Manager

Publicis Groupe; Chicago, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 108,000; Full time

Job summary

Publicis Groupe, Spark Foundry division, seeks a Manager, Strategy (Planning) to lead end-to-end communications planning and translate marketing objectives into actionable plans. You will manage Associates and act as the primary client contact, driving integrated plans across channels.

This role offers frequent client contact, ownership of the plan, and opportunities to guide cross-media strategies with a startup spirit and data-driven approaches.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years in digital media planning
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to prioritize and organize projects
• Strong understanding of media fundamentals
• Demonstrates leadership and training capability
• Brings energy and new ideas to planning

Responsibilities

• Assist Associate Director with digital media plan development and recommendations
• Translate strategy into planning action steps and oversee daily media activity
• Lead and supervise associates, ensuring quality and timeliness
• Research insights to improve media products and performance
• Present plans with objectives, strategy, rationale, and backups
• Collaborate with partner agencies to ensure a seamless process
• Develop strong client relationships and respond to stewardship requests
• Train and develop associates, including delegation and career growth

Skills

Digital media planning

Written communication

Verbal communication

Leadership

Project prioritization

Media fundamentals

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.

Overview

The Manager, Strategy (Planning) is the primary, day-to-day lead for end-to-end communications planning. They are responsible for translating marketing/digital media objectives into communication plan development action steps and managing the Associate(s) through various projects. The Manager is the primary point of contact for clients on stewardship requests and is responsible for having a firm grasp of both strategic and functional media knowledge. They should be ready/able to step in and handle situations when the Associate Director is not available.

This role offers frequent client contact, ownership of the integrated plan, and the opportunity to lead project management and cross-media integration.

Responsibilities

• Assists Associate Director with all aspects of digital media plan development/recommendations
• Interprets communications/digital media strategy and translates into communication planning action steps
• Oversees/manages Associate(s) and day-to-day operation of all media activity
• Demonstrate initiative by researching and identifying valuable information/insights to improve media product
• Fully embraces Connections that Captivate and uses as guiding principles for all media/communication recommendations
• Determines and supervises the best possible implementation of all approved communication plans and projects
• Acts as primary point of contact for client stewardship requests
• Learns and understands all phases of the clients’ marketing objectives and provides media recommendations to deliver against these objectives
• Understands all proprietary research tools/processes and applies learning during communication planning
• Prepares and presents communication plans, as needed, including objectives, strategy, rationale, and all backup materials
• Establishes strong working relationship with partner agencies (where/when applicable), delivering a seamless communications process
• Demonstrates agility via multitasking multiple brands, strategic development and plan stewardship, management of Associate(s)
• Develops collaborative working relationship with all implementation teams, ensuring they fully understand brand communication objectives/strategies
• Trains and develops Associate(s), including:
  • Effective level of delegation
  • Managing group dynamics/relationships between Associate(s)
  • Establishes and demonstrates strong leadership skills
  • Evaluates performance of Associate(s) via PMP process, including assisting in the establishment of the cascading goals
  • Checks work of Associate(s) to ensure accuracy
  • Identifies opportunities for Associate(s) career development
• Participates in MDS Training offerings

Qualifications

• A minimum of 3 years of digital media planning experience
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to prioritize and organize projects for self and Associate(s)
• Excellent understanding of media fundamentals
• Demonstrates ability in training and leadership capability
• Provides an energy level that brings new and exciting ideas to the planning function

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.

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Compensation Range: USD $75,050.00 - USD $107,835.00/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 8/3/2026.