At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the UK programmatic function, driving strategy and operational excellence.
- Company: Dynamic company based in London, focused on innovation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career development, and a vibrant work culture.
- Other info: Join a team that values creativity, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Shape the future of programmatic advertising in a fast-paced environment.
- Qualifications: 7-10 years in programmatic advertising with strong leadership experience.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 £ per year.
Reporting to the Global Operations Director and based in our new office near Victoria in London, this role is responsible for leading and evolving the UK programmatic function. The core focus covers strategic leadership, operational excellence, audience strategy, regional enablement (UK), product, analytics & technical collaboration, creative integration, and future readiness within the UK market. The Programmatic Director (UK) sets and drives the UK programmatic strategy, ensuring operational excellence, audience-led planning, and close collaboration with Product, Analytics, Insights, Technical Solutions and Creative.
While global frameworks may be defined centrally, this role is accountable for implementing, refining and optimising them for the UK market — driving client revenue growth and performance through excellence in programmatic delivery.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Leadership & Market Planning (UK)
- Define and evolve the UK programmatic strategy in alignment with global commercial, operational and product priorities.
- Translate global strategic priorities into actionable UK frameworks, standards and KPIs.
- Anticipate and prepare the UK function for industry shifts (privacy, identity, AI, media, creative, tech).
- Act as senior advisor to the Global Operations Director on UK programmatic innovation, performance and competitive positioning.
- Lead structured innovation and test-and-learn initiatives within the UK market.
- Ensure UK programmatic strategy is commercially aligned to revenue growth and margin improvement.
- Lead and mentor the UK Programmatic team (regional leads, managers, traders and hub teams where applicable).
- Set clear expectations to drive UK programmatic performance and revenue growth through excellence in execution.
- Ensure global frameworks, standards and audience strategies are embedded effectively within the UK market.
- Foster a culture of accountability, communication and knowledge sharing across UK teams.
- Partner with other regional leads to share best practice and elevate standards.
- Audience & Media Strategy (UK Market)
- Develop and oversee a UK audience strategy aligned to global principles, with clear frameworks for segmentation, targeting, data usage and measurement.
- Collaborate with Analytics and Insights to build predictive, privacy-compliant audience approaches tailored to the UK market.
- Ensure audience insights inform planning, optimisation and performance measurement.
- Identify opportunities for smarter buying, improved efficiency and increased client revenue through audience refinement.
- Creative Integration (UK)
- Partner closely with the Global Creative Production Director and UK Creative leads to align audience strategies, media activation and creative approaches.
- Develop structured creative testing frameworks (variant testing, DCO, contextual creative strategies) for deployment within UK programmatic channels.
- Ensure media performance insights inform creative strategy, and creative learnings feed back into media activation.
- Champion innovative creative activations in programmatic environments within the UK market.
- Operational Excellence & Governance (UK)
- Own and evolve UK programmatic operating workflows including trafficking, targeting, optimisation, QA, reporting and performance frameworks.
- Ensure adherence to global playbooks and SLAs, adapting where necessary to UK market realities.
- Monitor UK performance dashboards, proactively resolving issues and driving continuous improvement.
- Partner with Technical Solutions and Product to improve workflows, tooling and automation within the UK function.
- Ensure high standards of delivery, accuracy, compliance and efficiency.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Product, Analytics, Insights, Technical Solutions and Creative to ensure UK executional excellence.
- Product
- Provide UK operational and strategic input into product roadmaps.
- Influence feature prioritisation based on UK market needs.
- Support beta testing and ensure new tools meet UK programmatic requirements.
- Analytics & Insights
- Partner on UK measurement frameworks (incrementality, attribution, cost of sale optimisation).
- Integrate insights into audience strategies and creative testing.
- Technical Solutions
- Collaborate to troubleshoot delivery issues.
- Support adoption of new tools and integrations within the UK.
- Creative
- Align creative storytelling and programmatic activation through structured testing and performance insight.
- Performance Oversight & Commercial Impact (UK)
- Oversee UK programmatic performance against agreed KPIs.
- Drive improvement in Cost of Sale while balancing scale, efficiency and margin.
- Identify systematic opportunities to increase UK client revenue through audience optimisation, creative testing, and smarter buying strategies.
- Capability Building & Culture
- Drive UK capability development through structured training, certification and coaching.
