Programmatic Media Buyer (JNR - MID)

365 Digital; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 250,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading African digital media company seeks a Junior to Mid-Level Programmatic Media Buyer. You will support the planning, execution, and optimization of digital campaigns across various platforms, ensuring impactful results for clients. The role requires 2-3 years of experience in programmatic buying and excellent analytical and communication skills.

Qualifications

• 2-3 years of experience in digital campaign execution on programmatic platforms.
• Understanding of digital marketing metrics like CPI, CPA, ROAS.
• Basic knowledge of pixel tracking and event setup.

Responsibilities

• Set up and launch programmatic campaigns using platforms like Smadex and Criteo.
• Monitor campaign performance and make daily optimizations.
• Deliver weekly campaign reports and post-campaign analysis.

Skills

Analytical mindset

Organizational skills

Problem-solving skills

Communication skills

Tools

Smadex

DV360

GTM

Reporting Tools

Job description

PROGRAMMATIC MEDIA BUYER (JNR - MID LEVEL)

Reports to: Janine Stevens - Head of Performance & Measurement

365 Digital is a leading African digital media, ad-tech and commerce solutions company.

Over the past 26-years the company has represented the largest global platforms in Africa and has served thousands of global and local advertisers, empowering them to reach their business objectives.

With a mission to connect brands to consumers in the fastest growing markets in Africa, the business provides performance and branding solutions to agencies and brands throughout the region.

365 Digital guides clients on optimising their media investments across various digital platforms such as TikTok, Tinder, Smadex DSP and Criteo, the world’s leading Commerce Media Platform, ensuring that their media investments yield impactful results and enhance their bottom line.

365 Digital's innovative products and services include:

• Exclusive Platform representations - Criteo, Tinder, Smadex, Adwake
• Full-Service TikTok Marketing Solutions
• Performance and branding solutions

If you're excited about building connections and making a difference across South Africa's leading brands and agencies, we'd love to hear from you. Take the first step towards an impactful journey by exploring this opportunity. Thank you for considering us!

ROLE OVERVIEW

We’re seeking a Junior to Mid-Level Programmatic Media Buyer to support the planning, execution, and optimization of digital campaigns. You’ll apply your programmatic expertise to develop tailored buying strategies and implement best practices that not only align with, but aim to exceed, campaign KPIs across our premium inventory partners and DSPs. As part of a results-driven team, you'll contribute to campaign setup, tracking, reporting, and performance analysis.

OUR PLATFORMS

Smadex is our Mobile Growth Platform that powers performance, direct response, and brand advertising campaigns across in-app, mobile web, audio, and CTV. With transparency and contextual targeting at its core, customers can rely on Smadex as a trusted partner to run privacy-centric advertising campaigns with optimized creative strategies to deliver performance.

Criteo is the global commerce media company that enables marketers and media owners to deliver richer consumer experiences and drive better commerce outcomes through its industry leading Commerce Media Platform. This role is responsible for ensuring the successful implementation and execution of digital advertising campaigns across the group over several brands. You will work closely with stakeholders both internally (Sales Team) and externally (some of our highest spending core clients) to see campaigns through from planning stages, to post-campaign reporting and analysis of performance.

• You will be responsible for media-buying activity on high-tech digital platforms for various clients, including mobile app developers,brands and media agencies, monitoring the performance according to client KPIs and responding to requests from Clients and the Sales department.
• You will be responsible for ensuring the best possible service delivery of campaigns and work closely with agencies and brands to strategize and address their needs and resolve client requests daily.
• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the activity within the agency dashboard and use your technical knowledge and platform experience to monitor campaign performance according to clients' KPIs.
• Provide support to clients based on industry best practices for media buying.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Campaign Set Up & Execution

• Set up and launch programmatic campaigns using platforms such as Smadex and Criteo.
• Monitor campaign pacing and performance, making daily optimizations to meet performance targets as set by Client (incl. CPI, CPA, ROAS where applicable).
• Ensure technical and creative elements are correctly implemented pre-launch.
• Test and troubleshoot findings prior to launch, to ensure a smooth campaign kick-off.

Client Support

• Support post-sale campaign activation and serve as a day-to-day operational contact.
• Collaborate with internal teams (Sales) to understand campaign goals and make strategic amendments where necessary to ensure delivery accordingly.
• Assist in developing data-informed recommendations to improve campaign outcomes and Client retention.

Technical Tracking & Troubleshooting

• Understand the role of a pixel and how to test this for campaign tracking accuracy.
• Support and guide Clients with implementation using your knowledge/experience of GTM.
• QA tracking setups to ensure proper event firing and data collection.
• Troubleshoot delivery or performance issues related to creative, tracking, or budget pacing.

Reporting Insights

• Deliver weekly campaign reports and post-campaign analysis that include actionable insights.
• Use visual reporting tools such as LookerStudio and Whatagraph.
• Interpret attribution and platform data to support strategic campaign decisions.
• Identify upsell opportunities through performance insights and client feedback.

Requirements to fulfill this role include:

1. 2-3 years of experience in digital campaign execution on programmatic buying platforms (e.g. Smadex, DV360, The Trade Desk, etc).
2. Understanding of digital marketing metrics: CPI, CPA, ROAS, etc. and how to influence these outcomes.
3. Basic knowledge of pixel tracking, event setup, and tag management systems (preferably GTM).
4. Strong analytical mindset with working knowledge of Reporting Tools.
5. Detail-oriented, organized, and capable of managing multiple campaigns simultaneously.
6. Proactive communication and problem-solving skills.