Media Strategist, Buying

What to know

Develop and execute game-changing media strategies that tie engagement to the bottom line. As a Paid Media Buyer / Strategist, you'll be charged with developing and implementing paid digital media strategies as well as managing the execution of paid media campaigns across clients ranging from nonprofits to advocacy group to major brands (and everything in between).

You will be equally strategic, creative, and analytical. Switching seamlessly from a client presentation, to writing an insightful analysis of campaign performance, and rolling up your sleeves to launch new creative is no big deal for you. CPMs, Facebook Business Manager, DSPs, CPAs and dashboards are a few examples of words you use on a regular basis.

You will use your depth of paid media experience to inform your work but also tap into your digital curiosity and passion for innovation to bring new ideas and thinking to the team.

The company

Blue State is the purpose-driven creative and tech agency for brands and causes looking to inspire people to take action and drive create real change. With clients including the UNHCR, Google, Amnesty International, UNICEF, Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF) and Oxfam, Blue State cultivates and mobilises communities, raises money and influences policy, builds platforms, and transforms how organisations engage their most important people. Led by some of the most creative and analytical minds from the political, nonprofit, and brand worlds, Blue State is a part of WPP and has more than 150 employees across five offices.

A day in the life

• Develop media plans and recommendations: for a range of assigned clients, across direct response performance media, as well as awareness and engagement objectives. Forecast and size likely campaign and ongoing media strategy achievement across channels and audiences.
• Analyse client existing or historic performance: identifying opportunities, making recommendations for improvement and generating insights to drive creative direction or future optimisation opportunities.
• Have a strong POV on measurement, performance and required tracking: applying it to strategic recommendations and ongoing campaign management.
• Manage and optimise media campaigns across multiple platforms: predominantly through Facebook Business Manager, Google Ads and Marketing Platform (formerly Adwords and DoubleClick Manager), and social channels such as Twitter and Linkedin, etc. Other channels and platforms are desirable.
• Participate (and sometimes lead) client-facing interactions: related to paid media, from video calls to in person meetings to presentations. 
• Work collaboratively with other internal or external teams: be it strategists, account directors, designers or analysts to produce campaigns, creative ideas, audience segmentation, and develop innovation opportunities.
• Be a thought leader and help keep us up to date with latest digital media trends: stewarding and building relationships with media partners, and making test and learn recommendations for company and client specific use.

The team

As part of the Media team, you’ll work closely with a cross-disciplinary group of Blue State employees on various projects. London is a small and close-knit team, where everyone has an opportunity to shape new approaches, grow and learn from their colleagues, and take advantage of a personal development fund to stretch their skills even further. You’ll have the opportunity to work with some of the most inspiring charities, ambitious brands and passionate advocacy and social change campaigns.

What we offer

• Unlimited time off (inclusive of sick, personal and vacation days)
• $1,000 annual in professional development funds (local equivalent)
• Fully subsidised health and dental insurance for employees (subject to tax)
• Generous pension match via salary sacrifice 
• Generous paid holiday schedule 
• Parental leave policy for up to 32.5 week of coverage at full pay, inclusive of all genders and supporting a range of family structures
• Group Income Protection (GIP)
• Group Life Assurance (GLA)
• Optional holiday travel insurance
• Pre-tax season ticket loans
• Cycle to work (up to £2000)
• Remote work flexibility

We approach in-office working with a hybrid model, with presence in our office required at two days per week. To enter our London office or attend Blue State events, staff is required to submit a self-administered lateral flow test prior to attending.

Some things we’re looking for

• 3-5 years experience in a hands-on paid media planning and buying role using a mix of digital channels (Social, Search, Programmatic, Video, etc) - with preference to experience in executing, managing, and reporting on media campaigns with a mix of objectives/goals.
• Ability to translate client business goals into cohesive, articulate, and insight driven media strategy and tactical media plans and effectively manage multiple clients and projects on time, within budget, and meet performance goals.
• High proficiency with top digital advertising self-service platforms including Facebook Business Manager, Twitter Ads, Google Ads and Marketing Platform (formerly Adwords and DoubleClick Manager), as well as Google Analytics and other measurements platforms
• Exceptional attention to detail, especially with regards to campaign QA, asset loading, tracking and reporting.
• Ability to adapt to new situations, solve problems on the fly, and communicate with those around you. Teamwork and scrappiness required.
• A shared passion and curiosity for delivering change. This includes comfort with ambiguity, a restlessness that resists the status quo, and a commitment to quality that ensures we’re always making progress.
• A testing evangelist - no result is ever a problem as long as we can learn and improve in future.
• Humble in victory, constructive in defeat. We champion and expect empathy, communication, collaboration, respect, and the ability to act as a role model at Blue State both internally and externally

At Blue State, diversity is a necessity, not a nice-to-have. We encourage those from underrepresented communities — women, people of color, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, those with disabilities and people at all the intersections in between — to apply. Even if you don’t think your current skill set checks every box below, but this role seems to align with your strengths, we want to hear from you.

Blue State is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible application and interview process. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, please contact us at [email protected] with the subject line: Accommodation Request to get started.