Managing Director, Client Investment-Activation Lead

We are OMD, Cannes Lions 2024 Media Network of the Year, RECMA's Best-Performing Media Network Globally, and COMvergence's #1 Global Agency Network. As the world's largest media network, with more than 12,000 people working in over 100 countries, we excel at making better decisions, faster. By combining innovation, creativity, empathy, and evidence, we help clients move faster, reach further, and take smarter risks in a world full of opportunities


We pride ourselves on being a people-obsessed, outcomes-focused business that applies evidence and data-based solutions, married with the practice of empathy, to drive performance and growth. When working with our clients, we put ourselves in the shoes of the consumer in order to see the world through their eyes. We focus on finding greater empathy with the consumer so as to uncover insights and opportunities that deliver more valued and valuable connections.


The Managing Director, Client Investment Lead at OMD is the head of investment for key client businesses, overseeing brand and performance investments. It is a senior leadership position and requires a highly motivated media leader who can effectively oversee budgets across all channels and platforms, navigate complex marketplace dynamics, manage a large team of diversified subject matter experts, be the trusted investment leader to all key client stakeholders, and ensure the agency meets its financial goals while fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration.

The most critical objective of this role is to deliver on clients' need for transformation. In this role, the Client Investment Lead will constantly push ideas into action and enhance/level-up business strategies. This role focuses on driving change and delivering on client objectives, key business metrics, and goals. The Client Investment Lead is a subject-matter expert across multiple channels and disciplines, with a comprehensive understanding of strategic planning and investment.


This role partners with Client Business Leads and manages staffing structures, workflow, and project needs based on clients' scope of work and other client business needs. The successful candidate will possess an ability to troubleshoot, quickly assess, and solve problems for business challenges as they arise. The Client Investment Lead thrives in a fast-paced environment and is driven by the excitement of change, new ideas, and delivering on client objectives.


Role Objectives:

• Lead investment, activation, partnerships, thought leadership, and marketplace navigation across all media channels for a major account
• Manage a large staff of media professionals, providing guidance on media industry best practices, negotiation skills, and crafting elevated media narratives
• Drive innovation via unparalleled determination and ability to push boundaries with partners
• Know the organization inside-and-out, including major stakeholders across C-suite, media, marketing, procurement
• Possess intimate knowledge of enterprise-level business priorities and challenges, consumer habits and touchpoints, and up-to-date consumption trends across all channels
• Deliver on annual cost guarantee via aggressive negotiations and solution-oriented savings approach
• Effectively manage revenue projections and generate net new agency profits via proprietary products and pipeline opportunities
• Own client budget portfolio across all channels and platforms
• Implement and solve for staffing needs, team evolution, and succession planning
• Serve as major stakeholder in scope proposals
• Broker large-scale partnerships in the form of industry-best Upfront investments, JBPs, etc.
• Liaise between media and creative on both agency side and client side
• Drive a holistic, full-funnel performance-led investment approach that is measurable and accountable to client objectives
• Relentless focus on client's brand and sales performance
• Oversee application of data and analytics insights to identify meaningful and actionable marketing/media opportunities
• Advise clients and direct reports on marketplace conditions, media inflation projections, and first-to-market opportunities
• Compile and deliver presentations on both high-level and campaign tactical media recommendations in high-stakes, dynamic settings
• Leverage deep connections with major players at media networks and publishers on behalf of clients
• Craft knowledgeable and relevant POVs that assess media opportunities with an innovation-first mindset
• Play a leading role in all aspects of campaign management, including partner liaison and delivery
• Oversee all aspects of activation from buying to trafficking, to posting to reporting, to billing reconciliation
• Serve as point of escalation across all investment and marketplace matters

Requirements

• B.A. or B.S. in Marketing, Advertising, or a related field
• Agency experience highly preferred, with experience managing large client account billings
• Retail experience highly preferred, with proven track record of integrating culture, brand, and performance
• 15+ years of experience in digital media buying, video media buying, paid social, search, programmatic, audio, etc.; experience across other channels (branded content, influencer, affiliate, commerce) a plus
• 12+ years of management experience with strong leadership and mentorship skills
• Successful track record and advocacy on revenue-driving agency product solutions
• Critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making at speed
• Proven ability to inspire, innovate, and collaborate effectively
• Ability to recruit and retain top talent
• Command of industry and market challenges
• Experience leading tactical campaigns across multiple lines of business
• Experience managing cost guarantees preferred
• Experience in audience-driven media investment strategy and optimization
• Experience with leveraging platforms/DSP/data solutions for investment activation
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, interpersonal skills, detail-orientation, and follow-through skills
• C-Suite tested presentation skills
• Excellent marketplace reputation and relations
• Hard-working, resourceful, able to multi-task, work well under tight deadlines, and thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Strong analytical, research, and quantitative skills
• Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills, including formulas, v-lookup, conditional formats, pivot tables, etc.
• Experience with Prisma, Media Ocean, and DCM is a plus
• Familiarity with research tools such as Nielsen and Comscore is a plus

This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on relevant experience, other job-related qualifications/skills, and geographic location (to account for comparative cost of living). The Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. For this role, benefits include: health insurance, vision insurance, dental insurance, 401(k), Healthcare Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, vacation days, sick days, personal days, paid parental leave, paid medical leave, and STD/LTD insurance benefits.

Compensation Range

$175,000-$285,000 USD

This role is hybrid, requiring three (3) days per week in the office. The remaining two (2) days may be worked remotely. Specific in-office days will be discussed during the interview process, with flexibility to align with team needs. Please note that the number or required in-office days may be adjusted over time, potentially increasing the number of required in-office days based on business needs.

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