Media Manager - Spark Foundry

Company Description

Spark Foundry is one of four global media agency brands within Publicis Media. The force of acceleration, or the speed of change is so strong today that it has the potential to leave industries including our own behind. So, at Spark Foundry we are working towards driving positive change. For ourselves, our clients and society in general! We are an Acceleration Agency.

At Spark Foundry acceleration applies to every layer of our business. It refers to how we relish change, seek ever more innovative partners, embrace the increasing unknowns and continually learn, unlearn and learn everything again – all over again. We will continually live and work as if we are in beta (nerdy way for saying nothing is ever completed), in order to boost brand relevance for clients, drive brand value and grow their business and ours – today and in to the future. Our pursuit of what’s next will be relentless.

Job Description

• To develop strategically sound communication plans tackling key client challenges. 
• To lead on digital media plan selection, quality of execution and operational excellence. 
• To ensure world-class client service and account management, working alongside direct reports. 
• To lead day-to-day client and agency team management. 
• Should have good organizational skills in handling a number of projects at the same time, being able to set priorities, keep to deadlines, work effectively under time pressure
• Be able to identify and tackle key client business challenges, leveraging agency solutions to unlock growth for clients. 
• Develop an expert understanding of the client’s business, their products, services, customer profile, marketing and business objectives, competitors and sales.
• Expert knowledge of the media market place and opportunities available
• Sound knowledge of digital & offline advertising & marketing technologies. 
• A good grasp of strategic digital communications planning and acting in a consultant capacity to the client.
• Understand how research is conducted for all the major media e.g. Expertise in all relevant industry software and systems: Statex, Z-Plan, GWI, SimilarWeb, EuroMonitor
• Be able to develop a good rapport with media owners and colleagues within Starcom and the partner agencies.

Main Tasks

Technical & Product

• Understand client’s overall business and marketing objectives displaying a sound knowledge of all media, including TV, print, radio, Outdoor and Online. Working efficiently as part of an overall integrated team
• Be an analytical-first thinker with the ability to digest and analyze data in order to come to insights that lead to competitive advantage for our clients.
• Expertise in all research data, including client research such as: Sales Data, Awareness tracking, Competitive Data etc.
• Be familiar with and able to sell advanced research tools
• Ability to understand media briefs and develop media strategies accordingly 
• Experience of monitoring, reporting, and analyzing metrics data.
• High project management and organizational skills
• Performing thorough, insightful campaign analysis, including reporting and optimization recommendations.
• To build a relationship with client and agency counterparts (e.g. Brand Managers, Account Execs/Account Managers)

Business Acumen & Operational Efficiency

• Exceptional communication skills – you’re skilled at interpreting client objectives and clearly articulating proposed media strategies and recommendations
• A strong, proven ability to teach analytic skills to staff, developing, encouraging and inspiring them to grow
• To help the team as required, e.g. perform competitive analyses, answering direct information requests, evaluation of media options
• To work with Buying & Finance team to: provide investment briefs, overlook implementation plan, cooperate to solve any issues on on-going plans, report back the media investments
• To undertake additional projects beyond client responsibilities as requested, e.g. participate in new business, analysis for overseas offices etc.
• To oversee and be responsible for the smooth running of all client / supplier and interdepartmental relationships

Innovative & Analytical Mindset

• To grow the strategic thinking capabilities of the team
• To create and develop a strategic framework that delivers on the client's objectives - Formulation of a media strategy, Consumer Insights Analysis, Identification of business challenges facing the client, Competitive Landscape Analysis, Media selection, Maximizing cost-efficiency, Timing and laydown, Budget levels by market

People & Leadership

• Takes initiative to challenge an established point of view with respect and openness.
• Able to use storytelling to connect with internal and external stakeholders in a compelling manner to influence and inspire.
• Able to handle complex issues and make decisions even when missing information.
• Capable of proactively developing meaningful relationships with key decision makers. 
• Accepts responsibility for client problems, manages conflict and actively works to solve issues internally and externally.
• Able to build succession plans and grow and mentor future talent.
• Able to provide constructive feedback to others in a timely manner.
• Demonstrates a collaborative and positive spirit and showcases inclusivity towards all people.
• Listens and proactively seeks views from others to create an environment that is transparent and comfortable for others to share.
• Able to motivate their team to pursue goals and deliver beyond their beliefs.
• Able to assess ideas and people on merit alone, without bias or favoritism and gives recognition when due.
• Empowers individuals to solve problems with full support when needed.
• Capable of coaching and supporting others by aligning career expectations providing actionable, open and constructive feedback.
• Capable of persuading others with integrity by understanding their motivations and identifying their concerns and work toward solving them.
• Proactively and continuously work towards improving effective team working and collaboration.
• Able to handle complex messages and is able to convey issues to facilitate others' understanding. 
• Able to initiate and lead open conversations with internal and external stakeholders to build a culture of trust.
• Capable of creating opportunities for others to grow and demonstrate their learning agility.
• Drives a culture of trust with peers, clients and other stakeholders.

