Senior Media Manager

Company description

Role Overview

The Senior Manager is responsible for leading integrated media strategy, planning, campaign delivery and client servicing across a portfolio of key accounts. This role serves as the primary day-to-day strategic partner to clients, translating business objectives into actionable media plans, overseeing campaign execution, driving performance optimisation and ensuring commercial accountability across all media investments.

The role requires a strong combination of strategic thinking, client leadership, media expertise, operational excellence and analytical problem-solving. Success in this position depends on the ability to manage multiple stakeholders, lead cross-functional teams, and deliver measurable business outcomes through data-driven media solutions.

Responsibilities

Client Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for clients across campaign planning, execution and performance discussions.
• Build trusted client relationships through proactive consultation, strategic recommendations and clear communication.
• Lead regular business reviews, campaign status meetings and reporting sessions.
• Manage client expectations, timelines and deliverables across multiple projects simultaneously.
• Translate business goals into measurable media objectives and KPIs.
• Identify opportunities for business growth and additional media initiatives.

Media Strategy & Planning

• Develop full-funnel media strategies across awareness, consideration, acquisition, conversion and retention objectives.
• Create annual, quarterly and campaign-specific media plans aligned to client business goals and budgets.
• Evaluate media channels, audience strategies, targeting approaches and platform recommendations.
• Leverage audience insights, market research, consumer behaviour data and campaign learnings to inform planning decisions.
• Present strategic recommendations, media rationales and investment allocations to internal and client stakeholders.
• Negotiate and coordinate with media owners and technology partners to maximise campaign effectiveness and value.

Campaign Execution & Delivery

• Oversee end-to-end campaign implementation across digital and integrated media channels.
• Coordinate with activation, performance, analytics, creative and vendor teams to ensure campaigns are launched accurately and on schedule.
• Review campaign setup, targeting, tracking, measurement frameworks and quality assurance processes.
• Manage creative trafficking requirements, asset approvals and implementation timelines.
• Ensure campaign compliance with agreed plans, budgets, tracking requirements and contractual obligations.

Performance Analysis & Optimisation

• Monitor campaign performance against KPIs and business objectives.
• Identify optimisation opportunities and provide strategic recommendations to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
• Analyse media, audience and conversion trends to uncover actionable insights.
• Lead performance discussions with clients and internal teams, translating data into business implications.
• Recommend testing frameworks, audience strategies, creative enhancements and channel refinements to improve outcomes.
• Deliver post-campaign evaluations and learning agendas to inform future planning.

Reporting & Insights

• Lead development of weekly, monthly, quarterly and campaign-end reports.
• Provide clear commentary on campaign effectiveness, business impact and optimisation recommendations.
• Translate complex datasets into concise, actionable stories for senior stakeholders.
• Establish reporting frameworks and measurement standards across campaigns.
• Ensure reporting accuracy, consistency and adherence to client requirements.

Financial & Commercial Management

• Manage media budgets, campaign pacing and financial forecasting.
• Maintain accountability for budget utilisation, reconciliations, invoice tracking and campaign closeout processes.
• Review statements of work, media contracts, commercial agreements and agency deliverables.
• Ensure campaigns adhere to approved budgets, purchase order requirements and financial controls.
• Support agency commercial planning and resource management discussions.

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Lead and mentor planners, executives and activation teams.
• Guide internal stakeholders through planning, execution and reporting processes.
• Facilitate collaboration across media, analytics, performance, creative, strategy and external vendor teams.
• Ensure resource alignment and workload prioritisation across multiple concurrent projects.
• Drive sharing of best practices, innovation opportunities and industry knowledge.

Qualifications

Technical & Media Expertise

• Strong understanding of digital media planning and buying.
• Experience across paid social, search, programmatic, video, display and integrated media channels.
• Knowledge of audience targeting, attribution, measurement frameworks and performance optimisation.
• Proficiency in media reporting, analytics and data interpretation.
• Strong financial and budget management capabilities.

Client Leadership

• Excellent stakeholder management and presentation skills.
• Ability to influence senior marketing and business stakeholders.
• Strong consultative problem-solving approach.
• Experience managing complex client relationships and competing priorities.

Analytical & Commercial Skills

• Strong quantitative and analytical mindset.
• Ability to convert data into insights and business recommendations.
• Strong attention to detail and financial accuracy.
• Commercial acumen and understanding of agency operations.

Personal Attributes

• Highly organised with excellent project management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple campaigns, deadlines and stakeholders.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Proactive, solutions-oriented and adaptable.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced agency environment with high levels of accountability.