Media Investment Regional Lead

Company description

Publicis Global Delivery (PGD); Publicis Groupe’s industry leading globally connected capability platform. Where talent, technology & operations combine to delivery amazing solutions for our clients. Expertise across Media, Data, Technology, Commerce & Production in all regions of the world. 

PGD is comprised of the best talent, and ways-of-working, which enables global scale, innovation and transformation, each day.

Culture, growth and wellbeing underline all aspects of Publicis Global Delivery.

#WeArePGD

Overview

The Media Investment & Planning Delivery Director is accountable for end-to-end delivery excellence across media investment, buying, planning, and strategy operations. The role connects audience and channel strategy with investment decisions and operational execution, ensuring that media recommendations are actionable, financially sound, scalable, compliant, and delivered to a consistently high standard.

This leader owns account health, capability maturity, resource management, delivery governance, quality, escalations, financial stewardship, and talent development across assigned teams and markets. The position serves as a senior partner to agency, client, platform, vendor, finance, and internal stakeholders, translating business objectives into integrated media plans and disciplined execution.

The Media Investment & Planning Delivery Director is accountable for end-to-end delivery excellence across media investment, buying, planning, and strategy operations. The role connects audience and channel strategy with investment decisions and operational execution, ensuring that media recommendations are actionable, financially sound, scalable, compliant, and delivered to a consistently high standard.

This leader owns account health, capability maturity, resource management, delivery governance, quality, escalations, financial stewardship, and talent development across assigned teams and markets. The position serves as a senior partner to agency, client, platform, vendor, finance, and internal stakeholders, translating business objectives into integrated media plans and disciplined execution.

Responsibilities

Key Funtional Responsabilities

1. Integrated Media Strategy & Planning

• Lead the translation of client business and marketing objectives into actionable media strategies, channel roles, audience approaches, budget allocations, and measurable outcomes.
• Guide strategic and tactical recommendations using audience research, reach and frequency, competitive intelligence, market and cost analysis, and performance insights.
• Oversee development and maintenance of media plans, flowcharts, budget summaries, scenarios, authorizations, tactical decks, and campaign timelines.
• Ensure planning outputs are connected to investment feasibility, implementation requirements, measurement frameworks, and financial processes.
• Promote clear, insight-led storytelling for status meetings, monthly reviews, QBRs, case studies, and executive client presentations.

2. Media Investment, Buying & Partner Governance

• Oversee investment strategy, buying, trading, and commercial agreements across applicable channels, including non-biddable and digital media.
• Lead or govern negotiations for pricing, value-added opportunities, premium inventory, and partner terms in alignment with agency, client, global, and PGD standards.
• Maintain senior relationships with media owners, publishers, platforms, measurement partners, technology providers, and relevant vendors.
• Ensure transparency, value, compliance, and documentation across buying decisions, supplier terms, authorizations, and media commitments.
• Own accurate spend projections, pacing, budget tracking, revisions, and investment risk visibility across channels.

3. Delivery Governance & Operational Excellence

• Own final accountability for on-time, high-quality delivery across assigned teams, accounts, markets, channels, and time zones.
• Establish and govern delivery standards, SOPs, SLAs, ways of working, QA processes, audit readiness, and error management practices.
• Monitor delivery KPIs, quality trends, operational bottlenecks, and root causes, ensuring corrective and preventive actions are tracked to closure.
• Ensure smooth onboarding, transition, stabilization, and scaling of new accounts, teams, and scopes.
• Drive adoption of tools, automation, AI, and standardized workflows that improve efficiency, accuracy, and delivery consistency.

4. Financial & Commercial Stewardship

• Partner with Finance, Client Operations, Commercial, and agency stakeholders to ensure timely billing, invoicing, reconciliation, and discrepancy resolution.
• Oversee SOW alignment, utilization, billability, MPC compliance, budget adherence, overtime visibility, and resource-related financial risks.
• Provide executive-level reporting on media spend, delivery performance, financial health, risks, achievements, and growth opportunities.
• Identify opportunities to improve cost efficiency, strengthen media value, and expand services based on client and agency needs.

5. Client, Agency & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Serve as the senior delivery counterpart and primary escalation point for agency, client, and internal stakeholders within the assigned scope.
• Own the delivery narrative in governance meetings, status reviews, QBRs, and executive forums, connecting strategy, investment, performance, and operational health.
• Partner closely with Planning, Investment, Activation, Analytics, Client Operations, Finance, HR, Talent Acquisition, L&D, IT, and Commercial teams.
• Develop and execute action plans based on stakeholder feedback, audits, performance results, business priorities, and emerging risks.
• Support new-business and growth conversations by representing PGD capabilities and designing scalable delivery models.

6. Workforce, Talent & Capability Development

• Own workforce planning, resource allocation, capacity forecasting, role calibration, staffing needs, and organizational design across assigned teams.
• Lead, coach, and develop Associate Directors, Supervisors, specialists, and other delivery leaders, building accountability and succession readiness.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, performance management, promotion readiness, retention actions, and leadership development in partnership with HR and Talent Acquisition.
• Ensure learning paths, platform certifications, planning tools, negotiation skills, and upskilling programs are aligned with business and capability needs.
• Promote a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance culture that supports engagement, career growth, and sustainable workloads.

Management Responsabilities 

• Set direction, priorities, operating rhythms, and success measures for the Media Investment and Planning delivery scope.
• Manage senior stakeholders and leaders while maintaining clarity of ownership between strategic direction and day-to-day execution.
• Provide ongoing feedback, performance evaluation, coaching, and development support to direct and indirect leadership teams.
• Identify high-potential talent, succession risks, skill gaps, and opportunities for cross-training or expanded responsibility.
• Ensure compliance with internal controls, financial policies, HR requirements, data standards, and organizational expectations.
• Maintain flexibility to collaborate across global time zones and support onshore agencies and clients.

Qualifications

Experience & Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, Business, or a related field; a Master’s degree is valued.
• 9–11 years of relevant experience across media planning, media investment, buying, digital or non-biddable media, and delivery leadership.
• Demonstrated experience leading leaders and complex teams across multiple accounts, markets, or geographies.
• Advanced English proficiency (C1+ or equivalent) for executive stakeholder and client communication.
• Working knowledge across multiple media disciplines, with depth in both planning and investment and a strong understanding of their operational interdependencies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certifications in major media, planning, research, measurement, or digital platforms.
• Experience with Power BI or comparable visualization and reporting tools.
• Experience implementing Agile, Scrum, workflow automation, AI, or process transformation initiatives.
• Formal training in project management, change management, negotiation, or leadership development.