Associate Media Director

Backbone Media•Carbondale, CO

8d•$80,000 - $100,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Media Director is a senior, client-facing leader on Backbone’s Media team. The role leads strategy and client relationships for 3 to 5 accounts, owns media results and client health, and partners with a Media Director. The position builds full-funnel media strategies connecting brand, performance, and community to business goals, while remaining hands-on in strategy, planning, and client leadership and directing execution through channel teams. The Associate Media Director directly manages one to two Media Strategists or Media Coordinators and reports to a Media Director. It is described as a step toward becoming a Media Director at Backbone. The ideal candidate has depth in either brand or performance media and working fluency in the other, communicates data-based recommendations candidly, develops people, and brings empathy to clients and teammates. Backbone is an active lifestyle media agency that partners with brands to develop and execute integrated media strategies. The role is based in a hybrid workplace, with two days per week in the office.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
5–8 years of relevant paid media experience, with depth in brand or performance channels.
4 or more years leading client relationships; agency-side experience is preferred.
Experience mentoring or training other media team members.
Ability to build full-funnel plans and explain how each channel drives business goals.
Ability to build budgets and forecasts from business goals and reallocate spending based on performance.
Strong analytical storytelling skills in Excel and PowerPoint.
Ability to develop people through delegation and direct, constructive feedback.
Ability to keep teams focused while adapting plans to changing client needs.
Proactive use of AI tools, with sound judgment about what to delegate.
Confident negotiation skills with vendors and publishers to secure value for clients.

Nice To Haves

Formal management experience.
Advanced measurement experience, including incrementality testing, MMM, or attribution.
Fluency in growth metrics such as CAC, MER, iROAS, and LTV:CAC.
Experience leading new business pitches or RFP responses.
Experience with retail media, programmatic, or CTV platforms such as Amazon Ads or The Trade Desk.
A love of the outdoors.
A sense of humor.

Responsibilities

Lead strategy and client relationships on 3 to 5 accounts, owning media results and client health on each.
Build and present full-funnel media strategies that connect brand, performance, and community to business goals.
Own budget strategy, including forecasting, allocation, pacing, and reconciliation.
Direct account teams and channel partners, keeping execution on strategy and on pace.
Manage and develop one to two Media Strategists or Media Coordinators.
Partner with analytics on measurement plans, turn results into investment decisions, and present performance to clients.
Track team hours in Harvest and support SOWs, renewals, and new business pitches.
Grow vendor and publisher relationships, negotiating for preferred rates and added value.
Share learnings and best practices across the Media team and contribute to department process development.
Present strategy clearly, advise clients, and hold a position under pushback.
Build budgets and forecasts from business goals and reallocate spend based on performance.
Turn complex analysis into clear action using storytelling skills in Excel and PowerPoint.
Develop people through clear delegation and direct, constructive feedback.
Keep teams focused while adapting plans as client needs shift.
Use AI tools proactively and exercise sound judgment about what to delegate.
Challenge the status quo with new ideas, tests, and approaches, and spot growth opportunities for clients and Backbone, including across departments.