Manager, Media Planner

Ross Stores•Dublin, CA

11d•$113,200 - $172,600•Hybrid

About The Position

The Media Manager is responsible for developing and executing integrated media strategies that drive brand awareness, shape brand perception, and increase store traffic for Ross. This role partners closely with internal cross-functional teams and external agency partners to translate business objectives into effective, data-driven media plans across traditional and digital channels. The Manager leverages insights from campaign performance, consumer behavior, and market trends to inform strategic decisions and optimize media investments. This role plays a key part in ensuring campaigns are executed efficiently and effectively, balancing analytical rigor with creative thinking to deliver strong business outcomes. The base salary range for this role is $113,200 – $172,600. The base salary range is dependent on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, qualifications, relevant education, certifications, seniority, and location. The range listed is just one component of the total compensation package for employees. Other rewards vary by position and location.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Business, or related field; advanced degree a plus
4–6 years of experience in brand of agency media planning
Advanced proficiency in Excel, including data analysis, modeling, and scenario planning (e.g., pivot tables, lookups, large datasets)
Experience analyzing campaign performance and translating data into insights and recommendations
Familiarity with media measurement tools (e.g., platform analytics, MMM, brand lift studies)
Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment
Effective collaboration and communication skills across cross-functional teams and external partners
Detail-oriented with strong organizational and execution skills
Demonstrated ability to balance data-driven decision-making with creative thinking

Responsibilities

Build internal media planning capability by serving as a strategic in-house media lead across traditional, digital, and paid social channels.
Bring hands-on brand-side or retailer-side media experience to improve internal ownership, agency oversight, and cross-functional planning.
Translate business priorities into clear media briefs, audience strategies, testing plans, and performance expectations.
Develop channel mix, audience targeting, geographic, and campaign flighting strategies.
Partner with brand, creative, and social teams to align content, messaging, and formats to priority audiences and campaign objectives.
Support paid social strategy, including audience targeting, content testing, platform learnings, and performance optimization.
Identify opportunities to improve content-to-audience fit across channels, markets, and campaign types.
Oversee end-to-end campaign execution, including timelines, approvals, and asset readiness
Monitor in-flight performance and implement optimizations to improve effectiveness
Ensure delivery against media plans, including managing under-delivery and campaign adjustments
Manage and optimize large-scale media budgets with strong financial stewardship
Serve as primary day-to-day partner to media agencies
Strengthen the internal media operating model by improving briefing, planning, feedback, optimization, and reporting processes.
Ensure agencies are delivering strategic recommendations, not just executional plans.
Proactively identify capability gaps, process improvements, and opportunities to increase media effectiveness.
Lead regular status meetings and ensure alignment on priorities and performance expectations
In partnership with analytics team; Develop and manage a test-and-learn roadmap across audiences, creative, channels, markets, and media tactics.
Use campaign results, MMM, brand lift, platform reporting, and other measurement inputs to recommend optimizations and future investment shifts.
Partner with analytics and agency teams to define hypotheses, success metrics, readouts, and implications for future planning.
Stay current on media trends, consumer behavior, and competitive activity
Evaluate emerging platforms, technologies, and opportunities to enhance media effectiveness
Provide thought leadership on implications for Ross media strategy