00/Annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. Temporary roles may be eligible to participate in our freelancer/temporary employee medical plan through a third-party benefits administration system once certain criteria have been met. Temporary roles may also qualify for participation in our 401(k) plan after eligibility criteria have been met. For regular roles, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be 10/12/2026.