At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead UK media investment and drive advertising effectiveness for brand awareness.
- Company: Dynamic marketing team in Sunderland with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: 33 days holiday, discounts, career progression, and enhanced family leave.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with excellent growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on brand visibility while working with top agencies.
- Qualifications: Experience in media planning, strong numeracy, and agency management skills.
The predicted salary is between 58500 - 71500 £ per year.
As Media Planning Manager, you will lead UK media investment, driving greater advertising effectiveness to build brand awareness and consideration, generate qualified showroom and digital traffic, and deliver profitable sales. You will own the day-to-day relationship with our media agency, Carat, providing strong UK leadership while working closely with Italian colleagues to ensure alignment and maximise investment. Bringing together audience-led planning, effective budget management and robust measurement, you will deliver one integrated, rolling customer plan, ensuring every investment decision is insight-led and commercially focused. Hybrid working, with two days per week based in our Sunderland office.
What does the role involve?
- Integrated planning: Translate brand, commercial and trade priorities into audience-led media briefs and costed plans. Balance long-term brand building with trading needs, using customer insight, seasonality and store catchments to recommend channel mix and timing.
- Carat management: Lead day-to-day agency planning, buying oversight and performance reviews. Challenge assumptions, rates and recommendations; agree clear deliverables and ensure specialist buying teams execute approved plans accurately.
- Investment control: Maintain the UK media budget, forecasts, commitments and pacing within delegated authority. Reconcile bookings, delivery and invoices with Carat and Finance; identify variances, credits and value opportunities and seek approval for reallocations.
- Channel and audience delivery: Assess TV, broadcaster video on demand, online video, paid social, search, audio and outdoor where relevant. Scrutinise reach, frequency, audience duplication, geographic coverage and quality, including local store needs.
- Measurement framework: Agree objectives and baselines before launch. Combine delivery data, brand tracking, digital journeys, store traffic and sales to assess awareness, consideration, commercial contribution and return on marketing investment.
- Testing and effectiveness: Build a prioritised test programme with agency and insight partners, using geographic tests, holdouts or marketing mix modelling where appropriate. Distinguish attributed sales from incremental impact and explain data limits and confidence.
- Joined-up activation: Work with Creative Campaign on formats, deadlines and creative tests; align paid social with Brand, Social & Content and coordinate Retail Marketing and Digital around the trade plan. Manage UK and Group planning hand-offs.
- Reporting and optimisation: Provide concise recommendations on investment, delivery and effectiveness. Monitor performance, resolve under-delivery and optimise approved plans. Keep transparent records of buying terms, fees, brand safety and agency service levels.
Measures of success
- Approved spend controlled and reconciled;
- Audience reach and coverage delivered;
- Stronger awareness, consideration and incremental commercial return.
Who are we looking for?
- UK cross-channel media planning and buying knowledge, including broadcast and digital.
- Strong numeracy, Excel, budget forecasting and ability to interrogate agency plans and delivery data.
- Audience research, reach and frequency planning, local catchment analysis and commercial judgement.
- Understanding of brand tracking, attribution, incrementality and the role of marketing mix modelling.
- Confident agency challenge and clear presentation of recommendations; awareness of brand safety and responsible data use.
- Owning integrated media plans in a UK agency or advertiser role.
- Evidence of managing material budgets, external partners and campaign evaluation that informed decisions.
- Hands-on interpretation of broadcast and digital performance; collaboration with buying or analytics specialists.
- Multi-site or considered-purchase retail, geographic testing and exposure to econometrics.
- Relevant qualification or equivalent practical experience; advanced modelling delivered with specialist partners.
What’s in it for you?
- 33 days holidays including bank holidays
- Car cash allowance
- Employee benefits platform – access to 100s of high street discounts and more – holiday discounts, gym discounts, cinema discounts, e-vouchers, cashback and more!
- Colleague Discount
- Career progression
- Enhanced Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Leave
- Access to our dedicated Employee Assistance Programme – to give you free access to advice and information on a range of topics
- Virtual GP – Access to a GP service 24/7
- Salary finance scheme
- Pension Scheme
- Death in Service
Media Planning Manager in Sunderland employer: ScS
At poltronesofà, we pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment at our Doncaster Distribution Centre. As a Distribution Centre Operative, you'll enjoy competitive compensation, generous holiday allowances, and a range of employee benefits that promote both personal and professional growth. Join us to be part of a team that values hard work, customer satisfaction, and the well-being of its employees.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Media Planning Manager in Sunderland
✨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 ScS 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 ScS 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 ScS 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 ScS. Bring your business cards and be prepared to chat about how you can contribute!
We think you need these skills to ace Media Planning Manager in Sunderland
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 ScS. 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 ScS:Show us that you’ve done your homework! In your application, briefly mention what you admire about ScS’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 ScS
✨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 ScS 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 ScS, 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.
