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- Tasks: Lead full-funnel media strategy and craft impactful integrated media plans.
- Company: Join a top-ranked marketing and media agency with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy a wellbeing fund, flexible working, and extra days off.
- Other info: Dynamic team atmosphere with opportunities for learning and collaboration.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced environment while growing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience in media strategy, strong communication skills, and a proactive mindset.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 ÂŁ per year.
Location: [Hybrid – London, 2 days per week] Level: Please note \’Associate Director\’ is an external job title, internally our levels are broader meaning the internal job title is \’Senior Manager\’ within our structure.
About the Role
We are looking for a Media Planning Associate Director (6-9 month FTC) to join our centre of excellence. In this role, you will lead our full-funnel media strategy, driving both brand-building and performance-led outcomes across digital, traditional, and emerging channels. You’ll craft impactful integrated media plans that not only boost brand visibility but also deliver tangible business results—sales, leads, and customer growth.
If you love variety, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and embrace change with energy, this could be your right role.
Why SMG?
At SMG, we hire for the future, which is fast-moving and changing shape. Do you have the potential to help shape our business? We’re looking for brilliant, diverse talent who want to grow with us—people who are curious, ambitious, and eager to learn, whether as specialists or across teams.
Our culture is everything. If you’re someone who stays honest, stays hungry, stays foolish, and has fun, you’ll feel right at home here.
We value those who take ownership of their growth and bring fresh perspectives. That’s why we’re committed to equity, inclusion, and building a place where everyone feels empowered to grow. At SMG, it’s not just about filling a role but building the future together.
We’re proud to be ranked the #1 Best Marketing and Media Agency and to have received World-Class accreditation from Best Companies.
- ÂŁ1,800 yearly wellbeing fund (on top of your salary!)
- Free Headspace subscription
- £500 yearly “Uni Fund” for learning
- 4 extra Wellbeing Days off per year
- Summer & Winter conferences + year-round celebrations
- 4pm finishes every Friday
- Flexible and hybrid working
Explore all our benefits here
Are We What You’re Looking For?
We move fast, adapt quickly, and like to challenge each other. We\’re looking for people who enjoy the buzz of change, the satisfaction of building something better, and the joy of working with a close-knit, values-driven team.
This isn’t for everyone, but if you thrive in this environment, we’d love to meet you!
A Little Bit About You
You’ll bring:
- Proven expertise in full-funnel media strategy—from brand-building to performance marketing.
- Strong experience across both traditional and digital channels (including 1PD digital, social, OOH, retailer media, and eCommerce).
- High proficiency in audience segmentation, analytics, and budget allocation.
- Leadership skills to manage teams and drive cross-functional collaboration.
- Client-facing confidence with strong communication and presentation abilities.
- A proactive, solutions-driven mindset with the ability to thrive in a dynamic environment.
- Experience in retail media and working with CPG brands is a plus.
- Ahustler mentality, adaptability across categories, and a passion for sharing knowledge.
Don’t meet every single requirement? We still want to hear from you. If you believe you’d thrive in this role, your unique perspective might be just what we’re looking for.
What You’ll Be Doing
Your days will be dynamic. You might find yourself:
- Developing and overseeing integrated media strategies that span awareness, consideration, and performance goals.
- Leading media planning across digital, social, retail, and traditional channels.
- Defining KPIs and building robust measurement frameworks to track performance and inform optimisations.
- Using data and insights to guide channel selection, messaging, and audience segmentation.
- Collaborating closely with internal teams (client, strategy, measurement, ops, and sales) to align on execution.
- Managing media budgets and unlocking incremental investment opportunities.
- Presenting clear, compelling updates to clients and stakeholders.
- Keeping ahead of industry trends to drive media innovation.
Our Values
Stay Hungry – Be proactive. Take pride.
Stay Honest – Seek to understand. Build trust.
Stay Foolish – Embrace change. Always learning.
Have Fun – Champion positivity. Win together.
Explore what that means to us here
Still Curious?
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Problems? Email: careers at smg.team
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Media Planning Associate Director (9 - 12 month FTC) employer: SMG
Contact Detail:
SMG Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Media Planning Associate Director (9 - 12 month FTC)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their media strategies and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals. Show them you’re not just another candidate!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be clear about what you bring to the table and how you can contribute to their success. A confident presentation can make all the difference in landing that role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of our team at SMG.
We think you need these skills to ace Media Planning Associate Director (9 - 12 month FTC)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for media planning shine through! We want to see how your passion aligns with our values and the dynamic environment we thrive in.
Tailor Your Experience: Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in full-funnel media strategy. We’re looking for specific examples of how you’ve driven brand-building and performance outcomes across various channels.
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your skills and achievements are easy to spot. Remember, we’re busy too!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity.
How to prepare for a job interview at SMG
✨Know Your Media Strategy
Make sure you brush up on full-funnel media strategies. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully integrated brand-building and performance marketing in your past roles. Highlight specific campaigns where you drove tangible results.
✨Showcase Your Channel Expertise
Familiarise yourself with both traditional and digital channels, especially the ones mentioned in the job description like social media, OOH, and eCommerce. Prepare examples of how you've effectively used these channels to achieve client goals.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
Be prepared to talk about your experience managing teams and driving collaboration across functions. Share stories that illustrate your leadership style and how you motivate others to achieve shared objectives.
✨Embrace Change and Adaptability
Since the role requires thriving in a fast-paced environment, think of instances where you've successfully adapted to change. Discuss how you approach challenges with a proactive mindset and what you've learned from those experiences.