Media

Media Planner job description

A Media Planner strategically allocates advertising budgets across digital and traditional channels. Learn what a Media Planner does to drive ROI.

Published January 3, 2026Updated May 17, 202613707 likes

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Job brief

We are seeking an analytical and strategic Media Planner to join our marketing team and lead our integrated advertising efforts. In this role, you will define how our brand shows up across digital, programmatic, and traditional channels, turning complex consumer insights into high-impact media buying strategies. You will have the opportunity to manage multi-million dollar budgets, test emerging ad technologies, and optimize campaigns that directly influence our global market share. If you are passionate about data-driven storytelling and want to shape the future of our media mix, we invite you to apply.

Key highlights

Develop integrated media strategies that align with business objectives to maximize reach, frequency, and conversion for high-priority campaigns.
Manage multi-channel budgets using platforms like Mediaocean or Bionic to ensure accurate forecasting, pacing, and reconciliation of media spend.
Execute programmatic media buying campaigns using DSPs such as The Trade Desk or DV360 to drive precise audience targeting and bid management.
Monitor real-time campaign performance dashboards in Tableau or Looker, identifying trends to optimize bids and shift budget allocations mid-flight.

What is a Media Planner?

A Media Planner is a strategic marketing professional responsible for determining the most effective platforms to reach target audiences and achieve campaign objectives. By analyzing consumer behavior data and market trends, a Media Planner balances paid, owned, and earned media to maximize brand visibility and ROI. Utilizing advanced research tools like Nielsen, Comscore, and Kantar, they architect comprehensive media roadmaps that dictate exactly where, when, and how advertising content is delivered to optimize performance.

What does a Media Planner do?

On a typical day, a Media Planner conducts audience research, develops strategic media flowcharts, and negotiates ad placements with publishers, broadcast networks, or digital platforms. They synthesize data from Google Analytics, Meta Ads Manager, and programmatic DSPs to track KPIs and adjust campaign flighting in real-time to ensure optimal reach. A Media Planner collaborates closely with creative agencies, account managers, and external vendors to ensure the brand message aligns with the technical delivery across multi-channel environments.

Key responsibilities

Develop integrated media strategies that align with business objectives to maximize reach, frequency, and conversion for high-priority campaigns.
Manage multi-channel budgets using platforms like Mediaocean or Bionic to ensure accurate forecasting, pacing, and reconciliation of media spend.
Analyze consumer research and first-party data to identify high-value audience segments and determine optimal channel selection for campaign activation.
Negotiate premium ad placements and inventory rates with digital publishers, TV networks, and out-of-home (OOH) vendors to secure competitive pricing.
Collaborate with the creative department to ensure ad assets are optimized for specific platform specifications, aspect ratios, and user contexts.
Execute programmatic media buying campaigns using DSPs such as The Trade Desk or DV360 to drive precise audience targeting and bid management.
Monitor real-time campaign performance dashboards in Tableau or Looker, identifying trends to optimize bids and shift budget allocations mid-flight.
Produce comprehensive post-campaign reports that highlight ROI, attribution metrics, and actionable takeaways for future media planning cycles.

Requirements and skills

3+ years of experience in a dedicated Media Planner or Media Buyer role within a marketing agency or internal corporate marketing department.
Proficiency in industry-leading media research and planning tools such as Nielsen, Comscore, MRI-Simmons, or Kantar for audience analysis.
Deep technical experience with ad-serving and programmatic platforms including The Trade Desk, Google Marketing Platform, or Amazon DSP.
Advanced data visualization skills using tools like Excel (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables), Tableau, or Google Data Studio to track complex campaign KPIs.
Strong understanding of media math, including reach/frequency, GRPs, CPM, CPC, and CPA calculation methods for multi-channel performance.
Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, or a related field; a minor in Data Analytics or Economics is highly preferred.
Certification in Google Ads (Search/Display) and Meta Blueprint is required to demonstrate competency in modern performance marketing channels.
Ability to clearly present complex media strategies and data-driven recommendations to C-suite stakeholders and non-marketing business partners.

FAQs

What does a Media Planner do on a daily basis?

A Media Planner focuses on the science of advertising by determining where a brand should invest its marketing budget to reach its target audience most effectively. Daily tasks include analyzing audience demographics, selecting between digital, broadcast, or print channels, negotiating ad rates with vendors, and monitoring live campaign performance metrics to pivot strategies for better results.

What skills are required to become a Media Planner?

Success in this role requires a blend of quantitative analytical skills and strategic creativity. Key skills include proficiency in media research software (like Nielsen), familiarity with programmatic ad-buying platforms (DSPs), expert-level Excel modeling for budget management, and the ability to clearly articulate complex media plans to internal stakeholders.

Who does a Media Planner work with in a company?

A Media Planner acts as a central hub for marketing operations, working closely with the creative team to ensure assets fit the media format, with procurement teams to manage budget approvals, and with data analysts to interpret campaign performance data. They also interact externally with media vendors, platform reps, and publishers to negotiate inventory and stay updated on new advertising formats.

Why is a Media Planner important to a business?

A Media Planner is critical because they prevent marketing budget waste by ensuring every dollar is spent on the platforms most likely to yield engagement and conversion. By accurately mapping the customer journey across various touchpoints, they ensure that the brand’s message reaches the right person at the right time, directly influencing the company’s bottom-line revenue growth.