Freelance Associate Director, Programmatic

DEPT®•CO, US, AZ, US, UT, US, OR, US, CA, US, WA, IL, US, NY, US, FL, US, US - Remote, IL

4h•$100 - $110•Remote

About The Position

The Freelance Associate Director, Programmatic is responsible for leading activation excellence and team performance for a portfolio of enterprise DEPT® clients. Working in close partnership with the Group Director, this role ensures that account and campaign strategies are translated into high-quality execution, operational rigor, and measurable client outcomes. This role serves as the senior day-to-day leader for the assigned programmatic team, overseeing Managers and Associates across a distributed team structure while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. The Associate Director is expected to be a strong people leader, hands-on programmatic expert, and a confident client presence, capable of guiding execution, troubleshooting complex challenges, and maintaining best-in-class activation standards.

Requirements

5–7 years of programmatic experience, within an agency on fast-paced, agile, enterprise account(s).
Advanced proficiency across leading programmatic platforms including The Trade Desk, DV360, Amazon DSP, Google Ads, and CM360.
Confident mastery of campaign activation, optimization, measurement, troubleshooting, and quality assurance across complex programmatic campaigns.
A “Better Together” spirit, demonstrated through a passion for collaboration, mentorship, and developing future leaders. Proven experience leading and developing teams, with the ability to coach, influence, and create opportunities for others to grow.
Experience operating as a senior contributor within enterprise accounts, embodying a true “self-starter” mindset. Demonstrated ability to build trust, stay organized, maintain exceptional attention to detail, fluidly manage changing deliverables and deadlines, and communicate effectively across stakeholders.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate performance data into actionable recommendations and clear business insights.
A "get sht done" mentality when it comes to troubleshooting technical issues or navigating industry shifts.
Ability to balance strategic thinking with operational execution, comfortably moving between high-level recommendations, story-led presentations, and detailed campaign reviews.
A collaborative, curious, and solutions-oriented approach aligned with DEPT®'s values and culture.

Responsibilities

Lead and mentor a team of Managers and Associates across U.S.-based, nearshore, and offshore teams, fostering professional growth, accountability, and a high-performing team culture.
Oversee activation excellence across clients & campaigns, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and adherence to platform and account best practices.
Serve as the primary escalation point for campaign execution, platform troubleshooting, measurement challenges, and operational issues, partnering with internal teams to drive timely resolution.
Lead campaign architecture, optimization frameworks, and testing execution while driving performance narratives that ensure high-quality execution and continuous improvement.
Partner closely with the Group Director to translate strategic recommendations into actionable activation plans that drive client performance and business objectives.
Contribute programmatic expertise and performance insights to support ongoing strategic development, innovation, and testing initiatives.
Support client engagements by providing programmatic subject matter expertise, performance insights, and activation updates, while partnering with senior team members on strategic discussions.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Integrated Media Strategy & Planning, Ad Operations, Data Science & Analytics, and Project Management to deliver seamless campaign execution and measurement.
Drive operational consistency, documentation, workflow improvements, and quality assurance processes across the programmatic team.
Promote DEPT®'s values while creating an inclusive, collaborative environment that supports learning, innovation, and growth.

Benefits

DEPT® is an equal opportunity employer (EOE).
We believe our work is its best when our people feel safe and free to be themselves.
We’re committed to an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection process and workplace, regardless of anyone’s identity, background, beliefs, lifestyle, or disabilities.
So tell us about any accommodations you need. It’s totally confidential and only used to make sure you feel fully supported at every step.
DEPT® participates in E-Verify, meaning your Form I-9 information will be sent to the federal government to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.
We are a B Corp-certified company passionate about purpose-driven work.
Our hope is that you can feel good about the contributions DEPT® is making to the world and we always have an open door for your ideas in making the world a better place.
DEPT® is a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster.
Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, our 4,000+ specialists deliver growth invention across Brand & Media, Experience, Commerce, CRM, and Technology & Data.
We’re 50|50 tech and marketing, partner-led, and first to move.
Clients include Google, Lufthansa, Coach, eBay, and OpenAI.
At DEPT®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive.
We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives.
Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide!
Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do.
We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine.
We also encourage you to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us.