Planning Director

Company description

At Zenith, we are a connected team with purpose. We are driven to create new perspectives through modern media. We believe marketing is a powerful investment that can build and grow brands and increase business profitability. So we unlock opportunities for growth by placing consumer behavior, attitudes, and insights at the heart of everything we do. We pride ourselves on delivering return on investment, imagination, and insight.

Central to this vision is the knowledge that we are only as good as our people. To grow our clients' business, we need to attract, retain, develop, and grow the brightest talent in the industry. We know it is not the sum of one but the sum of all of us that make us great. Our behaviors are: Be Bold, Be Kind, Be Better Together.

We’re determined to eradicate any barriers that prevent our people from achieving their fullest potential.

We offer progressive flexible working options to everyone at all levels — it’s not a policy. It’s behavior-led and reinforced through our values.

Mental health & wellbeing is something we consider a priority — it's championed by our own people internally and is a regular conversation.

We have a lot of fun — we’re constantly looking at reinventing how we’re connecting with each other.

Overview

The transformation you will experience:

As a Planning Director, you will be the Strategic and Planning lead for Zenith's key clients. Guide integrated media planning and strategy. Correlate the dots between business objectives, audience insight, and media channels to uncover opportunities for growth, drive seamless campaign delivery, and strengthen partnerships.

Your scope will include:

·         Build positive relationships with senior marketing stakeholders (Senior Brand, Marketing or Media Managers).

·         Proactively identify client challenges and propose media‑led solutions.

·         Act as first point of contact for escalations and confidently oversee client feedback.

·         Interact with the I&A and Strategy teams to deliver Media Landscape and Culture Trends education for clients.

·         Spearhead Zenith ROI Connect planning process across digital, offline and emerging platforms.

·         Collaborate with Strategy, Investment and Activations teams to craft data‑driven, insight‑led strategies with measurable outcomes and ROI

·         Define response tiers and timelines with clear ownership and accountability.

·         Create frameworks for measuring campaign success and evaluating briefs and performance.

·         Ensure adoption of key planning tools and demonstrate value to clients.

·         Review and sign off solutions to ensure clear storytelling, evidence‑based recommendations and top practice.

·         Present strategies and media plans with clarity and conviction to clients and internal stakeholders.

·         Oversee campaign delivery, ensuring KPIs and client expectations are met.

·         Assist seamless implementation and reporting through strong communication and accountability.

·         Foster a culture of attention to detail, collaboration and continuous improvement.

·         Obtain I&A sign‑off on partner selection, benchmarking and commercial opportunities prior to briefing media owners.

·         Spearhead post‑campaign reviews, ensuring actionable insights and client value are demonstrated.

·         Drive day‑to‑day operational effectiveness and efficiency across the Client & Planning team.

·         Improve workflow through effective resource utilisation and identification of automation opportunities.

·         Oversee and mentor Managers and Senior Planning Executives through development plans and KPI check‑ins.

·         Train, develop and coach team members, including offshore staff.

·         Demonstrate emotional intelligence, make informed yet flexible outcomes, and seek assist when required.

·         Assess and implement client contractual deliverables, scope, KPIs and commercial agreements.

·         Identify revenue growth opportunities through specialist or inter‑agency offerings.

·         Promote a professional working environment in line with company policies.

·         Assist new business pitches and pipeline opportunities where required.

·         Participate in brainstorms, internal forums, training and capability development.

·         Leverage professional networks to attract talent aligned with Zenith’s values.

·         Build strong relationships with senior media owners and agency partners.

What type of person will be successful in this role:

·         Advertising agency preferred, but not mandatory.

·         Advanced Media Planning and Strategy experience

·         Knowledge in Media Planning Tools mandatory

·         Proven credibility in Presentation and storytelling  

·         Strong Client Relationship and stake holder experience

·         MMM and attribution basics

·         Aptitude to facilitating workshops and brainstorms

#LI-DS1

Additional information

Publicis Groupe benefits: Be a part of the Publicis Groupe family, recent winner of the Employer of Choice Awards and one of the world's most progressive and dynamic modern communications businesses. You can learn more about us at www.publicisgroupeanz.com.

Enjoy all the perks that come with our network offering:

• A comprehensive Wholeself program supporting physical, mindful, and financial wellbeing.
• A creative, lively, and rewarding office environment where people love working with each other, supported by our Publicis Liberté flexibility approach — "working your way with us."
• Access to our Global AI Platform Marcel, connecting Publicis Groupe employees with opportunities for career mobility and collaboration across our global network.
• Extensive Learning & Development opportunities including more than 15,000 learning programs via our online learning platform, Marcel Classes.
• A culture of open feedback and support to reach your goals through our Career Conversations program.
• A committed Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion strategy driven through our Viva Women, Égalité, enABLE, EmbRACE, and Écologique committees.
• Leave benefits including Birthday Leave, Flexible Public Holidays, and an additional 5 days of leave after 2 years of service.
• Work Your World program enabling employees the flexibility to work from anywhere in the world for up to 6 weeks per year.
• Parental leave policy with up to 18 weeks based on tenure, paid primary carer leave, secondary carer swap, and Cub Care leave.
• Access to counsellors, psychologists, and professionals through Sonder, an all-in-one digital wellbeing technology platform designed to support psychological, medical & safety needs.
• A workplace that stands together to provide a more open, supportive, and recovery-forward culture for all employees with life-threatening illnesses. Read more about our Working With Cancer Pledge: https://workingwithcancerpledge.com/
• Proud partners of Diversity Council Australia, Pride in Diversity, Family Friendly Workplaces, Supply Nation, and the Australian Disability Network.

If you don't tick every box in this ad, please don't rule yourself out. Research suggests that women and other people in underrepresented groups tend to only apply if they meet every requirement. We focus on hiring people who share our values of inclusion, collaboration, adaptability, fearlessness, and integrity rather than ticking boxes — so if this role resonates with you, please apply.

Diversity. Inclusion. Equity. More than just words; these are part of our DNA. At Publicis Groupe, we are committed to the inclusion and recognition of all people regardless of race, age, culture, ability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, and religious affiliation. We believe that to deliver the best solutions to our clients, our people need to reflect the diverse communities in which our clients operate. We value diversity and the skills, knowledge, and experience that difference brings to our culture and solutions.

Uniqueness is powerful; without it, we wouldn't be where we are today. So be you — we like it that way.

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for people with disability or those that require additional support throughout the application process. If you need any assistance or adjustments, please contact us via recruitmentpublicisgroupe.com; your personal information will be kept confidential.