Strategist, Ad Operations (2026 Cycle)

Strategist, Ad Operations

Assemble is a leading political and public affairs firm that partners with companies, coalitions, and associations across financial services, energy, sports and entertainment, technology, labor, and healthcare.

The Strategist, Ad Operations is a cycle-dedicated role running through December 2026, responsible for the technical setup, launch, and day-to-day operational management of paid media campaigns across digital platforms (Google, Meta, programmatic DSPs, CTV, paid social, and more). This role is the operational backbone of our paid media practice — owning ad account hygiene, campaign trafficking, budget pacing, performance reporting, and optimization recommendations. You'll work closely with strategists and planners to translate media plans into live, well-executed campaigns that deliver against client KPIs.

Responsibilities

Day-to-day

• Set up and onboard new ad accounts across platforms, including billing, access, pixel/tag implementation, and conversion tracking
• Traffic and launch campaigns across Google, Meta, programmatic DSPs (StackAdapt, The Trade Desk, Nexxen, etc.), and emerging platforms
• Monitor pacing daily and flag under- or over-delivery against budget and flight dates
• Pull performance data and help build client-facing reports and dashboards
• Recommend and implement optimizations based on performance trends
• Partner with strategists on campaign QA before launch
• Maintain our organized procedure of checklists, naming conventions, and campaign assets

Campaign Setup & Trafficking

• Build out new ad accounts and ensure clean account structures from day one
• Implement tracking pixels, conversion events, and UTM frameworks
• Traffic creative assets using our ad server (Innovid/Flashtalking) and launch campaigns according to media plan specs
• QA campaign builds before launch — targeting, budgets, flight dates, creative, tracking

Reporting & Analysis

• Build and maintain reporting templates in Google Sheets and Looker Studio
• Pull and synthesize performance data into clear, client-ready reports
• Surface insights, trends, and anomalies to strategists and account leads
• Translate raw data into actionable recommendations
• Developing competitive analysis reports

Budget Management & Pacing

• Track spend daily across platforms and campaigns
• Flag pacing risks early and recommend reallocations
• Reconcile platform spend against media plans and client budgets

Optimization

• Monitor campaign performance and propose optimizations to bidding, targeting, creative rotation, and budget allocation
• Implement approved optimizations quickly and document changes
• Support A/B testing across creative, audiences, and placements

Qualifications

Required

• 2–4+ years of hands-on digital advertising experience, with significant time in campaign trafficking, ad ops, or paid media management
• Strong proficiency with Google Ads Manager, Meta Ads Manager, and at least one programmatic DSP (StackAdapt, Nexxen, The Trade Desk, or similar)
• Experience setting up new ad accounts, implementing tracking, and managing tag deployment (Google Tag Manager a plus)
• Strong proficiency in Google Sheets, including pivot tables, lookups, and formula-driven reporting
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple campaigns and budgets simultaneously without dropping details
• Clear written communication and responsiveness over email and Slack

Preferred

• Experience with political, advocacy, or issue-based advertising
• Familiarity with Looker Studio, Datorama, or other reporting/BI tools
• Experience with political tools (ActBlue, NGPVAN, Action Network)
• Familiarity with creative unit types across various platforms
• Experience with disclaimer requirements and political ad compliance across platforms

Compensation

Base Salary Range: $65,000-$75,000

Benefits: Assemble offers a wide range of progressive benefits, including: 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance 401(k) program with an employer match Flexible vacation and time off policy Monthly phone reimbursement Unlimited sick time 12 weeks of paid parental leave Health and wellness reimbursement Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Childcare stipend for work travel

Location

Hybrid role in Washington D.C. or New York City. Remote available for the right candidate.

To Apply

Send an email with attached resume and cover letter to View email address on click.appcast.io with " Strategist, Ad Operations " in the subject line.