Digital Media Planner

Publicis Groupe; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global communication firm is seeking a skilled Digital Media Planner in Johannesburg, Gauteng. In this role, you will be responsible for driving impactful digital media strategies and managing campaign execution. Candidates should have 5-7 years of experience in digital media planning, strong analytical and interpersonal skills, and hold relevant qualifications in marketing and digital tools. The position demands collaboration with various stakeholders to meet client KPIs and expectations.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5-7 years of digital media planning experience.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Effective project management abilities.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with brand managers to identify business needs.
• Attend client briefings and status meetings.
• Ensure accurate billing and manage digital media budgets.

Skills

Project management

Effective presentation

Numerical analysis

Communication

Data interpretation

Education

Marketing/Media/Communications degree or diploma

Google Fundamentals of Digital Marketing

Google Analytics

Google Ads certifications

Facebook Blueprint Planning

Tools

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

Job title: Digital Media Planner

Job Location: Gauteng, Johannesburg

Deadline: December 26, 2025

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Overview

• A Digital Media Planner is expected to be data driven, insights lead and a creative thinker, who strives to make meaningful impact on the business.
• This role demands confidence, presence, and the skills to make a meaningful impact. Never just taking and executing orders, Digital Planners are expected to direct, inspire, and add value at every turn.
• A high level of collaboration, a willingness to teach others and a real desire to push the boundaries is what will be expected.
• In addition, this role requires a high level of accountability and responsibility over the digital media investments we are entrusted to manage.
• Some working outside the standard working hours may be necessary.

The Job Purpose

• To demonstrate real passion, care and vision for the brands in your portfolio.
• To be accountable for the successful delivery of digital media flow plans, media opportunity evaluations and reports.
• Ensure collaboration and alignment with other external agency partners.
• Work closely with both the digital strategist and the internal digital ad ops team (or Campaign Managers).
• Work with the digital strategist to ensure complete understanding of the digital strategy and accurate translation thereof into a digital media flow-plan
• Once the digital flow-plan is approved, work closely with the Ad Ops Team (campaign Managers) to clearly and accurately brief in the campaign
• Work closely with the Ad Operations team to ensure accurate and optimized campaign execution, delivery, and reporting.
• In addition, work closely with the Digital reporting manager and the Digital Strategist to collate the monthly campaign reports
• Work closely with the Ad Ops team to ensure accurate billing packs are delivered each month to the media buying team + ensure that any AP (accounts payable) invoice queries are cleared each month
• Together with the team, successfully meet the client’s contracted KPI’s and the commercial targets.
• Resolve digital media related issues with a solution driven mindset, whilst maintaining strong relationships with colleagues, agency partners and clients.
• Ensure budgets are properly managed and financial losses mitigated due to under / over-spends.
• Work collaboratively with the team to maintain highest taxonomy standards.
• Work collaboratively with the Head of Digital at Publicis Media
• Work on any monthly digital reporting that is required for Global teams on your accounts

Responsibilities

• You will be involved with numerous brand managers, so it’s important to develop a good understanding and identify specific business needs for each one.

Your average week may include

• Attend key client briefings, status meetings, integration meetings with agency partners
• Be present and on time, to all required meetings.
• Work collaboratively with our colleagues, global teams and creative agency partners.
• Collaboratively work with and direct the digital campaign managers, DV360 and search specialists.
• Work collaboratively within the Digital Advertising Operations and Media Buying Team.
• Write and present internal briefs across all digital disciplines, monitor progress, direct optimization changes, avoid under / over-spends and add provide insight to post campaign reports.
• Sign off digital media billing packs relevant to your portfolio, to ensure alignment and avoid under and overspends.
• Update monthly forecasting reports
• Ensure the planning platform is kept up to date and digital integrations are added and maintained.
• Keep your Google, Facebook, Twitter and any other required media owner certifications up to date and participate in required training sessions.
• Ensure that your time sheets are maintained and timeously updated.

Qualifications

• A marketing / media / communications degree, diploma or certificate
• Google Fundamentals of Digital Marketing
• Google Analytics
• Google Ads Video
• Google Shopping Ads
• Google Display Ads
• Google Ads Search
• Facebook Blueprint Planning

Experience

• At least 5-7 years of digital media planning experience

Hard Skills

• Able to effectively project manage
• Comfortable Presenting
• Numerically strong and analytically able
• Strong communicator with effective interpersonal relationships across team and clients
• Advanced IT skills including Microsoft Word, best-in-class Power Point, Excel, Outlook and web-based applications.
• The ability to synthesize and reduce different inputs to create a well-considered and accurate representative view.
• English fluency and language skills for effective business writing
• Strong presentation skills
• Solid data interpretation and analytics skills

Soft Skills

• Is open to constructive feedback and challenges accordingly.
• Is effective at building relationships and working as a team
• Shows leadership and decision‑making ability
• Manages change well – adapts and remains flexible to business priorities
• Ability to collaborate without ego as well as work effectively independently
• Is willing to transfer skills and share knowledge openly
• Ability to self‑start and self‑manage