Manager, Communications Design

Agency: Initiative Job Function: Media Job Subfunction: Media Planning and Buying Job Description:

Overview  As Manager, Communications Design, you are managing the production and application of accurate and insightful consumer, cultural relevant, media and market intelligence to contribute to an impactful communications/media plan. With direction from your Associate Director or Director, you take the strategic design imperatives (Strategy On A Page: SOAP) and communications idea and deploy a variety of data and intelligence to identify and prioritize the best communications channels.      In this role, you are leading the preparation of the communications/media plan flowchart via MediaTools or Lumina and ensuring the communications plan is built on solid, data rich fundamentals. Working with partnerships, media publishers/ distributors/ suppliers, and your communications design team, you ensure the accuracy of the inputs required for the development of the media plan flowchart. The manager will develop junior talent and teach media planning fundamentals to internal teams and clients alike.

Create accurate substantiated and detailed media plans and media planning scenarios  In charge of timely, accurate delivery of day-to-day requests from the team along with disciplined and organized call-reports and timely follow-throughs  Organize and develop client-facing category, culture and competitive tracking documents  Work with the Associate Director and Partnerships team to develop the RFP to brief internal partnership’s/ SBU team and external partners  Manage the team output and development of the flowchart including oversight of the plan being accurately produced within Ripple/ MediaTools/Lumina to address the reach/frequency and business goals  Lead the best practice production of audience and communications data and intelligence for the development of the communications plan, utilizing relevant tools and techniques  Contribute to the ideation team sessions in conjunction with the Strategy team and relevant SBU to generate creative & compelling connections idea.  Responsible for timely, accurate delivery of day to day requests from the client and internal team  Responsible for maintaining impactful media plans; oversight of brand media plans, financials, ATBs and billing documentation internally and for the client  Leads internal, client and partner agency status calls and updates; organizes and coordinates call-reports and ensures that follow-ups are documented and carried out in a timely manner  Digests the client's goals/target and leads compiling planning inputs – competitive reporting, syndicated audience research, landscape trends, campaign learnings    Required Skills and Experience  Experience in an integrated planning role in media, publisher / vendor, or communications discipline  Media planning skills must be sufficient and able to be taught to junior team members  Ability to delegate, develop and oversee direct reports  Excellent written, verbal communication and presentation skills  Required PC proficiency and solid working knowledge of Microsoft Office (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)  Initiative does not require candidates to have a college degree  Desired Skills and Experience   4+ years relevant experience with 1+ years of experience in managing or developing staff  Category or audience experience as relevant per assignment  Strong time-management and organizational skills  Proven problem-solving ability  Wage and Benefits We offer a Total Rewards package that includes medical and dental coverage, 401(k) plans, flex spending, life insurance, disability, employee discount program, employee stock purchase program and paid family benefits to support you and your family.  The salary range for this position is posted below.  Where an employee or prospective employee is paid within this range will depend on, among other