Media Director – Chicago

Job Title: Media Director



Company Information: Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), ranked one of the largest brand communications groups in the world, is a full-service brand contact agency, providing clients with complete communications planning and investment across all major media, as well as online buying and strategy. Through a unique planner/buyer heritage and focus on strategic targeting, SMG helps clients clear new paths to their customers, delivering powerful and efficient marketing messages that produce tangible sales results.



Position Summary:

Seeking an individual to lead the largest client dedicated magazine activation group (planning/buying) in the U.S. Responsible for directing the planning and investment of $600MM+ in reported national consumer magazine investment.



The Media Director leads a team of media professionals in the conception and delivery of innovative, well-targeted, business-building marketing solutions across a variety of media to meet or exceed client objectives. This involves the creation and execution of media plans, unearthing insights to inform the development of the media plan, and flawless execution on all fronts.



Specific Responsibilities:

- Leads work with magazine publishers to identify innovative partnerships that leverage client brand and magazine assets together to build connections between brands and their consumers. This position requires the following:

- In depth understanding of the publishing business. This includes the business models that drive publishing business, principles that underlie circulation management and the current approach to structuring commercial relationships with advertisers.

- Experience negotiating contracts with or on behalf of major publishing companies. Ability to take client's approach to the next level by crafting deals that better reflect the evolving magazine marketplace and deeper client partnerships with publishers. Candidate should have established relationships with key industry players.

- Strong collaboration skills. Candidate must have the ability to partner effectively with multiple constituencies to develop large scale programs that activate across multiple consumer touchpoints beyond print. (e.g. client, planning teams, public relations, etc.)

- Thought and executional leadership. Candidate will be charged with setting the vision in the print activation space and managing the flawless execution of all marketplace activity. (e.g. placement, positioning, bill/pay, proof of performance, etc.)

- Knowledge of retail and experience developing retail driven programs with publishers.

- Accountability/purchasing mindset. Candidate will work to drive the industry towards delivering advertisers greater accountability and improved measurement. Also responsible for implementing purchasing "best practices" designed to track and benchmark agency value.

- Experience leading research initiatives. Candidate will lead the development of industry leading research related to measuring effectiveness in the print space.

- Ensures that client relationships continue to be strengthened by quality of deliverables and client satisfaction with the work.

- Maintains an in-depth knowledge of client business, from current and historical perspectives.

- Able to demonstrate to clients how proposed media solutions will show expected return on investment with company.

- Actively listens to clients and continually identifies opportunities that make the company indispensable to clients, and, at the same time, is able to professionally and persuasively push back and redirect clients (saying "no") when necessary.

- Ensures the quality of work for all client deliverables.

- Continually assesses the competitiveness of group practices against relevant competition, industries and markets.

- Recognized as industry expert with clients.

- Manages client business profitably and in support of overall company objectives.

- Effectively negotiates fee with client(s) to ensure agency is making a fair profit, including scope definition that ultimately determines staffing. Manages accounts receivables for respective clients.

- Presents business plan to CEO/senior management and finance director to accurately forecast client revenue and indicate staffing mix and related expenses necessary to deliver on plan. Continually communicates to CEO/senior management, finance and HR as business needs change and gains approval to add

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