Associate Buyer, Media Investment

Media Investment - The Negotiators

We are a 1,000 piece puzzle. Each of us is essential, interconnected, and intentionally designed. Together we create something powerful: media that drives measurable growth, lasting client partnerships, and a culture we're proud to build.

As part of our Media Investment team, known as The Negotiators, you help transform strategy into action by securing the right inventory, at the right value, at the right moment. Our team ensures every media investment is intentional, accountable, and built to deliver meaningful results.

As an Associate Buyer, you'll begin building the foundation of a career in media investment. Working alongside an experienced Buyer, you'll learn the fundamentals of linear media buying, marketplace dynamics, negotiation preparation, and campaign execution. Through hands-on experience, you'll develop the technical skills, business acumen, and attention to detail needed to help every media investment perform at its highest potential.

This role is designed for someone who is curious, organized, eager to learn, and excited to grow into a trusted media negotiator.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

As an Associate Buyer, you'll support the buying team through the execution of media campaigns while developing the skills and confidence to become an effective negotiator. You'll learn how successful media investments are planned, purchased, monitored, and optimized while partnering closely with teammates across the agency.

Key Responsibilities

• Enter insertion orders and buy management information into FileMaker accurately and on schedule.
• Request and process station confirmations, ensuring revisions are completed within 48 hours.
• Track, document, and resolve media discrepancies with station representatives until fully cleared.
• Enter and maintain rates within Servoy and Drive throughout each quarter.
• Request prelogs and postlogs to support Media Operations.
• Respond to traffic inquiries and coordinate with media partners to resolve missing traffic issues.
• Partner with Ad Operations to resolve trafficking and scheduling challenges.
• Request programming grids, rate information, marketplace updates, and station resources.
• Assist Buyers with Standard & Practices approvals.
• Request logs, letters of liability, and certificates of insurance as needed.
• Document quarterly marketplace conditions and competitive intelligence within Drive.
• Build foundational understanding of ratings, pricing, marketplace dynamics, and media math.
• Partner closely with Planning, Ad Operations, and Media Operations to support seamless campaign execution.
• Participate in cross-functional learning opportunities through departmental buddy programs and training.

Success After Your First Year

By the end of your first year, you will:

• Understand the complete workflow of the media buying and negotiation process.
• Produce consistently accurate, timely, and dependable work.
• Demonstrate exceptional organizational and prioritization skills across multiple campaigns.
• Apply foundational media math, including ratings, GRPs, CPPs, CPMs, impressions, and delivery calculations.
• Understand media terminology, marketplace dynamics, and broadcast buying fundamentals.
• Resolve routine traffic and clearance questions independently.
• Communicate professionally and confidently with internal teams and external media partners.
• Demonstrate accountability, ownership, and a strong work ethic.
• Build industry knowledge through regular engagement with media publications and marketplace trends.

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

Experience & Technical Expertise

• 0 to 1 year of experience in media, advertising, marketing, communications, analytics, or a related field.
• Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent professional experience.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.
• Ability to quickly learn media buying systems, databases, and proprietary tools.
• Foundational understanding of media math, including ratings, GRPs, CPPs, CPMs, impressions, and delivery metrics, or a strong desire to learn.
• Strong attention to detail with a commitment to accuracy and quality.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Capabilities

• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Analytical mindset with curiosity about media performance and marketplace trends.
• Desire to develop negotiation fundamentals and broadcast media expertise.
• Professional communication skills with internal teams and external media partners.
• Collaborative approach and willingness to support teammates across departments.
• Learning agility and enthusiasm for continuous development.
• Ability to manage deadlines in a fast-paced environment while maintaining accuracy.

WHO YOU ARE

At Attention Arc, how you work is just as important as what you deliver. Our competency framework defines the behaviors that drive success across every role.

Credibility

You build trust by producing accurate, dependable work while continuously strengthening your craft. You approach challenges with curiosity, ask thoughtful questions, and develop expertise through learning and experience.

Clarity

You communicate simply and effectively, organize information in a way that helps others take action, and ensure your work is accurate, thoughtful, and easy to understand.

Connection

You build strong relationships by collaborating openly across teams, sharing information proactively, and contributing to collective success. You understand that great media is built together.

Care

You demonstrate professionalism, accountability, and integrity in everything you do. You take ownership of your work, support your teammates, and recognize the impact your contributions have on clients and colleagues.

Culture & Character

You embody The Arc Code by showing up All In, collaborating with No Sidelines, learning through Move With Curiosity, and communicating with Truth With Heart. You embrace feedback, continuously improve your craft, and contribute positively to our culture.

WHO WE ARE

We're a media agency built for brands that value intention.

At Attention Arc, we combine deliberate media craft with technology designed to amplify it. We build trusted partnerships so every decision stays aligned with what matters most. Media doesn't fail because of technology. It fails when intention is missing.

That's why we exist.

To restore intention to media.

At 160 people across four offices in Phoenix, Durham, Irvington, and New York City, we occupy a deliberate sweet spot: big enough to handle major brands and complex business, nimble enough to move quickly, make decisions, and create impact. No unnecessary layers. No slow-moving bureaucracy. Just sharp thinking, fast execution, and technology built around how decisions get made.

Our culture is shaped by our values:

• All In – We show up with intensity and ownership.
• No Sidelines – We collaborate without ego or boundaries.
• Move With Curiosity – We ask why, explore boldly, and learn fast.
• Truth With Heart – We communicate with honesty and empathy.

OUR COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION

At Attention Arc, we believe people do their best work when they feel they belong.

Inclusion isn't just about representation. It's about creating an environment where people feel seen, supported, and comfortable showing up as themselves.

We value different lived experiences and perspectives, and actively create space for those voices to shape our work. We're committed to building an agency where everyone has a genuine seat at the table and is trusted to step in and contribute, fostering collaboration, encouraging curiosity, and creating opportunities for people to take ownership and make an impact.

Because when people feel heard, respected, and confident to step forward, we all move forward together.

WHAT WE OFFER

Compensation

The estimated salary range for this position is $50,000. Compensation is based on the skills, experience, and qualifications each candidate brings to the role.

We're committed to rewarding our people fairly and supporting their growth with intention. Our salaries are thoughtfully benchmarked and designed to ensure equity across roles, experience, and impact. Growth at Attention Arc isn't tied to a calendar. It's driven by performance, progress, and potential. We invest in our people through ongoing feedback, development opportunities, and meaningful career progression.

Benefits

We know that great work starts with people who feel genuinely supported, inside the office and out. Our benefits are designed with your whole self in mind, including your health, your family, your financial future, and your everyday wellbeing.

Here's what you can expect:

• Flexible Paid Time Off
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
• Competitive Parental Leave
• Hybrid work model with in-office collaboration
• Mental health support
• Annual agency contribution to 401(k)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Commuter benefits and corporate discounts
• Carrot Fertility and family-building support
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Casual work environment, team building, and agency events

LOCATION

We operate on a hybrid, in-office model designed to foster collaboration, mentorship, and hands-on learning. Employees are expected to work from the office three days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) to fully experience the energy of our teams and build meaningful connections.

Candidates must reside within commuting distance of one of our office locations:

• Irvington, New York

RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UNITED STATES

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States for any employer. At this time, Attention Arc is unable to sponsor or provide assistance with obtaining employment authorization.