Programmatic Advertising Strategist

Optimal; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Time Off

Paid Leave for new parents

Health insurance (including dental and

Flex Spending Plan

Tuition Reimbursement

401K with company matching

Student Loan Repayment Program

Professional development opportunities

Rewards and recognition programs

Job summary

Optimal is seeking an ambitious programmatic advertising strategist with at least 1.5 years of hands-on programmatic media management experience to join our Austin team.

You will shape and execute programmatic strategy across top platforms (DV360, The Trade Desk, Beeswax, StackAdapt), manage campaigns, allocate budgets, and collaborate with publishers and clients to deliver measurable performance and meaningful business outcomes.

Qualifications

• 4-year Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, advertising, economics, finance, analytics, or a related field.
• 1.5+ years of experience in the programmatic ecosystem, using one or more DSPs.
• Significant experience using DV360, The Trade Desk, Beeswax, or StackAdapt.
• Experience negotiating deals with publishers (Direct IO, PMP, etc.).
• Hands-on trafficking experience in an ad server – Campaign Manager 360 or similar.
• Ability to lead & execute programmatic media strategy for clients.
• Best-in-class written and verbal communication skills and client relationship skills.

Responsibilities

• Plan and allocate budgets across top performing programmatic channels and identify opportunities to test new channels.
• Develop, negotiate, and execute direct IO buys with key publishers and vendor partners.
• Manage and optimize programmatic campaigns and strive to exceed client KPIs.
• Track budgets and pacing and adjust media spend based on performance insights.
• Provide reporting and analysis using platforms like DV360, Campaign Manager 360, TheTradeDesk, StackAdapt, Microsoft PBI, & Adobe Analytics.
• Guide the creative team and test variations of creative assets.
• Identify and test new programmatic opportunities to improve performance.

Skills

Programmatic strategy

Budget management

Campaign optimization

Client relationship skills

Negotiation with publishers

Education

Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, advertising, economics, analytics

Tools

DV360

The Trade Desk

Beeswax

StackAdapt

Campaign Manager 360

Job description

About The Role

Optimal is looking for an ambitious programmatic advertising strategist with at least 1.5 years of hands‑on programmatic media management experience to join our team! The Programmatic Advertising Strategist will play an active role in dictating & executing programmatic strategy across various programmatic platforms including DV360, TheTradeDesk, Beeswax & Stackadapt. The ideal right candidate for this role exhibits a true passion for programmatic media, has at least 1.5 years of hands‑on experience managing programmatic ad campaigns, and exhibits a strong familiarity with programmatic media buying and ad serving 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. We are not only digital media strategists - we’re award‑winning industry leaders, with deep knowledge spanning all things digital: from advertising and paid media, to marketing and communications, to audience data and analytics, we deliver for our clients. 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.

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.
• Work with Industry Experts and Vendors - Develop, negotiate, and execute direct IO buys with key publishers and vendor partners, ensuring alignment with overall campaign strategy and client objectives. Lead conversations around inventory selection, audience targeting, pricing, added value, flighting, and performance expectations.
• 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 DV360, Campaign Manager 360, TheTradeDesk, Stackadapt, Microsoft PBI, & Adobe Analytics. Write client reports and present analysis and strategic recommendations during weekly, monthly and quarterly meetings.
• 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 platforms, inventory sources, channels, audiences, etc. to improve performance and drive innovation.

Minimum Qualifications & Skill Requirements

• 4-year Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, advertising, economics, finance, analytics, or a related field. Relevant experience also applicable.
• 1.5+ years of experience in the programmatic ecosystem, using one or more Demand Side Platforms (DSP’s)
• Significant experience using ad‑serving platforms such as DV360, The Trade Desk, Beeswax, or StackAdapt
• Experience working with and negotiating deals with publishers (Direct IO, PMP, etc.)
• Hands‑on trafficking experience in an ad server – Campaign Manager 360 or similar
• Ability to lead & execute programmatic media strategy for clients
• Best‑in‑class written and verbal communication skills and client relationship skills

Optimal is proud to offer the following

• Flexible Time Off
• Paid Leave for new parents
• Health insurance (including dental and vision)
• Flex Spending Plan
• Tuition Reimbursement
• 401K with company matching
• Student Loan Repayment 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.

*Please note that we are unable to provide Visa sponsorship for this position at this time.