Director, Paid Media Strategy

Walker Sands•Chicago, IL

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Walker Sands is a rapidly growing integrated B2B marketing agency seeking a high-impact Director, Paid Media Strategy to contribute to its continued expansion. The agency focuses on accelerating growth for clients, employees, and the B2B industry by partnering with B2B technology and services companies, ranging from startups to Fortune 500 brands. Walker Sands fosters a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and people-centricity. This role is based in Boston or Chicago with a hybrid work model, though highly qualified remote candidates may be considered.

Requirements

7+ years of progressive experience in media strategy and planning, with significant ownership of integrated, multichannel plans and client recommendations.
B2B or long-cycle demand generation experience strongly preferred.
Deep working knowledge of programmatic buying and best practices.
Ability to direct and challenge execution without being the day-to-day buyer.
Strong quantitative and analytical skills, including advanced spreadsheet modeling, audience sizing, budget allocation, and interpretation of media and business performance.
3+ years of progressive people management experience.
Strong record of leading senior client conversations, developing strategists or planners, and making decisions across multiple accounts and workstreams.
Ability to connect paid media planning to creative, analytics, marketing operations, and sales outcomes.
Familiarity with B2B platforms and account-based approaches is a plus.
No specific platform certification is required.

Nice To Haves

You crave candid feedback and embrace it for growth.
You pursue excellence, are always learning, sharing, and pushing to improve.
You are proactive, bringing ideas, solutions, and momentum.
You are collaborative, making work better through teamwork.
You bring original thinking and generate fresh, thoughtful ideas.
You build trust quickly through professionalism, responsiveness, and reliability.
You develop people by coaching, mentoring, and creating growth opportunities.

Responsibilities

Lead media strategy and planning across channels, defining audiences, channel roles, investment levels, sequencing, and reach/frequency considerations based on client objectives and buying journeys.
Translate client briefs and research into actionable media briefs and plans, including sizing addressable audiences, evaluating opportunities, and articulating the rationale for recommendations.
Shape programmatic strategy with activation leads, covering DSP and inventory selection, supply path quality, data utilization, targeting, frequency, brand safety, measurement, and various deal types.
Set budget allocation and scenario recommendations, considering tradeoffs between scale, precision, efficiency, and business impact, and evaluating publisher-direct opportunities against programmatic alternatives.
Build measurement frameworks with analytics and marketing operations partners to connect media signals to qualified demand, pipeline, and client business outcomes, interpreting results and guiding strategic adjustments.
Present plans, performance implications, and strategic viewpoints to senior clients and internal stakeholders, acting as a trusted strategic partner for complex decisions and new business opportunities.
Partner with activation, creative, integrated strategy, and account teams to execute plans, ensuring alignment with strategic intent, quality standards, budget pacing, and client commitments, without direct daily platform operation.
Coach and develop media strategists, enhance planning processes and standards, and introduce emerging media opportunities and programmatic education to the broader team.

Benefits

Bonus Potential based on company performance.
Clear career paths, mentorship programs, and learning events.
Flexible PTO and Hybrid Work model.
8 paid holidays, half-day summer Fridays, and a week off between Christmas and New Year.
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans.
Mental health resources.
Pet insurance.
Employer-matched 401(k) and access to financial planning services.
Life insurance.
Disability coverage.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for confidential support.
Paid leave for new parents and caregivers.
Policies for fertility treatment, pregnancy loss, and adoption challenges.
Regular performance reviews, clear goal-setting, and ongoing coaching.
Milestone Sabbatical: two-week sabbatical and a $2,000 gift after five years.
Employee resource groups.
Volunteer opportunities.
Award-winning culture.