GAIN - Media Strategist / Planner in London

GAIN is a creative-led, insight-driven company that blends data, tech and creativity. We believe the best ideas emerge where intelligence and creativity unite, where insight sparks imagination, and where innovation turns possibility into progress. We are explorers of new frontiers, shaping bold strategies that move people, brands, and businesses forward. Individually and together, our specialist teams provide the vision, data, and confidence brands and organisations need to make braver, more impactful decisions. Today as GAIN, we work as a united force, using data to fuel creativity, and technology to unlock new possibilities. As imagineers we don’t just embrace innovation – we engineer it, transforming information into action, and ideas into breakthroughs. This is where rebel thinking, smart technology, and data-driven creativity shape the future.

Through our five specialist teams: Creative Studio, Conversion, Customer Science, Experience and Performance. Individually, and together, we work to fuel your growth, and deliver measurable impact.

THE ROLE: As a Media Strategist / Media Planner, you will support the development and delivery of integrated media plans across traditional and offline channels for GAIN’s growing client accounts. Working closely with senior account leads, planning teams and media specialists, you will help shape media recommendations that balance brand awareness, audience reach and commercial performance. You will contribute to the planning, coordination and optimisation of campaigns across channels such as TV, radio, print, out-of-home (OOH), cinema and audio, while also collaborating with digital and performance teams where required. This role is designed for a developing media professional looking to build strong planning fundamentals, commercial awareness and cross-channel understanding within a fast-paced agency environment. You will play an important role in campaign planning, audience analysis, reporting and day-to-day client servicing, ensuring media activity is well organised, insight-led and aligned to client objectives.

THE TEAM: GAIN Media Strategy is a small team today. We are built from Customer Science strategists by trade, with 10+ years each running client relationships at agencies, effectively acting as the agency-side CMO for the brands we look after. We know audiences, planning and how to land work with senior clients. What we want to enhance now is our media proposition that we can scale, properly grounded in customer understanding rather than channel habit. That means this isn’t a role where you slot into a big media machine and follow the process. There is no defined machine yet albeit a strong foundation of pre-existing media client retainers & project work. There is a real client book, two experienced strategists, the wider weight of GAIN behind us, and a genuine opportunity to help shape what “media at GAIN” looks like. If you’re after an easy ride inside a big network agency, this won’t be it. If you want to build something, this is unusually fertile ground.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR: Amid-weight media strategist or planner who’s entrepreneurial by instinct, proactive by default, and who actively wants to be challenged, and to challenge us back. We don’t want a yes-person; we want someone who’ll push our thinking, bring fresh industry perspective, and help us make the most of what we already have while we build. You’ll likely have around three to five years in a media agency or planning role, with strong fundamentals across traditional and offline channels. More important than the years is the mindset: comfortable with ambiguity, hungry to learn, willing to own things, and confident enough to say “I think we should approach this differently” when you mean it.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Media planning & campaign support
• Support the development of media plans across traditional channels including TV, radio, print, OOH, cinema and audio
• Assist in translating client marketing objectives into practical media recommendations and campaign plans
• Conduct audience, market and competitor research to support planning decisions and identify opportunities
• Help build media schedules, flowcharts, channel rationales and supporting planning documents
• Work with media owners, vendors and internal buying teams to gather costs, availability and campaign information
• Support the preparation of presentations, planning decks and campaign recommendations for clients
• Ensure media plans are delivered accurately, on time and within agreed budgets

Audience & consumer insight

• Use audience data, research tools and industry insights to understand consumer behaviour and media consumption trends
• Support target audience profiling using tools such as TGI, YouGov, Nielsen, BARB, RAJAR or Route
• Monitor competitor activity and media trends to inform planning recommendations
• Assist in identifying the most effective channels, formats and placements to achieve campaign objectives
• Contribute insights and recommendations during planning discussions and internal reviews

Campaign coordination & delivery

• Work closely with media buyers, account teams and channel specialists to ensure campaigns are implemented smoothly
• Help coordinate campaign timelines, asset delivery and booking requirements across channels
• Liaise with media owners and partners to manage campaign administration and communication
• Monitor campaign delivery and flag any issues, delays or optimisation opportunities
• Maintain accurate campaign documentation, budgets and reporting trackers

Reporting, performance & optimisation

• Support campaign reporting and post-campaign analysis using media and performance data
• Assist in tracking KPIs such as reach, frequency, awareness, impressions, audience delivery and media efficiency
• Help produce campaign summaries, performance updates and client reports
• Use campaign learnings and reporting insights to support future planning recommendations
• Contribute to testing and optimisation discussions to improve campaign effectiveness

Client & team collaboration

• Build positive working relationships with clients, media owners and internal teams
• Participate in client meetings, status calls and campaign reviews where appropriate
• Work collaboratively with strategy, creative, digital and analytics teams to ensure joined-up campaign delivery
• Demonstrate strong communication and organisational skills in managing multiple projects and deadlines
• Support senior planners and account leads with day-to-day account management responsibilities

Commercial awareness & agency contribution

• Develop an understanding of media pricing, budgeting and commercial planning principles
• Stay informed on media trends, consumer behaviour and developments across traditional media channels
• Contribute ideas and insights that support campaign effectiveness and innovation
• Maintain high standards of accuracy, attention to detail and professionalism in all work
• Support the wider agency team with planning best practice, research and administrative tasks where required

Requirements

• Experience in a media agency, marketing agency or media planning environment preferred
• Understanding of traditional media channels including TV, radio, print, OOH and cinema
• Strong organisational and time management skills
• Comfortable working with data, spreadsheets and campaign reporting
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Collaborative mindset and willingness to learn from cross-functional teams
• Interest in media trends, consumer behaviour and advertising effectiveness
• Experience using media planning and research tools is advantageous

HOW YOU’LL WORK:

• Rebel Thinking: We don’t accept “good enough”. Rebel Thinking is about curiosity with courage. We make it safe to question assumptions, challenge the obvious, and explore smarter, braver ways forward, even when it feels uncomfortable. This is how new ideas, better products, and real breakthroughs happen.
• Make It Happen: “We turn intent into momentum.” Making it Happen is about turning ambition in to action. We move fast, learn fast, and push through obstacles together. Progress beats perfection, and momentum creates impact.
• Swarming Our Expertise: “Individually smart. Collectively unstoppable.” Swarming our Expertise means we win together. We commit to developing our expertise so that by combining diverse skills, perspectives, and experiences, we solver harder problems faster and deliver results no single expert could achieve together.

Benefits

• Private Medical Insurance
• BUPA Life Assurance
• Income protection
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work salary sacrifice scheme
• Tech & Wearables salary sacrifice scheme
• Octopus EV Scheme
• Discounts and deals on a range of items from hotels, holidays and hormone testing to cinema, gyms and will writing

GAIN is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.