Director of Ad Operations

This is a full-time, in-person position located in New York, New York or Indianapolis, Indiana. Some travel will be required. About Us Audiochuck is a fast-growing, dynamic company driven by our mission to tell the right stories, in the right ways, for the right reasons. Our team is made up of immensely passionate people who love what we do and don’t stop until we’re proud. Excellence is required at Audiochuck. We have a responsibility and privilege to honor the voices of those whose stories we tell. We approach our content with empathy, compassion, and a genuine desire to make a difference. Advocacy is an essential part of the Audiochuck culture as we strive to positively impact victims and their families through the use of our time, money, and resources. Committed to developing our people and fostering a long-term team of talented media professionals, we are seeking a commercially minded advertising operations leader to own the performance and delivery of our advertising business. About the Director of Ad Operations The Director of Ad Operations is a senior, cross-functional role responsible for owning advertising performance and delivery across Audiochuck’s portfolio of shows, including Crime Junkie, the #1 most-downloaded true crime podcast in the United States. Reporting to the CEO, this role is the senior point of accountability for an advertising business that touches Revenue, Content, Production, Marketing, Finance, and our third-party sales partner. The Director owns the internal systems, processes, analytics, and cross-functional workflows behind our advertising, ensuring that what is sold can be delivered and that campaigns are executed flawlessly without compromising our editorial standards, audience trust, or mission. Our third-party sales partner leads much of our advertising sales activity. While this role is not responsible for direct ad sales, it is a critical commercial role. The Director will be Audiochuck’s senior operational and commercial counterpart to our sales partner, using data and a deep understanding of our business to identify opportunities, advocate for Audiochuck’s interests, challenge constructively when needed, and help maximize revenue. This role is ideal for someone who is equally comfortable in a revenue model and a cross-functional workflow, and who can balance commercial opportunity with brand, editorial, and audience considerations. What You’ll Do Campaign Operations & Execution Own the end-to-end internal advertising workflow, with clear processes, decision points, and handoffs from opportunity through approval, production, and completion Review opportunities from our sales partner to ensure they can be delivered without compromising quality, editorial standards, or the client experience Build visibility into campaign placement, flighting, delivery, and make-goods so Audiochuck always understands campaign status and performance Proactively identify risks, then elevate and resolve issues with our sales partner and internal teams Oversee and support the Senior Ad Ops Specialist and continuously improve the systems and controls behind ad delivery, including Salesforce and AdsWizz Serve as Audiochuck’s senior operational and commercial counterpart to our third-party sales partner, advocating for our interests and challenging constructively when appropriate Own deal-level pricing and CPM analysis, assessing each opportunity for financial value, brand fit, and operational feasibility Present opportunities to the CEO and relevant hosts for approval with a clear recommendation Act as the primary conduit between our sales partner and internal teams so information, decisions, and feedback move quickly in both directions Monitor the sales partner’s monthly reporting and performance against contractual obligations, including impression delivery and decline percentages Revenue Operations & Analytics Own the RevOps Scorecard, bottom-up revenue models, and forecasts, providing clear and actionable reporting for the CEO, executive team, and Board Improve forecast accuracy and clearly explain performance, trends, and drivers of variance Build visibility into inventory, demand, utilization, sell-through, advertiser and category mix, RPM and CPM trends, and placement performance Translate data into action, going beyond reporting what happened to recommend where Audiochuck should focus and where it can perform better Editorial Standards & Brand Alignment Partner with Content and Production to protect the editorial standards, host considerations, and brand parameters that shape what Audiochuck will and will not accept Ensure advertisers, campaigns, and integrations move through the appropriate internal review and QC processes Surface advertiser expectations and editorial requirements early, and act as a senior escalation point when they need to be reconciled Commercial Opportunities & Custom Solutions Develop a strong understanding of Audiochuck’s audiences, brands, and capabilities to recognize new commercial opportunities Identify advertiser categories and prospective clients that Audiochuck and our sales partner should pursue Partner with Content, Production, and Marketing on custom treatments and sponsorships that are compelling, achievable, and true to our editorial standards Stay closely involved in customized campaigns where internal knowledge or coordination is critical to success Cross-Functional Leadership Build strong relationships across Revenue, Content, Production, Marketing, Finance, and Operations, with clear ownership so work does not fall between teams Balance the needs of advertisers, our sales partner, and internal stakeholders to deliver an excellent client experience without compromising what makes Audiochuck distinctive Move quickly on shifting priorities while maintaining rigorous quality standards and strong communication What Success Looks Like What we sell is right for Audiochuck, what we promise is achievable, and what we deliver is flawless Every step of the advertising workflow has a clear owner, and work moves smoothly between teams Audiochuck has clear, regular visibility into campaign delivery, inventory, and sell-through Revenue forecasts are accurate and give leadership and the Board a reliable picture of the business The sales partner relationship is transparent and accountable, with performance tracked against contractual obligations Every advertiser and campaign protects Audiochuck’s editorial standards and audience trust Commercial performance continually improves as new opportunities are identified and executed What You’ll Bring to the Table 7+ years of experience in advertising operations, revenue operations, media sales operations, or a related discipline, including significant experience in a complex, cross-functional media environment Demonstrated experience owning or improving end-to-end advertising workflows and building processes that deliver consistently strong execution Strong analytical capability, including building revenue models and forecasts and analyzing CPM, RPM, inventory utilization, and placement performance Strong commercial instincts and an understanding of how operational and analytical decisions affect revenue Excellent judgment and the ability to meet advertiser needs while protecting the standards, audience experience, and long-term value of a media brand Experience working with external sales teams, agencies, or commercial partners, with the credibility to advocate for a point of view and challenge constructively Strong cross-functional leadership skills and the ability to create clarity around ownership, timelines, and deliverables across teams that do not report to you Highly organized and self-directed, with the ability to manage multiple complex priorities in a fast-moving environment Exceptional communication skills in writing, in person, and in presentations, with the ability to translate between commercial, operational, analytical, and creative stakeholders Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Analytics, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience Preferred Experience in podcast, audio, digital media, or another content-led advertising business Strong understanding of the podcast advertising market, including host-read, programmatic, branded content, and custom sponsorships Experience with Salesforce, AdsWizz, or comparable advertising and revenue operations platforms Experience working within a business that uses an external sales representation partner or sales house Experience supporting custom advertising formats, sponsorships, or branded content from proposal through execution A genuine interest in the Crime Junkie brand and Audiochuck’s mission of storytelling, advocacy, and community safety What Audiochuck Will Bring to the Table Commitment to intentional leadership development Dedication to company culture and promoting mental health A collaborative and passionate team aligned around advocacy and impact Opportunity to shape the advertising business behind the #1 true crime podcast in the United States Compensation The base salary range for this role is $160,000 to $180,000 annually. Actual compensation within this range will be based on the candidate’s experience, skills, and qualifications. Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage 401(k) retirement plan with employer match Generous paid time off Paid parental leave Team events and company-sponsored activities Audiochuck is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need a reasonable accommodation at any point during the application or interview process, please contact View email address on click.appcast.io. #J-18808-Ljbffr