- Build a culture of excellence, collaboration and innovation.
- Ensure strong alignment between UK and global programmatic standards.
- Establish clear career pathways and skills development opportunities within the UK function.
Ideal Background
- 7–10 years in programmatic advertising with UK market leadership experience.
- Strong hands‐on campaign management experience across major DSPs.
- Proven experience establishing and managing operational processes, including remote or hub teams.
- Demonstrated success in strategic programmatic leadership, audience strategy and operational excellence.
- Experience collaborating closely with Product, Analytics, Insights, Technical Solutions and Creative teams.
- Strong commercial acumen and ability to drive revenue growth through frameworks, innovation and capability building (rather than direct client ownership).
- Strategic thinker with deep programmatic expertise.
- Excellent communicator, able to influence senior stakeholders.
Programmatic Director/Head of Trading - UK in London employer: Crimtan
As a leading programmatic advertising firm based in the vibrant city of London, we pride ourselves on fostering a dynamic work culture that champions innovation and collaboration. Our employees benefit from extensive growth opportunities, mentorship from industry experts, and a commitment to operational excellence, making us an exceptional employer for those looking to make a meaningful impact in the advertising landscape.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Programmatic Director/Head of Trading - UK in London
✨Show Your Creative Side
In marketing communications, standing out is key. Get creative with your application! Consider designing a mini-campaign or pitch that highlights your skills and understanding of the brand. Tailor it for Crimtan and show them what you can bring to the table.
✨Engage in Marketing Communities
Get involved in local or online marketing communications groups. Check out platforms like Meetup for events and workshops. Networking here can lead to hidden job openings and valuable insights into the industry trends—this is where we often discover what companies like Crimtan are looking for.
✨Leverage Social Media
Use platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter to showcase your passion for marketing communications. Share insights, articles, and your own content that resonates with the industry. Tagging or interacting with Crimtan on these platforms can catch the eye of recruiters and show you're genuinely interested in them.
✨Attend Industry Events
Keep an eye out for marketing conferences and workshops. These are great places to meet potential employers face-to-face and make connections that could land you a full-time role at Crimtan. Bring your business cards and be prepared to chat about how you can contribute!
We think you need these skills to ace Programmatic Director/Head of Trading - UK in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Craft an Impactful Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Focus on your passion for marketing communications and how your previous experiences can benefit Crimtan. Make sure to mention specific campaigns or projects you’ve worked on that showcase your creativity and strategic thinking.
Showcase Your Writing Skills:As you're diving into a marketing communications role, your writing ability is crucial. Include samples of your work, like blog posts, press releases, or social media campaigns in your application. This lets us see your style and how you engage with different audiences.
Tailor Your CV to Marketing:Your CV should highlight relevant marketing skills and experiences! Include specific tools or platforms you’ve used, like Google Analytics or social media management software. Mention any certifications or workshops related to marketing that you've completed – they can give you an edge!
Demonstrate Your Understanding of Crimtan:Show us that you’ve done your homework! In your application, briefly mention what you admire about Crimtan’s marketing approach or any recent campaigns that caught your attention. This can reveal your enthusiasm for the role and your genuine interest in joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Crimtan
✨Showcase Your Creative Campaigns
Get ready to flaunt your portfolio! Include examples of previous marketing campaigns you've worked on, especially those that showcase your creativity and strategy. Recruiters at Crimtan will be keen to see how you conceptualise and execute campaigns, so highlight any measurable outcomes to back up your claims.
✨Know Your Digital Tools Inside Out
If you’re heading into a marketing-communications role, make sure you're comfortable discussing key digital marketing tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or Hootsuite. Expect some technical questions about how you've used these tools in the past, as they'll want to gauge your hands-on experience and how you analyse data to drive marketing decisions.
✨Be Ready for Scenario-Based Questions
At Crimtan, they may throw some scenario-based questions your way, aimed at testing your problem-solving skills in real-life marketing situations. Think through potential challenges you’ve faced, how you navigated them, and be prepared to discuss your thought process and outcome.
✨Demonstrate Your Passion for Marketing
As you’re applying for a full-time position, show that you're not just looking for a job, but a career in marketing. Talk about the latest trends in marketing communications, your favourite campaigns, and why they inspire you. Your enthusiasm can really make you stand out and demonstrate that you’re committed to growing within the field.