Self

• Able to adjust performance based on experiences and feedback and showcases agility and flexibility.
• Displays openness to the ideas of others and leverages them when beneficial for the business.
• Demonstrates the growth mindset and proactively adapts behavior and performance for sustained success.
• Able to set high impact objectives and goes above and beyond to exceed performance.
• Able to demonstrate agility and flexibility to respond and reprioritize based on different situations.
• Able to constructively challenge the status quo and take risks to challenge internal and external perspectives.
• Approaches situations and individuals with honesty, integrity, transparency and humbleness.
• Showcases resilience and maintains drive and a positive outlook when faced with challenges.
• Actively listens and is receptive to others' feedback on performance.
• Able to take justified risks when appropriate and take accountability and responsibility when things don’t go as planned.
• An early identifier of change, able to proactively develop and share plans to seize opportunities.
• Acts ethically and makes ethical decisions in line with local regulations and contracts, even in the face of ethical challenges.
• Able to listen to other people in a way that they feel understood, and is respectful of others.
• Able to make timely decision that take into account different factors in ambiguous circumstances, considering impacts internally and externally.
• Able to build initiatives despite doubts or resistance from others to deliver strategic impact.

Qualifications

Education and Experience Required

BS/MS degree in marketing or a related field

A four-year college education and 6 to 10 years of media planning & client facing experience 

Core Attributes

Analytical Thinking

Breaks down problems and issues into sub-components and then assesses the costs, benefits and risks of various options prior to selecting a particular approach.

Strategic Thinking

Can analyze organizational strengths and weaknesses and then combine these with knowledge of the industry, market and organization to develop long-term strategy.

Product Knowledge

Has a good understanding of product line features and benefits and uses that knowledge to optimize sales with each client. Understands the product market and uses this knowledge to increase personal credibility and product sales. Keeps abreast of competitors' activities and typically responds quickly to what the competition is doing.

Planning

Develops the steps necessary to accomplish long-term goals. Identifies long and short-term goals and establishes realistic plans to reach them. Allocates required resources, allows for contingencies and ensures that plans fit with the larger needs of the organization. Sets milestones to measure progress along the way.

Presentation Skills

Comes across as confident and well-prepared when making group presentations. Makes effective use of visual aids or presentation software and looks at ease while handling questions from the audience. His/her presentations hold the audience's attention and tend to be the right length for the amount of information covered.

Productivity

Meets or exceeds productivity standards that have been established for his/her organizational level or position. Has successfully combined skills, ability and effort level to ensure that expectations related to results/output are achieved.

Teamwork

Is an effective team player who adds complementary skills and contributes valuable ideas, opinions and feedback. Communicates in an open and candid manner and can be counted upon to fulfill any commitments made to others on the team.

Negotiation Skills

Demonstrates the ability to negotiate compromises that leave various stakeholders feeling that their interests and positions have been understood and that the resulting solution is even-handed and fair to all parties. Accomplishes this through listening to differing points of view and taking each view into account. Looks for common interests and helps parties explore and reach middle-ground solutions.

Interpersonal Skills

Shows genuine sensitivity to the needs, feelings and capabilities of other people. Deals with others in a pleasant manner. Treats others with respect and consideration.

Leadership

Articulates a vision that others choose to follow. Models behaviors expected of others and inspires others to undertake challenging tasks and projects (leading by example).

Time management

Prioritizes tasks and manages time to ensure that deadlines are met. Plans his or her time and sticks to those plans. Prevents or manages interruptions until the highest priority tasks are accomplished. As well as, keeping a work / life balance in perspective.

Communication

Communicates effectively and appropriately. Uses good judgment as to what to communicate to whom as well as the best way to get that accomplished. Speaks in a clear and credible manner, selecting the right tone for the situation and audience. Listens to others and allows them to make their point.

Education and Self Development

Makes it a practice to take charge of self-development by soliciting feedback, setting priorities, and then acquiring or strengthening skills and knowledge through coursework or other methods.

Initiative (Employees)

Recognizes opportunities and initiates actions to capitalize on them. Looks for new and productive ways to make an impact. Demonstrates this characteristic when it comes to generating new ideas or processes, capitalizing on new business opportunities, seeking out and taking on increasing responsibility or resolving problems as they occur. Uses sound judgment about when to take action and when to seek guidance or permission. This is in contrast to those who fail to notice opportunities, wait to be asked or instructed before taking action, seldom offer new ideas or express reservations about taking on additional responsibilities.

Quality of Work (Employees)

Has established a track record of producing work that is highly accurate, demonstrates attention to detail and reflects well on the organization. Is personally committed to high quality work and encourages others to have similar standards.

Creativity (Employees)

Applies creativity and originality in the work setting, when appropriate. Suggests or applies new ways of addressing ongoing work issues and challenges. Sees possibilities that others have not yet seen, or combines ideas and approaches suggested by others in a unique manner that results in breakthroughs and improvements. Understands when to be creative and when to stick with what exists now.

Meeting Targets (Manager)

Meets or exceeds financial goals while selling an appropriate product mix. The product mix reflects both a broad knowledge of the product line as well as successful efforts to educate customers or prospects.

Entrepreneurial Orientation (Managers)

Takes an active role in identifying new business opportunities, assessing the risks involved and comparing these to the potential advantages of taking action. Influences decisions by examining financial costs and potential benefits and by providing realistic risk-assessments. This is in contrast to those who fail to look for new business opportunities or do an inadequate assessment of risks and benefits and/or either tend to avoid opportunities or embrace ventures that fail to produce the expected payback on the resources invested.

Encouraging Client Focus (Managers)

Consistently conveys that clients are the highest priority. Respects clients’ needs and expectations and lets clients know if their expectations cannot be met. Refrains from complaining about (or speaking negatively about) client behavior or expectations. Communicates in a manner that promotes and sustains client satisfaction and encourages others to do the same. Achieves these outcomes by ensuring that client needs and deadlines are realistic and that they are met. Publicly recognizes those who deliver excellent client services.