Associate Media Director

Publicis Groupe, known for its world-renowned creativity, best in class technology and data assets, and digital and consulting expertise, is one of the world's largest communications groups. With 80,000 staff in over 100 countries, the Groupe has capabilities in Creative, Media, Digital Business Transformation and Production.

As a Connecting Company for the Connected Age, Publicis Groupe is able to deliver winning solutions for clients through the Power of One - driven by a common purpose, a powerful spirit, shared behaviours, great character and a relentless focus on our clients.

Job Description

An Associate Media Director leads a unit 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 clients' objectives. This involves the creation and execution of media plans, unearthing insights, integrating capabilities and flawless execution on all fronts.

The Associate Media Director is the primary point of contact for clients and will oversee the day-to-day communications planning and/ or buying processes for the assigned accounts.

This role reports directly to the Business Lead, and is a member of the Publicis Media group of Team Leadership

1. Client Management

• Establish a partner-relationship with clients by being involved in the business environment.
• Provide business solutions through media approaches for assigned brands.
• Overall account stewardship to ensure communication strategy and implementation are in sync towards clients' business direction.
• Undertake key initiatives/business solutions in tandem with clients' goals, business objectives and priorities.
• Manage clients' requests appropriately (e.g. push back on unreasonable timelines, make judgment or evaluate value on ad hoc requests).
• Take ownership for assigned brands.
• Maintain regular WIPs, dialogues and reviews to ensure effective work processes.
• Improve and uphold agency evaluation.
• Build and coach high performing team members as required.

2. Business Partner Management

• Leverage good relationships with senior business partners (e.g. creative, media owners), hence the ability to obtain updated information that contributes to the brand objectives and value-add to clients.
• Conduct professional briefings to business partners on innovations and ensure alignment to clients' objectives.
• Establish partnership processes with business partners (e.g. rules of engagement).
• Establish rapport and understanding with senior business partners and ensure clear documentation on all communications.
• Ensure best value from all negotiations across media owners and campaigns.
• Manage and resolve conflicts for Executives and Managers.

3. Research & Media Applications Proficiency

• Guide and troubleshoot for Managers on applications usage.
• Display competency in using advanced functions in each tool.
• Able to tap into proprietary consumer insight applications or alternative sources for more in-depth analysis.
• Proficient in using agency's planning approach.

4. Financial

• Identify opportunities for organic growth of the business.
• Uphold financial policy and integrity to avoid violation or potential fraud.
• Assist the team members to reconcile all media payment variances of assigned brands.
• Work with team members to ensure accurate and timely invoicing (e.g. regular review of unbilled reports, resolve unbilled cases with Finance).
• Resolve all ageing matters.
• Accurate business forecast of assigned accounts (monthly and annually).

5. Industry Knowledge (Consumer, Business or Brand Insights)

• Exhibit good understanding and forecast on media/ industry/brand development & implications to the businesses.
• Evaluate the strategic implications of media/ industry/brand developments and identify opportunities & threats to businesses (short to long-term).

6. Investment Management

• Optimize the given investment or allocate appropriate investments by medium/brands.
• Provide investment consultation to client on appropriate budget to meet the desired objectives.
• Supervise on cost management for brand across medium used.
• Master contract management (e.g. propose, negotiate, track fulfilment, etc.)
• Input on action plans in expenditure reports.
• Reconcile all sources of costing/investment variances.

7. Corporate Responsibility

• Lead/participate in pitches.
• Drive awards submission.
• Demonstrate appropriate behaviors to uphold the company's image, reputation and credentials.
• Identify new business opportunities.
• Collaborate with function/practice leads on best practice development.
• Demonstrate responsible hiring of talents (e.g. fair employment practice) and ability to manage termination well with due diligence.
• Mentor and ensure all direct reports master the skills and organizational savvy required for advancement.

Qualifications

• 8-10 years media planning experience required, with focus on strategic and operational planning and execution, in regional/global accounts
• Knowledgeable about and experienced with the concepts, approaches and issues involved in integrated planning
• Adaptive and keen to learn on the digital ecosystem
• Familiar with the timelines, processes and needs of the implementation of all media
• Knowledgeable about new approaches to and developments in digital tactical planning (social and mobile included)
• Demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving
• Able to work successfully with teams, handling multiple projects and meeting tight deadlines under pressure
• Supervisory skills
• Knowledge and use of various research systems
• Technical proficiency, particularly with media systems and MS Excel, Word and PowerPoint
• Integrate understanding into the work to make decisions on the business
• Filter and adapt the different options and applies good judgment combined with hard facts to select which ideas will produce the best results
• Understand what the client's business needs by understanding the history of the brand and what the client wants it to stand for. Understand the client's strategic intent and the implications for building the client's business
• Proficient in all syndicated and proprietary media applications.
• Keep abreast to the development and trends in the ever changing media landscape.
• Able to tap into proprietary consumer insight applications or alternative sources for more in-depth analysis.