Media Buying Associate (Programmatic)

Craft & Commerce; United States; Remote; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading integrated media agency is seeking a Buying Associate for remote work, focused on onsite media execution and optimization across retail networks like Walmart. The position requires over 5 years in digital media, specifically in retail campaign management, along with strong analytical and communication skills. The right candidate will contribute to strategic decisions that enhance client media performance. Join a collaborative environment that values innovation and hands-on management of media strategies.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in digital media, with 3 years managing retail media campaigns.
• Expertise in WMC Audiences and self-service display media buying.
• Strong communication skills for presenting complex strategies.

Responsibilities

• Oversee self-service campaign management for Walmart Connect.
• Execute campaign setup and optimize performance inflight.
• Collaborate with analytics teams for consolidated reporting.

Skills

Digital media management

Retail media campaigns

Client communication

Data analysis and insights

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Advertising, Business, or related field

Tools

Walmart Connect

Programmatic media

Display media buying

Job description

The Linchpin Co. is a people operations group offering custom recruitment and consulting services. At Linchpin, we know a company's most valuable resource is its people, and we are people experts!

We will be the point of contact between you and Craft & Commerce during the recruitment process, acting as your trusted advisor and coach. We look forward to your interest.

This role is open to New York, Atlanta, Charlotte and surrounding areas. Must work EST hours.

Craft & Commerce (C&C) is an integrated media agency that connects growth science, media strategy, and modern measurement to help our partners create greater marketing impact and grow with confidence.

C&C is purpose-built to bring a marketer’s mentality to today’s dynamic media landscape. The result is an expert, senior-level team that approaches media not as an agency, but as a business stakeholder committed to one thing: helping our partners outshine the competition through smarter, more agile planning and buying. Our secret sauce is the marriage of marketing effectiveness science and business impact measurement, together guiding us in balancing brand and performance, and translating data into actionable media strategies and hands-on campaign management.

We are seeking a hands-on, data-driven Buying Associate to lead onsite media execution and optimization across select retail media networks. This role is ideal for a strategic yet executionally strong media leader who has direct experience managing self-service retail media platforms across a variety of retailers—primarily Walmart, secondarily Kroger and Target—and is comfortable guiding a team while staying actively involved in campaign setup, optimization, and analysis.

And—at C&C—we treasure a candid, ask-the-right-questions, get-it-done attitude that’s at the heart of our fast-moving and collaborative team culture. We’re a flexible, balanced, self-driven workplace. The right candidate will join us remotely from a place that makes you happy.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and execute hands-on, self-service campaign management for Walmart Connect onsite media.
• Implement campaign setup including audience, campaign and ad group creation.
• Manage and optimize campaigns inflight including adjustments to campaigns and ad groups for delivery and performance.
• Monitor budget pacing and implement reallocations between ad groups and campaigns.
• Regularly monitor WMC performance dashboards to understand performance and inform optimizations and strategic recommendations.
• Partner with analytics and data teams to facilitate consolidated campaign reporting.
• Liaise with WMC team to facilitate smooth transition of onsite display from MS to SS as well as on an ongoing, consultative basis.
• Lead troubleshooting and platform-related issue resolution, staying current with platform updates, beta opportunities, and best practices across major retail media networks.
• Establish clear performance expectations and best practices for self-service campaign management, ensuring the team is leveraging automation, bid strategies, and audience targeting effectively.
• Foster a collaborative team culture, encouraging knowledge sharing, process efficiencies, and innovation.
• Act as an onsite RMN SME to clients, translating media performance into actionable business insights that align with client goals.
• Contribute to client presentations and performance reviews, providing insights on media mix effectiveness and campaign optimizations.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in digital media, with at least 3 years of hands-on experience managing retail media campaigns.
• Expertise in WMC Audiences including behavioral and advanced targeting, customer attributes and shopping journey.
• Hands-on experience with self-service WMC display media buying.
• Proven track record of cross-channel media expertise, including search, programmatic, and display.
• Strong understanding of bid strategies, audience segmentation, and attribution models within retail media networks.
• Strong ability to translate data insights into strategic recommendations for optimizations and media mix improvements.
• Strong client communication and presentation skills, with the ability to simplify complex media strategies for non-technical stakeholders.
• Highly organized, proactive, and comfortable in a fast-paced, performance-driven environment.
• Ability to manage multiple campaigns and team workflows effectively while maintaining a strategic growth mindset.
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Business, or a related field.
• Walmart Connect Ad Certifications in 1) Walmart Onsite Display and 2) Measurement and Reporting