Associate Director, Digital Activation

Agency:

PHd

Job Function:

Media

Job Subfunction:

Performance Media

Job Description:

The Associate Director of Digital Activation (Programmatic & Direct) is both a strategic thinker and hands-on leader responsible for owning activation across a high-profile Financial Services account. This individual will drive performance, shape activation strategy, and lead a team through continued growth and complexity within the digital ecosystem.The Associate Director will work closely with the Senior Director to set priorities, allocate responsibility, and measure team performance, ensuring best-in-class execution across all programmatic and direct channels. This role requires a strong command of trading, optimization, and partner management, coupled with the ability to operate at scale and influence senior client stakeholders.As a key leader on the business, this individual will help evolve digital activation, drive innovation, and elevate team capabilities while maintaining a strong focus on accountability, precision, and performance outcomes within a highly regulated financial category.The OpportunityThis is a high-impact leadership role on one of the world’s most recognized financial brands. You will have the opportunity to own foundational performance channels, shape how Programmatic and Direct evolves, and play a key role in advancing full-funnel strategy, innovation, and measurement. This role offers immediate visibility, ownership, and the ability to make a meaningful mark on both the account and broader practice.Your responsibilities will include:Team LeadershipLead and mentor Programmatic/Direct Investment team members, setting clear expectations and performance standardsManage team resourcing and ensure efficient use of talent across workstreamsSupport onboarding, training, and development of team membersEstablish and reinforce best practices, processes, and frameworksFoster a collaborative, accountable, and solutions-oriented team cultureGrow BusinessOwn Investment performance and identify opportunities to drive incremental growthDevelop strategies aligned to client business goals across awareness, consideration, and conversion, with a focus on bottom-funnel tacticsIdentify and test new partners, products, and approachesContribute to broader practice development and innovation initiativesActivation Ownership & Performance DeliveryOwn end-to-end execution of programmatic and direct publisher campaignsTranslate client strategy into actionable activation plans, ensuring alignment with business goals across awareness, consideration, and conversionDrive in-platform optimization including bidding strategies, audience refinement, inventory selection, and creative testingEnsure effective and compliant use of data signals (1P, 3P, contextual), particularly within Financial Services guidelinesMaintain rigorous pacing, delivery management, and troubleshooting across all campaignsPartner & Marketplace ManagementBuild and maintain strong relationships with programmatic platforms, SSPs, data providers, and premium publishersManage large-scale partner relationships alongside the Senior Director to anticipate future needs and unlock valueIdentify and test new partners, products, and deal structures to drive incremental performanceStay ahead of industry trends and evolving programmatic capabilities, particularly as they relate to privacy and financial advertisingOur expectations of you:Deep expertise in programmatic performance marketingAbility to translate data into clear insights and business impactStrong client leadership and communication skillsProven ability to own strategy and execution in complex environmentsProactive mindset with a focus on growth, innovation, and continuous improvementHaving a passion for advertising and establishing yourself as a thought leader within the officeStaying up to date on industry trends and partner updatesProactively bringing new opportunities to the teamProactively bring new ideas for the account for broader business impactDay-to-day lead on client communicationsWhat you’ll need to succeed:Bachelor’s degree or relevant post-secondary education, training, or equivalent experience5+ years of experience in programmatic and/or digital activationHands-on keyboard experience with DSPs (Yahoo!, The Trade Desk, DV360, Google Ads) and programmatic ecosystemsExperience executing across display, video, native, and direct publisher buysStrong understanding of financial advertising regulations, data usage, and compliance considerationsProficiency in ad serving and measurement toolsStrong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into insights and business impactProven team leadership or mentoring experienceStrong client communication and presentation skillsAbility to manage multiple workstreams in a fast-paced, high-stakes environmentStrong negotiation and partner management skillsWhy This RoleThis is a rare opportunity to step into a true leadership role on a global account at a moment of change. You will have immediate ownership, influence, and visibility, with the ability to shape strategy, mentor a team, and leave a meaningful mark on how performance media is delivered. This role offers both scale and impact, making it a strong next step for candidates looking to accelerate their growth. New York: $70,000.00-$125,000.00

Omnicom’s policy requires employees to work in the office for a minimum of three days a week, unless additional in-office days are directed by their agency or manager. Our objective is to increase this requirement over time, and many of our agencies as well as Omnicom’s corporate group already require five days of in-office attendance.

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