Specialist, Media Planning & Buying

Nationwide Mutual Insurance•Columbus, OH

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Specialist, Media Planning & Buying supports the development and execution of marketing and paid media strategies for Nationwide Financial. The role applies marketing, media, communications, research, analytics, and customer-focused principles to translate business objectives into effective paid media plans and programs. It works with senior media leaders, business stakeholders, agencies, creative partners, analytics teams, publishers, and technology platforms, contributing to strategy, campaign planning, audience and creative recommendations, activation, optimization, measurement, and stakeholder communications. The Specialist manages assigned work independently, contributes to complex projects, and progressively assumes greater campaign ownership. The position supports digital media campaigns and uses advertising and marketing technology to build, implement, and optimize paid digital campaigns. Responsibilities include media and data negotiations, developing proposals for digital media buys, reporting on campaign performance, recommending and applying optimizations, and coordinating with internal and external partners to ensure campaigns and tracking are implemented correctly. This is a hybrid position based in Columbus, Ohio, with in-office collaboration two days per week. The role reports to a Manager or Director and is an individual-contributor position. It is exempt from overtime eligibility. The work environment is a normal office environment; extended hours may be required, and occasional travel is expected.

Requirements

Typically five or more years of demonstrated experience in digital media.
Knowledge of digital media development and execution principles and the programmatic media supply chain.
Knowledge of current practices in leading programmatic and social campaigns.
Understanding of digital media tools, including demand-side platforms, ad servers, and web analytics tools.
Strong communication skills.
Working skills in project planning, execution, and implementation.
Critical thinking and listening skills.
Proven analytical skills and a fact-based approach to solving business problems.
Ability to lead and prioritize projects, work independently or in a team, adapt to ambiguous environments, and quickly learn unfamiliar concepts and practices.

Nice To Haves

An undergraduate degree in a quantitative field such as business, finance, or communication is preferred.

Responsibilities

Support the development and execution of marketing and paid media strategies and plans that contribute to business growth, brand objectives, customer needs, and profitable results.
Plan and execute digital and traditional media tactics, including paid social, search, display, video, audio, and programmatic media.
Use advertising and marketing technology platforms to build, implement, and optimize paid digital media campaigns.
Synthesize campaign data and performance to support business-building recommendations and media decisions.
Coordinate assigned parts of the creative development process, including briefs, media requirements, audience considerations, channel specifications, feedback, approvals, and launch readiness.
Review customer insights and campaign performance data to understand market, competitor, customer, and audience needs.
Help define and evaluate target audiences, assess available data, and make data-based decisions to improve campaign effectiveness.
Pull campaign performance data and develop data visualization reports for internal and external partners.
Generate campaign performance insights and optimization recommendations, and apply optimizations regularly.
Monitor and optimize media delivery, audience strategy, investment allocation, creative rotation, and channel mix.
Perform post-launch quality assurance and use demand-side platform and ad-server data to confirm campaigns are running as expected.
Troubleshoot campaign issues with agency, publisher, and technology partners as needed.
Collaborate with marketing teams on digital tracking requirements and ensure correct implementation of media, creative, and website tags.
Develop status updates, performance reports, presentations, recommendations, and other communications for media leaders and business stakeholders.
Maintain accurate campaign, budget, approval, documentation, and reporting records, and perform quality-control reviews.
Participate in cross-training, knowledge transfer, and backup coverage across Nationwide business units.
Perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision coverage
Life insurance
Short- and long-term disability coverage
Paid time off, with newly hired associates receiving a minimum of 18 days per full calendar year, prorated quarterly based on hire date
Nine paid holidays
Eight hours of Lifetime paid time off
Eight hours of Unity Day paid time off
401(k) with company match
Company-paid pension plan
Business-casual attire