Director, Investment, Social

Rise is an award-winning, full-service Media Agency of Record that is backed by data and powered by people. We create omnichannel experiences using our proprietary tech stack and advanced analytics capabilities to help solve the unique struggles brands face today. This approach, with transparency at its core, specializes in omnichannel media, commerce and retail media, advanced in-home media, as well as content and creator marketing.

We offer "Risers" the opportunity to work in an ever-evolving industry that will foster learning and development, provide an innovative work environment with diverse projects and clients, career advancement paths a collaborative team environment, corporate social responsibility initiatives, an inclusive and diverse culture, plus association with a reputable media agency. We're looking for talent like you who can continue to elevate our work and culture.

GENERAL PURPOSE OF JOB

The Director, Investment, Social is responsible for managing a team of paid social experts who activate and manage campaigns across all social platforms. This individual will oversee a growing client portfolio and collaborate with other team members to deliver innovative solutions for the book of business.

This role will help Rise drive revenue growth through three core areas:

• Partnering with the Account Management team assigned to the respective portfolio of accounts to retain current business by delivering a remarkable client experience and superior results.

• Collaborating with the Account Management team to grow existing Rise revenue by identifying and tactically upselling strategic client growth opportunities, with an emphasis on cross-channel and full-funnel growth initiatives.

• Supporting new business revenue growth by partnering with Business Development, Account Management, Media Strategy, and other channel leaders on new business initiatives.

To accomplish these objectives, the Director, Investment, Social must operate successfully and fluidly across a wide variety of internal and external situations. These may range from coaching internal channel managers on complex strategic initiatives to pitching new business opportunities to C-suite client contacts and working with Client Partners to craft compelling narratives that support strategic growth initiatives.

This individual must be well-spoken, possess strong presentation skills, understand client relationship and risk management, and be comfortable managing a high-performing team and overseeing large, complex accounts with multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced work environment.

The successful candidate will be passionate about social media and its importance within the consumer journey and marketing funnel. They must possess an astute understanding of the social landscape, including its channels, technologies, and platforms, and be a leader who promotes collaboration and ideation.

As a supervisor, the Director will oversee employee development and retention, including training and goal setting. They will lead the team in ensuring that the tactical execution of media planning, placement, reporting, post-buy activities, and financial reconciliation is handled accurately and on time.

This individual must also be an expert in process and project management, with the ability to create efficient processes that can be scaled across multiple accounts or teams.

Location: Chicago, 4 days in office

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Establish a center of excellence that efficiently executes paid social initiatives while driving innovation aligned with business goals.

• Develop and execute social strategies for evergreen and event-based campaigns, working closely with internal and external stakeholders.

• Provide strategic guidance to clients; anticipate and address client needs and challenges; and plan and develop measurable programs that are on strategy, remain within budget, and exceed client objectives. Establish clear success criteria and benchmarks before and after each campaign.

• Develop social strategies using industry knowledge, experience, and strong analytical skills to extract insights from campaign data and provide well-developed, quantitatively based recommendations that support client goals and objectives.

• Optimize targeting, segmentation, and performance across product categories, audiences, personas, and industries by continuously analyzing data and recommending improvements.

• Drive digital marketing innovation by harnessing AI-driven automation, emerging technologies, and leading industry practices to position Rise as a leader in social media.

• Manage financial performance, including budget allocation, client billing, team billability, and account profitability.

• Deliver insightful and persuasive presentations to clients and prospects.

• Maintain accountability for executional accuracy across all team members.

• Manage a team of direct reports working remotely and across Rise locations, with responsibility for all aspects of team oversight, including employee onboarding, training, performance, accountability, behavior, and retention.

• Maintain overall control of team workflows and assigned responsibilities. Oversee the progress of all projects and provide assistance when necessary to ensure timely completion.

• Quickly and tactfully troubleshoot employee and client issues.

• Collaborate with leadership and peers to develop solutions that enhance operational efficiency, tools, and systems and improve current workflows.

• Serve as a thought leader by proactively advising on social media trends, tools, and technologies and recommending areas for investment and implementation.

• Identify opportunities to evaluate and test new technologies.

• Partner with the Director, Partnerships to cultivate strong relationships with social media partners, including responsibility for joint business plan stewardship, as assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, advertising, business, or a related field.

• Ability to speak, read, and write in English.

Experience

• At least 10 years of relevant experience in digital or social marketing. Agency experience is preferred.

• At least five years of experience tactically managing campaigns within advertising platforms.

• Experience with or familiarity with additional digital channels, such as programmatic advertising, SEO, affiliate marketing, or paid search, is preferred.

• Expert proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite, with a strong emphasis on Excel.

• Experience building media plans and determining annual and monthly budget allocations using different forecasting methodologies.

• Demonstrated experience developing, managing, and leading high-performing teams.

• Strong relationships with publisher and technology partners.

• Expert knowledge of the role and importance of social media within a media plan and how to leverage its strengths.

• Demonstrated success working directly with clients and C-suite stakeholders.

• Experience participating in new business pitches, both behind the scenes and in the room.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, AND REGISTRATIONS

• Certifications in Meta, TikTok, Snap, and YouTube are required.

• Experience with additional social and social-adjacent platforms, such as X, Reddit, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, is preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Proficiency in social media tactics and strategies.

• Demonstrated experience managing strategy for large, complex clients with annual media spend of at least $5 million while being held accountable to strict client goals.

• Strong analytical capabilities and the ability to understand the technical nuances of various media-buying platforms to improve client results.

• Proven experience developing ongoing processes that positively affect the profitability or efficiency of an account or team.

• Proven experience facilitating and initiating creative thinking across digital content, media, social media, and activation.

• Ability to establish oneself as a trusted resource by developing relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.

• Dedication to completing projects and tasks with passion and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

• Ability to excel in a complex and changing marketplace.

• Ability to identify, recruit, and retain top talent.

• Experience managing personnel matters positively and effectively.

• Superior verbal and written communication skills, with a focus on fostering strong, collaborative relationships at the tactical level.

• High level of comfort participating in brainstorming and ideation sessions.

• Ability to collaborate with a team, think tactically, and execute accurately to align media execution with client needs.

• Passion for continued media and channel education through ongoing training and certification programs covering platforms, media, leadership, and other business skills.

Employees can be expected to be paid an annualized salary range of $110,000 - $137,000, based on variations in knowledge, skills, experience and market conditions.

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We offer comprehensive benefits ( for eligible employees including medical, prescription, dental and vision insurance, 401(k) retirement savings, paid time off, holidays and additional benefits.

Rise and Quad are proud to be equal opportunity employers. We are committed to creating a place of belonging — a space where employees do not need to sacrifice who they are to exist and grow in our workplace. Rise and Quad do not discriminate on any unlawful basis including race, religion, color, national origin, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Rise and Quad also prohibit harassment of applicants and employees based on any of these protected categories.

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