Media Planner

About Ars X Machina

Ars X Machina (AXM) is a full-service media planning, buying, and analytics agency headquartered in San Francisco, with a remote team distributed across the U.S. We craft omnichannel, data-driven media strategies that span the entire paid media landscape. From audience development and strategic planning to budget forecasting, execution, optimization, and reporting, we manage the full media lifecycle end-to-end. Our experience spans both B2B and B2C, supporting brand-building and performance-driven campaigns.

What sets AXM apart? Our agility, strategic leadership, and innovative mindset—all rooted in a collaborative, people-first culture where both clients and team members thrive for the long haul.

Job Summary

The Media Planner works in conjunction with the Media Supervisor and/or Associate Media Director to develop and execute media tactics that achieve client objectives. This role sits across broad digital and traditional media strategy & planning and works closely with cross functional team members (i.e. Analytics, Paid Social, SEM, Programmatic, Project Mgt, Ad Ops).

Strategic Support

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Reviews and understands client briefs and media/business objectives
• Participates in internal strategic discussions, and provides suggestions for how to reach target audiences, develop or improve upon the media mix, and how to utilize each media channel effectively
• Reviews and draws insights from research and applies critical thinking based on brand and category knowledge
• Questions the status quo and brings forth ideas to best align media plans with overall strategic approach
• Participates in plan presentations to internal teams and clients
  
  

Campaign Management

• Helps build media plans, utilizing tools such as Nielsen NMI, Basis, Resonate, and MRI/Simmons.
• Helps to develop partner consideration and and leads rep outreach for direct buys, including RFP development and stewardship and buy negotiations
• Coordinates and collaborates with internal departments on key elements of plan development, including analytics and investments
• Participates in internal and external status calls and plan presentations, as needed
• Oversees and/or leads the trafficking process, in close conjunction with ad ops. Builds naming conventions and creative mapping, ensuring messages align with client target audience and vehicles
• Responsible for campaign setup in workflow tools
• Pulling audience and data insights, as well as competitive information, to consider when planning and optimizing media buys
  
  

Budget Oversight

• Supports maintenance of all flowcharts, billing and budget trackers
• Approaches all decisions and reporting with strong attention to details and fiscal responsibility
• Reconcile vendor billing and invoicing against budget and media delivery
  
  

Performance Analysis & Optimization

• Pulls and reviews pacing reports for direct buys in detail.
• Identifies areas that are over/under performing and make recommendations for optimizations.
• Excellent excel skills, and strong ability to navigate dashboards.
• Works with analytics team members to problem solve.
• Contributes to client facing reporting presentations and calls
  
  

Collaboration With Cross-Functional Teams

• Work closely with internal Investment and Analytics teams to ensure strategic alignment as well as with client account and creative teams to ensure alignment in messaging and creative execution
• Coordinate with external partners, including creative agencies and media vendors, when needed for campaign execution
  
  

Trend Monitoring & Innovation

• Stay updated on the latest trends in media marketing and advertising
  
  

Requirements

• 1-3+ years in a media planner or coordinator role
• Strong client services skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to manage expectations and priorities, both internally with teams and externally with clients
• Acute attention to detail
• Ability to problem solve
• Strong time management skills and ability to work under pressure
• Strong experience working within Google Workspace & Tools and Microsoft Suite
  
  

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required of personnel so classified.