Associate Director, Media Buying

At SimpsonScarborough, we spend our days building brands that endure, inspire, and elevate the all-important work of colleges and universities in shaping our future. Recognized as a leader in the higher education marketing industry, we are a fully remote team of approximately 70 employees working coast to coast. We’re looking for an Associate Director, Media Buying to lead the execution and optimization of paid media campaigns across the Activation team. This role is ideal for someone with strong media buying experience that includes campaign performance oversight, guiding buying best practices, and support the development of a high-performing media buying team. You will work closely with strategy, analytics, and activation teams to ensure campaigns are executed effectively, budgets are managed responsibly, and performance insights inform ongoing optimization. What You’ll Do Oversee the execution of paid media campaigns across digital channels including social, search, display, and programmatic platforms Manage and mentor a team of media buyers, supporting their day-to-day execution and professional development Help shape internal approaches to media buying, platform usage, and optimization methodologies by establishing best practices for campaign setup, budget management, targeting strategies, and platform utilization Lead relationships with programmatic platforms, vendors, and media technology partners Evaluate new platform opportunities, beta programs, and emerging capabilities Oversee campaign budgets across multiple platforms and ensure spend aligns with campaign strategy and performance objectives Maintain strong communication across Strategy, Activation, and Analytics teams to support successful campaign execution What We’re Looking For 6–9 years of experience in digital media buying, campaign activation, or paid media management within an agency or marketing environment. Solid experience managing or mentoring junior media team members. Experience managing paid media campaigns across multiple platforms including social, search, display, and programmatic channels Strong understanding of programmatic buying platforms and vendor ecosystems Proven ability to manage campaign performance, budgets, and optimization strategies across multiple campaigns simultaneously Bachelor’s degree and/or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience Salary, Benefits & Perks Salary starts at $75,000 and will be commensurate with experience Comprehensive benefits package including nationwide health, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) with employer contribution, employer-paid life insurance and short-term disability Flexible time off (FTO) with additional time-off options, including sick, volunteer & bereavement leave, paid parental leave, a day off on your birthday PLUS two agency-wide closures in the summer and winter Monthly lifestyle stipend to supplement your routine wellness costs like streaming subscriptions, gym, or phone/internet costs. Our Commitment to Inclusion At SimpsonScarborough, we believe diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are central to our core values and critical to our long-term success. This work requires consistency, intentionality, vulnerability, and accountability. Through our efforts, we strive to make meaningful impact in our work, our workplace, and our industry. SimpsonScarborough is an equal opportunity employer. We have a strict anti-harassment policy and a zero-tolerance non-discrimination policy. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds regardless of nationality, race, religion, gender identity, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Questions? For all recruitment-related inquiries, please email [email protected] .