Associate Director, Programmatic

The Associate Director, Programmatic leads the development and delivery of audience-based media programs across a large CPG client and eventually a portfolio of clients, with a strong focus on ecommerce and lower-funnel business outcomes (must have strong Amazon DSP experience). This role provides strategic and operational leadership across tactical planning, setup, optimization, and measurement - helping teams connect media investment to outcomes such as conversions, sales, and other client-defined performance KPIs.The Associate Director contributes to a cohesive end-to-end approach across channels, data, audiences, targeting, measurement, and creative. They identify opportunities to improve performance, increase automation - including greater adoption of Pacvue, where appropriate - and make campaign operations more effective and scalable.This role calls for a curious, analytical, and collaborative leader who encourages a test-and-learn culture, applies critical thinking to campaign decisions, and translates performance insights into clear recommendations. The ideal candidate has hands‑on experience with programmatic and ecommerce media, strong platform expertise, excellent client and partner communication skills, and experience managing and developing direct reports.Responsibilities
Lead and develop a team of programmatic professionals, ensuring campaigns are thoughtfully planned, accurately set up, and aligned with client objectives and business outcomes.Guide lower-funnel and ecommerce media strategies, including campaign architecture, audience and targeting approaches, budget allocation, optimization, and measurement.Connect upper-funnel brand activity with lower-funnel performance efforts across media, data, targeting, measurement, and creative, in collaboration with agency and client partners.Oversee campaigns across different objectives and KPIs. Ensure recommendations draw on campaign results, historical performance, testing insights, and broader client and agency goals.Identify opportunities to improve ecommerce and campaign performance, and to increase automation and operational efficiency. Encourage appropriate adoption and effective use of platforms and tools, including Pacvue.Foster a test-and-learn culture by encouraging teams to develop thoughtful hypotheses, evaluate results, and apply learnings to future planning and optimization.Monitor campaign delivery and proactively address risks or performance issues. Identify optimization opportunities using relevant indicators, such as placement quality, brand safety, viewability, cost efficiency, and conversion or sales performance.Communicate strategic and technical recommendations clearly to clients, agency partners, and senior leaders, connecting media decisions to business results.Partner with senior leadership to identify and implement process improvements that help the team work more efficiently and effectively;
communicate processes and support consistent adoption.Develop strong working relationships with platform and technology partners, stay informed about relevant capabilities, and share constructive product feedback and technical issues.Build a deep understanding of client business objectives and challenges, and proactively identify opportunities for new solutions and improved outcomes.Coach and develop direct reports, promoting analytical rigor, curiosity, collaboration, and continuous learning.Qualifications
Relevant professional or educational background in marketing, advertising, media, or a related field.Significant experience in programmatic and digital media, with leadership experience in campaign strategy, management, and optimization.Experience supporting ecommerce and lower-funnel objectives, such as conversions, sales, or other performance KPIs.Hands‑on experience with DSPs (Must have Amazon DSP) and programmatic campaign management;
familiarity with ecommerce media platforms and tools such as Pacvue is an advantage. Key platforms: Amazon, TTD, Google DV360, WalmartStrong understanding of digital media metrics, measurement, tagging fundamentals, and performance analysis.Ability to connect brand and performance activity and collaborate across media, data, audience targeting, measurement, and creative.Strong analytical and critical‑thinking skills, including the ability to interpret results, develop testable recommendations, and communicate actionable insights.Experience identifying opportunities for automation, process improvement, and more efficient ways of working.Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and client‑service skills.Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage competing priorities effectively.Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and develop team members.Ability to work collaboratively and independently, and to build productive relationships with clients, agency teams, and media and technology partners.Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel;
experience with pivot tables, formulas, and data visualizations.
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