Dir-Programmatic Sales

NCM•New York, NY

4d•$150,000 - $200,000•Onsite

About The Position

National CineMedia (NCM) is America's largest cinema advertising network, connecting brands with highly engaged audiences across approximately 1,600 theaters and 20,000+ screens nationwide. As NCM continues to expand its data-driven and programmatic advertising capabilities, the company is investing in dedicated programmatic sales leadership to accelerate growth, deepen DSP/SSP partnerships, and drive incremental revenue across its national, regional, and local sales channels. The Director, Programmatic Sales will serve as NCM’s internal Center of Excellence (COE) for all programmatic cinema advertising — leading partner development and revenue execution across programmatic channels. This leader will work in close collaboration with NCM’s full national sales team, local/regional sales force, and ad operations to build a cohesive programmatic go-to-market motion that complements and amplifies direct sales efforts. This is a high-visibility, high-impact role for a builder: someone who combines deep programmatic marketplace expertise with the commercial instincts and cross-functional leadership skills to make programmatic a meaningful and growing revenue pillar for NCM.

Requirements

4–6+ years of experience in digital or media advertising, with at least 2–4 years of programmatic sales or programmatic business development experience
Deep working knowledge of the programmatic ecosystem: DSPs, SSPs, PMPs, deal IDs, header bidding, open auction, and programmatic guaranteed structures
Proven track record of building programmatic revenue, growing DSP relationships, and closing programmatic deals with agencies and brand advertisers
Strong experience working cross-functionally — partnering with direct sales teams, ad operations, product, and data/analytics functions
Demonstrated ability to serve as a trusted internal resource and educator, bringing programmatic expertise to sellers who are earlier in their learning curve
Excellent communicator with ability to translate technical programmatic concepts into compelling business narratives for clients, agencies, and internal stakeholders
Bachelor's degree required

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree or media industry certifications a plus
Experience with video, CTV, or out-of-home (OOH) programmatic channels — experience in cinema, experiential, or premium video advertising a significant advantage
Existing relationships with senior programmatic buyers at major agency holding companies (Publicis, GroupM, IPG Mediabrands, Dentsu, Omnicom) and independent trading desks
Experience with audience data platforms, clean rooms (LiveRamp, InfoSum, Habu), or identity resolution solutions
Familiarity with yield management tools, GAM (Google Ad Manager), or CMS/SSP platforms used in premium video environments
Prior experience building or scaling a programmatic revenue function from an early stage

Responsibilities

Own and grow NCM's programmatic advertising revenue across private marketplace (PMP), programmatic guaranteed (PG), and open auction channels
Set and execute against an annual programmatic revenue plan in partnership with the CRO, establishing NCM as the premier programmatic cinema destination for brand advertisers
Identify and develop new programmatic demand sources, including agency trading desks, DSPs, and independent programmatic buyers
Develop pricing strategy, floor pricing, and deal structure frameworks that protect brand equity while maximizing yield
Serve as the primary programmatic resource and internal expert for NCM's national, regional, and local sales teams — training sellers on programmatic deal structures, terminology, and buyer workflows
Partner with national account executives to package and pitch programmatic solutions alongside direct and data-driven buys, creating integrated multi-channel proposals
Support local and regional sales teams in accessing programmatic demand where it can supplement or replace direct sold inventory
Develop internal playbooks, sales tools, and competitive positioning to accelerate programmatic literacy and deal velocity across the broader sales organization
Act as subject-matter expert for RFPs, agency reviews, and client presentations where programmatic is a component of the proposal
Cultivate and manage strategic relationships with key DSPs (The Trade Desk, DV360, Amazon DSP, Xandr, Yahoo DSP, etc.) and SSP/technology partners
Drive adoption of NCM inventory across programmatic buying platforms, ensuring NCM is prioritized in media planning for entertainment and cinema-adjacent campaigns
Collaborate with ad tech and data teams to develop audience segments, measurement solutions, and attribution capabilities that differentiate NCM's programmatic offering
Stay current on marketplace developments including CTV/video programmatic trends, identity solutions, and clean room/data collaboration opportunities relevant to cinema advertising
Oversee programmatic deal execution end-to-end — from deal ID setup and troubleshooting to delivery oversight and optimization
Partner with ad operations and yield management to ensure programmatic inventory is properly categorized, priced, and trafficked
Build dashboards and reporting cadences to track programmatic revenue, fill rates, CPMs, and deal performance against plan
Provide regular updates to CRO and senior leadership on programmatic pipeline, market trends, and competitive dynamics