Digital Planning Director

About the Group The world is obsessed by small start-ups or the largest corporates. Most UK media agencies are built to serve the top 100 spending clients, and there are a multitude of boutique agencies to serve those starting out in business. The Specialist Works is different. We are built exclusively for marketers at entrepreneurial brands. Businesses that are past the messy start-up stage but are worlds away from the slow-paced nature of large corporates. Our clients span large privately owned businesses (often PE backed, founder-led or both) and small to mid-cap public enterprises. They are fighting larger, more established competitors and know they need to think and behave differently to win. The marketers leading these brands are innovative, resourceful, moving at pace and in all-out growth mode. Role Overview As a Digital Planning Director you’ll have the opportunity to shape our approach to digital media planning, evolving our proposition and delivering it to clients in a way that drives meaningful growth for both the online team and the wider agency. You will own the growth and development of a group of key clients, acting as senior contact and escalation point. Working closely with your Head of Department you will help define the agency’s approach to digital planning and build solutions that better meet the needs of entrepreneurial brands. You are accountable for the quality of work across your client portfolio, proactively managing resources across all levels in line with client opportunities, in partnership with Head of Departments and will play a key role in developing the online team and elevating planning standards across the agency. You will act as a guiding light—bringing energy, positivity and a “what’s possible” mindset that inspires those around you. Requirements Key Responsibilities Plan and clearly communicate cross-channel digital media strategies across CTV, online video, display, digital audio, paid social and partnerships. Ensure these plans clearly deliver on campaign objectives and can be carried seamlessly into activation. Oversee that activation, inform inflight optimization choices and proactively build delivery insights into future planning recommendations Lead the integration of digital media into broader ATL and communications strategies. Act as senior client contact and escalation point for key accounts. Confidently identify actionable insights across campaign activation, build and present PCA’s ad use that insight to inform future plans. Independently manage and grow GP through client and product development. Own forecasting and reporting across agreed clients and channels, overseeing bookings and financial performance. Help define the agency digital planning approach, building solutions that better meet EB needs and shaping strategy, activation processes, and team development. Embed agreed planning principles and best practice across the team. Lead the online video, display and digital…