Media Strategy and Planning Director

: late Sept/early Oct
Duration: 4 months, through end of January 2026
Hours per week: 40+
Location: Detroit, MI (hybrid onsite Tues/Wed/Thurs)
Pay rate: $50-55+/hr DOE

One of our financial services and technology clients is looking for a Media Strategy and Planning Director or Senior Manager level candidate to join their team for a contract position through January 2026.

This Media Strategy and Planning Director will lead the media strategy team by working closely with senior marketing leaders within the organization to oversee strategic media-supported initiatives through the development of strategic narratives, consumer/market insights, and by leveraging key partnerships that drive impactful business outcomes.

The Media Strategy and Planning Director must be comfortable helping organize/develop the brand media strategy POV, delivering it to external agency partners, and then collaborating with the agency partners to ensure tactical media plans align with the brand’s vision, KPI’s, and campaign objectives.

Ideal Media Strategy and Planning Director candidates will have:
– At least 10+ years of media planning and marketing experience as part of an in-house brand media team (or agency)
– At least 3+ years of leadership and management experience overseeing and guiding junior-mid level media planners, strategists, etc.
– Able to translate business objectives and ensure they are delivered on with the proper media strategies, tactics, and overall plans that are being executed by external media agency partners
– Proven experience developing and guiding media strategy and planning for high-level brand awareness campaigns that are measured against metrics including awareness, engagement, affinity, advocacy, as well as intent.
– Experience working across and leading large cross-functional internal/external teams
– BA degree in advertising, marketing or related field
– Fully proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, etc.) and project management systems

Job Responsibilities:
– Lead a media planning team to oversee the ideation and negotiation of media platforms to ensure strategic alignment
– Set deliverables to build the brand and impact business outcomes for all supported areas
– Oversee the annual and quarterly planning process, including strategic brief development, go-to-market documents, and media landscape updates to ensure deadlines are met and high-quality output for all supported brands
– Oversee the Brand Media and Media Operations budgets, including both initial planning, ongoing increase/decrease scenario planning and monthly budget reporting
– Collaborate with Director of Media Investment and Activation to oversee and manage the relationship, scope of work, performance criteria and contract of media agency partners
– Develop and maintain best practices across internal teams and external agency partner that maximizes effectiveness for workflow process, media plans, deliverables and reporting for all brand initiatives and other supported areas of business
– Partner with research teams and external partners to develop, implement, report and optimize audience segmentation and High Value Audiences (HVAs), ensuring alignment across all teams
– Drive cross-team collaboration with other areas of the Marketing team and the organization
– Serve as the media strategy team point of contact for consulting with Finance, Research, Marketing Operations, Data Science, Analytics, Multicultural and Business Development
– Lead development of media team objectives and key results (OKRs)
– Mentor and coach team members while identifying growth opportunities and developing team members’ career paths
– Develop strong internal and external partner relationships, including agency partners and media community

*Hybrid onsite (Tues/Wed/Thurs)
**Background check required (typically requires approx. 2-week onboarding period following an offer acceptance)
***Eligible for benefits through 24 Seven