Programmatic Advertising Manager

Optimal; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Open leave (paid time off)

Paid Leave for new parents

Health insurance (including dental and

Flex Spending Plan

Employee Assistance Program

401K with company matching

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Professional development opportunities

Rewards and recognition programs

Job summary

Optimal is seeking an ambitious Programmatic Advertising Manager to drive strategy and execution across DV360, The Trade Desk, and StackAdapt, while mentoring junior team members. The role emphasizes hands-on campaign management, data analysis, and collaboration with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced advertising agency environment.

You will shape budgets, optimize performance, and deliver client results using a mix of DSPs and analytics tools, with a focus on innovation and measurable

Qualifications

• 4+ years hands-on programmatic advertising experience.
• Experience managing high campaign volume across the programmatic media landscape.
• Strong data analysis and reporting skills across DSPs and analytics platforms.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, advertising, statistics, analytics, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Plan and allocate budgets across top programmatic channels; identify new channels and audiences.
• Manage and optimize programmatic campaigns to meet or exceed KPIs.
• Monitor and adjust budget pacing; optimize media spend for client dollars.
• Prepare client reports with analyses and strategic recommendations.
• Collaborate with internal teams to develop new account strategies and optimizations.
• Oversee development of junior colleagues and guide their growth.
• Guide creative testing to identify highest-performing assets and copy.
• Identify and test new programmatic opportunities and inventory sources.
• Strengthen vendor relationships to maximize programmatic capabilities.

Skills

Programmatic advertising

Campaign management

Data analysis

DSPs and analytics

Excel & PowerPoint

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business/marketing/advertising/analytics

Tools

DV360

The Trade Desk

StackAdapt

Power BI

Adobe Analytics

Campaign Manager 360

Job description

About The Role

Optimal is looking for an ambitious programmatic advertising manager with at least 4 years of hands‑on programmatic media management experience to join our team! The Programmatic Advertising Manager will play an active role in dictating & executing programmatic strategy across various programmatic platforms including DV360, The Trade Desk, & Stackadapt. This individual will also play a role in helping to drive growth in the programmatic team by overseeing & developing junior programmatic team members. The ideal candidate for this role exhibits a true passion for programmatic media, has at least two years of hands‑on experience managing programmatic ad campaigns, and exhibits a strong familiarity with programmatic media buying platforms.

At Optimal, we are actively looking to scale standout candidates – those who are ready for significant opportunities and hungry to take on meaningful responsibilities that drive real business results for our clients. New employees that grow the fastest at our company are strategic problem solvers who are proactively looking to improve with innovative ideas but are also relentless at following through.

Who Are We?

Optimal is a performance marketing agency on a mission, bringing together the best data, technology, and people to achieve our clients’ marketing goals. Brand, campaign, or cause: we maximize performance at every moment. Our team is leading the digital media charge in connecting consumers with the products and services that will help them live healthier, happier lives. We strive to make a difference for our clients, the individuals we reach, and the world around us.

Everyone at Optimal has the opportunity to learn, grow, and progress. Through our proprietary training programs, we provide our team members with the personal and professional development they need to achieve advancement at any stage in their careers.

We’re always looking for exceptional people to join our team. If this sounds like you, please apply!

Essential Functions, Duties, and Responsibilities

• Programmatic Strategy – Work with key clients to plan and allocate budgets across top performing programmatic channels. Identify opportunities to test new channels, ad types, & audiences across the programmatic media landscape. Build strategic recommendations by analyzing historical performance, competitors, and industry trends


• Campaign Management & Optimization - Manage programmatic advertising campaigns on an ongoing basis, conducting performance analysis & proactively adjust campaigns to ensure client KPI’s are met and, when possible, exceeded


• Budget Allocation & Pacing - Manage monthly programmatic advertising budgets with high media spend and make informed decisions about the best use of client dollars based on your experience and industry knowledge. Track daily budget pacing and adjust media spend to ensure client budgets are adhered to. Use performance analysis to make decisions on budget allocation and execute budget changes accordingly


• Reporting & Analysis – Perform deep-dive analysis into performance trends through platforms like The Trade Desk, DV360, Stackadapt, Microsoft PBI, & Adobe Analytics. Write client reports and present analysis and strategic recommendations during weekly, monthly and quarterly meetings


• Collaboration – Work closely with the Associate Director of Programmatic Media and leadership team to develop & recommend new account strategies & optimizations. Interface with various internal teams such as our business intelligence, business development, PPC, SEO, and creative teams


• Team Member Development - Oversee the development of junior programmatic media associates, playing an active role in training associates and overseeing their career growth


• Creative Ideation – Guide the creative team and test variations of creative assets needed to determine highest-performing creative and ad copy


• Innovation – Identify and test new programmatic opportunities, including inventory sources, channels, audiences, etc. to improve performance and drive innovation


• Work with Industry Experts and Vendors – Enhance agency relationships with programmatic vendors to fully use their capabilities and recommend strategies and solutions that best meet our business needs

Minimum Qualifications & Skill Requirements

• 4+ year of full-time, hands‑on, professional programmatic advertising experience


• Consistent track record and hands‑on experience handling high campaign volume across the programmatic media landscape


• Superior ability to analyze data in The Trade Desk, DV360, Stackadapt, Microsoft Power BI, & Google Analytics


• Experience with other DSPs and Campaign Manager 360 is also a plus


• Proficient in Excel and PowerPoint


• Best‑in‑class communication skills, both written and verbal


• 4‑year Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, advertising, statistics, analytics, or a related field is a plus

Benefits

• Open leave (paid time off)


• Paid Leave for new parents


• Health insurance (including dental and vision)


• Flex Spending Plan


• Employee Assistance Program


• 401K with company matching


• Tuition Reimbursement Program


• Professional development opportunities


• Rewards and recognition programs

Office Hours

This role is based out of our Austin office. Our Austin team works on a hybrid basis, with three days per week working in the office and two days per week working from home. Work hours are consistently 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Monday - Friday, with the expectation that evening and weekend work will be required as necessary.