Manager, Media Planner

GENERAL PURPOSE\:
The Media Manager is responsible for developing and executing integrated media strategies that drive brand awareness, shape brand perception, and increase store traffic for Ross. This role partners closely with internal cross-functional teams and external agency partners to translate business objectives into effective, data-driven media plans across traditional and digital channels. The Manager leverages insights from campaign performance, consumer behavior, and market trends to inform strategic decisions and optimize media investments. This role plays a key part in ensuring campaigns are executed efficiently and effectively, balancing analytical rigor with creative thinking to deliver strong business outcomes.

The base salary range for this role is $113,200 – $172,600. The base salary range is dependent on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, qualifications, relevant education, certifications, seniority, and location. The range listed is just one component of the total compensation package for employees. Other rewards vary by position and location.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS\:
In-House Media Leadership
• Build internal media planning capability by serving as a strategic in-house media lead across traditional, digital, and paid social channels.
• Bring hands-on brand-side or retailer-side media experience to improve internal ownership, agency oversight, and cross-functional planning.
• Translate business priorities into clear media briefs, audience strategies, testing plans, and performance expectations.
• Develop channel mix, audience targeting, geographic, and campaign flighting strategies.

Paid Social, Audience & Content Strategy
• Partner with brand, creative, and social teams to align content, messaging, and formats to priority audiences and campaign objectives.
• Support paid social strategy, including audience targeting, content testing, platform learnings, and performance optimization.
• Identify opportunities to improve content-to-audience fit across channels, markets, and campaign types.

Campaign Execution & Optimization
• Oversee end-to-end campaign execution, including timelines, approvals, and asset readiness
• Monitor in-flight performance and implement optimizations to improve effectiveness
• Ensure delivery against media plans, including managing under-delivery and campaign adjustments
• Manage and optimize large-scale media budgets with strong financial stewardship

Agency & Internal Operating Model
• Serve as primary day-to-day partner to media agencies
• Strengthen the internal media operating model by improving briefing, planning, feedback, optimization, and reporting processes.
• Ensure agencies are delivering strategic recommendations, not just executional plans.
• Proactively identify capability gaps, process improvements, and opportunities to increase media effectiveness.
• Lead regular status meetings and ensure alignment on priorities and performance expectations

Testing, Measurement & Learning Agenda
• In partnership with analytics team; Develop and manage a test-and-learn roadmap across audiences, creative, channels, markets, and media tactics.
• Use campaign results, MMM, brand lift, platform reporting, and other measurement inputs to recommend optimizations and future investment shifts.
• Partner with analytics and agency teams to define hypotheses, success metrics, readouts, and implications for future planning.

Market & Industry Expertise
• Stay current on media trends, consumer behavior, and competitive activity
• Evaluate emerging platforms, technologies, and opportunities to enhance media effectiveness
• Provide thought leadership on implications for Ross media strategy

COMPETENCIES\:
People
• Building Effective Teams (for managers of People and Projects)
• Developing Talent (for managers of people only, N/A for this role/level)
• Collaboration

Self
• Leading by Example
• Communicates Effectively
• Ensures Accountability and Execution
• Manages Conflict

Business
• Business Acumen
• Plans, Aligns and Prioritizes
• Organizational Agility

With particular emphasis on the following specific position-related competencies\:
• Strategic Thinking
• Analysis and Judgment
• Decision Quality
• Drive for Results

QUALIFICATIONS AND SPECIAL SKILLS REQUIRED\:
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Business, or related field; advanced degree a plus
• 4–6 years of experience in brand of agency media planning
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, including data analysis, modeling, and scenario planning (e.g., pivot tables, lookups, large datasets)
• Experience analyzing campaign performance and translating data into insights and recommendations
• Familiarity with media measurement tools (e.g., platform analytics, MMM, brand lift studies)
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment
• Effective collaboration and communication skills across cross-functional teams and external partners
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and execution skills
• Demonstrated ability to balance data-driven decision-making with creative thinking

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/ADA\:
Job requires ability to work in an office environment, primarily on a computer.
Requires sitting, standing, walking, hearing, talking on the telephone, attending in-person meetings, typing, and working with paper/files, etc.
Consistent timeliness and regular attendance.
Vision requirements\: Ability to see information in print and/or electronically.
Travel to agencies and corporate offices required.
This role requires regular in-office presence, including to engage in in-person team interaction, meetings and collaboration, client support, mentoring, coaching, and/or feedback. However, this role can perform duties effectively using a combination of in-office and remote work.

#LI-Hybrid

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES\:
None

DISCLAIMER
This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at management’s discretion.

Ross is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. We believe that it is an essential part of the Company’s overall commitment to attract, hire and develop a strong, talented and diverse workforce. Ross is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.