Senior Manager, Programmatic Accounts (West Coast Lead)

Wunderkind; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Wunderkind is seeking a Senior Manager (Regional Lead), Programmatic Accounts, to drive strategic vision and manage a portfolio across the Western United States. This player-coach role involves coaching a pod of Senior Managers & Managers, nurturing key agency, trading desk, brand, and DSP relationships while partnering with Sales to expand revenue and protect existing accounts.

You will mentor staff, escalate issues, and ensure stakeholder alignment, while collaborating with Product,

Qualifications

• 5+ years in programmatic experience with data and account management.
• 3+ years in client-facing/account management with revenue retention/expansion.
• 1–2 years of supervisory/mentorship experience preferred.
• Experience with DSPs, ad exchanges, ad servers, and optimization platforms.
• Proficiency in handling large datasets to drive operations.

Responsibilities

• Direct management of the Programmatic Accounts team (pod).
• Grow high-priority portfolio of agency, trading desk, brand, and DSP relationships.
• Identify revenue expansion opportunities within existing accounts and reduce revenue at risk.
• Mentor account management staff and scale best practices.
• Update programmatic playbook and best practices for the team.
• Provide strategic counsel on launching, optimizing, and scaling campaigns across Wunderkind inventory.
• Collaborate with Product, Operations, and Design to drive platform innovation.
• Identify growth opportunities and guide new feature introductions.
• Translate avails analysis into data-driven scaling strategies within PMP.
• Mentor junior managers and manage client escalations.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Executive communication

Data analysis

Leadership

Collaboration

Entrepreneurial mindset

Education

BA/BS degree in numeric/technical/commercial field

Tools

Excel

Job description

Wunderkind ads are 'behaviorally triggered', meaning that ads are served on a premium list of publishers only when a user is done consuming content. Our proprietary tag is integrated directly on the publisher page to track on-site user behavior - making 'net new' ad placements. How we serve the ad is why we are different from our competitors in-market.

Rather than placing an ad in front of someone while they're actively trying to read content, our technology patiently waits until a visitor has stopped reading before rendering our ad on the page. And that patience pays off -- it turns out that when an ad experience respects the user's reason for visiting a page, the user respects the ad experience in return. This unique, brand safe approach to ad experience gives an advertiser's message more attention and greater engagement.

About this role

As a Senior Manager (Regional Lead), Programmatic Accounts, you will drive the strategic vision for an innovative enterprise product that fundamentally changes how publishers monetize their websites. This is a player-coach role where you will support and grow programmatic partnerships across the Western United States while fostering cross-functional collaboration to drive global programmatic success. You will carry a book of business (typically 3-5 Strategic Accounts) adapted to allow you time to manage and coach a pod of Senior Managers & Managers (maximum 5 direct reports), providing mentorship, control of escalations, and infallible stakeholder management.

Key Responsibilities Will Include

• Direct management and professional development of the Programmatic Accounts team (pod), collaborating with Department leadership on the career growth of Managers and Senior Managers.
• Lead and grow a high-priority portfolio of key agency, trading desk, brand, and DSP relationships across your defined territory
• Partner closely with Sales leadership to identify and capture revenue expansion opportunities within existing accounts and brainstorm tactics to reduce revenue at risk
• Act as a player-coach, mentoring account management staff and helping scale best practices to elevate team performance and client retention.
• Monitor bandwidth and bring campaign transition ideas to department leadership
• Work with department leadership on updating programmatic best practices / "playbook" for the account management team
• Provide strategic counsel and insight to clients on launching, optimizing, and scaling complex campaigns across Wunderkind inventory.
• Collaborate with Product Management, Operations, & Design to drive platform innovation and creative asset development based on sophisticated client needs.
• Support regional strategy alongside sales and leadership, by identifying growth opportunities across programmatic partners and leading as new features are introduced.
• Translate avails analysis into data-driven strategies for scaling within our PMP and identifying new revenue opportunities.
• Mentoring and QA'ing the work of junior account managers while ensuring control of all client escalations.

About You

The ideal candidate will be a seasoned, resilient, and resourceful leader with high commercial awareness and a deep passion for the programmatic ecosystem. Most importantly, you will exhibit the following traits:

• Exceptional strategic thinking with the ability to navigate complex challenges for large-scale clients and see the "bigger picture."
• Expert communication and executive presence, comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders and managing expectations.
• Expert ability to wield large datasets with expertise and nuance to drive commercial impact.
• Strong leadership skills with a proven ability to manage complex workflows and mentor team members in a high-growth environment.
• A collaborative and commercial mindset, focused on driving long-term business impact and understanding the commercial implications of technical choices.
• Motivated, tenacious, and resourceful with a strong ownership mindset, entrepreneurial spirit, and a healthy dose of humility.
• Persuasive and compelling—able to represent Wunderkind effectively in both formal and informal client settings.

Required Qualifications

• Non-negotiable minimum of 5 years continuous programmatic experience, specifically working hands-on with data and account management.
• 3+ years in client-facing or account management roles with a track record of driving revenue retention and expansion.
• Proven track record of managing accounts through market highs and lows, demonstrating resilience and strategic adaptability.
• Leadership experience: 1-2 years of supervisory, mentorship, or management experience is preferred, not essential.
• Expertise in programmatic ecosystems including DSPs, ad exchanges, ad servers, and optimization platforms.
• Expert proficiency in XLS and managing large datasets to drive operational efficiency.
• Deep knowledge of managing and scaling CPA, CPC, and CPM marketing campaigns.
• Broad range of experience across various web unit types, technical knowledge of high-impact/video formats, and different industry segments.
• BA/BS degree in a numeric, technical, or commercial field.

The base salary range for this role is $110,000.00 to $120,000.00. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each specific candidate; including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience, applicable certifications, and geographic work location. This may vary depending on living location and market rate.