Senior Media Planner

ABOUT M&C SAATCHI WORLD SERVICES

M&C Saatchi World Services is a full-service marketing company renowned for using commercial advertising to solve the world’s toughest challenges. World Services is a specialty branch of M&C Saatchi Group, and we provide strategic communications, behavior change, and marketing support to Public Sector clients with special emphasis on the US Federal Government and State, Local, Tribal, & Territorial leaders.

THE ROLE

M&C Saatchi World Services is seeking an experienced Senior Media Planner to develop and execute integrated media strategies across a diverse portfolio of federal communications programs. As a Senior Media Planner, you will develop and execute integrated media strategies that connect campaign objectives with the right audiences, channels, and investments. Working closely with account, strategy, creative, analytics, and client teams, you will develop data-driven media plans, recommend channel mixes and budget allocations, coordinate campaign execution, and optimize performance throughout the campaign lifecycle. You will ensure media recommendations are informed by audience insights, aligned with client objectives, and supported by measurable performance outcomes.

Ideally you will bring experience in cross-channel media planning and a strong understanding of today's evolving media landscape. You also have experience developing integrated media plans across digital and traditional channels, leveraging audience research and campaign data to inform investment decisions, and translating business objectives into effective media recommendations.

Comfortable working in a fast-paced agency environment, you are able to manage multiple campaigns simultaneously, collaborate across disciplines, present recommendations to clients, and continuously identify opportunities to improve campaign performance.

This is a hybrid role; however, ideally you will live in the greater NYC area or the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive media plans, channel allocations, flighting schedules, budget recommendations, and media documentation for integrated campaigns.
• Coordinate media plans across paid digital, paid social, search, display, video, audio, print, and out-of-home channels, where applicable.
• Maintain media planning documentation, campaign calendars, flowcharts, and planning materials to support successful campaign execution.
• Monitor campaign performance, pacing, audience insights, platform trends, and media effectiveness to identify optimization opportunities and improve results.
• Partner with account, creative, strategy, analytics, data and project management teams to ensure media strategies align with campaign objectives and creative execution.
• Support rapid-response media activations by adjusting media plans, budgets, and channel recommendations in response to changing priorities or performance insights.
• Analyze campaign performance, delivery metrics, and audience data to identify opportunities for optimization and continuous improvement.
• Prepare media plans, campaign reports, optimization recommendations, performance summaries, and client presentations.
• Share best practices on media planning methodologies, emerging channels, audience targeting, and platform capabilities with colleagues and project teams.
• Support integrated marketing campaigns by ensuring paid media strategies are effectively coordinated with creative, content, communications, and stakeholder engagement activities. Key Attributes
• Strong knowledge of media planning, audience targeting, channel strategy, budget allocation, campaign optimization, and performance measurement.
• Experience presenting media recommendations, campaign performance, and optimization insights to clients and internal stakeholders.
• Experience leveraging AI-enabled media planning, audience targeting, campaign optimization, and performance measurement technologies.
• Strong understanding of the evolving media landscape, emerging advertising platforms, and how AI is transforming media planning and buying.
• Excellent analytical, presentation, communication, and relationship management skills.
• Ability to translate campaign objectives into audience-first media plans supported by data and measurable outcomes.
• Experience developing media plans, audience strategies, campaign forecasts, performance reports, and optimization recommendations.
• Working knowledge of media planning processes, campaign trafficking, media buying workflows, reporting methodologies, and campaign optimization best practices.
• Experience collaborating with account management, creative, strategy, analytics, media vendors, and client stakeholders to deliver integrated campaigns.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to evaluate campaign performance and recommend actionable optimizations.
• Ability to manage multiple media campaigns, competing priorities, and deadlines in a fast-paced agency environment.
• Experience supporting federal government, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, or mission-driven communications programs is preferred.
• Experience planning campaigns across digital and traditional media channels, including paid social, search, display, video, audio, programmatic, print, and out-of-home, is preferred.

• Location: Hybrid, able to commute regularly to Washington DC or New York office spaces.
• Language Requirements: Fluent written and spoken English required.
• Experience: 3-5 years.
• Educational Requirements: BA/BS in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Advertising, Integrated Media, Journalism, or a related field preferred.

Eligibility Requirements:
• U.S. Citizenship: Must be a United States Citizen (required by government contract).
• Clearance Eligibility: Must be able and willing to obtain a U.S. Government Secret or Top Secret security clearance immediately upon employment.
• Background Screening: Must be willing to submit to a rigorous federal background investigation, which includes an in-depth review of personal finances, criminal history, employment history, and drug use.

WHY YOU'LL LOVE WORKING HERE

• Work on impactful programs supporting federal and defense-related initiatives.
• Collaborate with high-performing cross-functional teams across communications, digital and analytics disciplines.
• Opportunity to shape strategic public engagement initiatives at enterprise scale.
• Flexible hybrid working environment.
• Exposure to complex, mission-driven stakeholder engagement challenges.
• Career development opportunities within a fast-growing global organization.

WHAT YOU GET

• We offer a competitive salary and a benefits package designed to support your health, family life, financial wellbeing, and growth.

The salary range provided reflects the anticipated compensation for this role across our Washington, DC and New York locations. Actual starting salary will be determined based on geographic location, relevant experience, skills, and other job-related factors.

Family & parental support
• 12 weeks’ full pay for Primary Carers and 6 weeks for Secondary Carers (after one year of service; return requirements apply for subsequent leave)
• Applies to birth, adoption, and surrogacy
• Up to 10 days’ paid fertility leave per year (5 per cycle)
• 2 days’ paid leave for new grandparents
• $2,500 annual interest-free parental loan
• $6,000 interest-free fertility treatment loan

Healthcare & wellbeing
• Choice of three medical plans (HSA at $0 cost; EPO 75% employer funded; PPO 65% employer funded)
• 70% employer-funded dental and vision coverage
• Generous paid time off, sick leave, and company holidays, including an office closure between Christmas & New Year's
• Gym membership reimbursement and/or Wellhub subscription
• 401(k) with 4% employer match
• 24/7 mental health support through Self Space
• Social events, happy hours, professional development trainings, etc.
• Work from anywhere for up to 2 weeks per year (subject to approval)

Culture & development
• $300 annual cultural stimulation allowance (accrued monthly; available after 90 days)
• Weekly Thursday happy hour
• Mentorship and Buddy programs