6+ years in media investment, digital partnerships, or experiential marketing
Proven experience in negotiating direct partnerships with media owners
Strong background in managing multi-channel programs from strategy to execution
Deep understanding of premium video, digital publishing, and social media ecosystems
Excellent client service, strategic thinking, and project management skills
Experience in regulated categories with a focus on brand safety preferred
Bachelor's degree in Communications, Advertising, or related field preferred
Responsibilities
Shape vision and priorities for the Diageo Partners team across various media channels
Translate brand strategies into integrated partner opportunities
Develop audience-driven recommendations with clear activation plans
Identify opportunities across premium publishers and entertainment properties
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align partnership programs with broader media plans
Stay updated on media landscape changes and their implications for Diageo
Support senior leadership with presentations and status updates
Benefits
Collaborative team culture focused on accountability and innovation
Opportunities for mentorship and professional development
Access to thought leadership and case study contributions
Engagement in high-quality execution across diverse projects
Involvement in a dynamic and evolving media landscape
Full Job Description
Agency: PHd
Job Function: Media
Job Subfunction: Media Planning and Buying
Job Description:
The Diageo Partners team develops and delivers integrated, direct-to-publisher solutions across premium video, digital, content, sponsorships, experiential and emerging media. The Associate Director will bridge investment and content partnership expertise, translating Diageo's business and brand objectives into innovative, scalable programs that connect paid media, custom storytelling and real-world experiences. This role will lead partner strategy, negotiation and activation while ensuring every recommendation meets Diageo's audience, brand safety, responsible marketing and measurement requirements.
Strategic & Functional Team Lead
Help shape the vision, priorities and ways of working for the Diageo Partners team across video, digital direct-to-publisher investment, content and experiential programs
Translate brand, audience and communications strategy into integrated partner opportunities that support awareness, engagement, consideration and conversion objectives
Develop strong recommendations grounded in audience insight, cultural relevance, marketplace intelligence, big ideas and clear activation plans
Identify opportunities across premium publishers, television and streaming companies, social platforms, entertainment properties, creators, live events and experiential partners
Work closely with Strategy, Planning, Investment, Social, Commerce, Creative, Data and Analytics teams to ensure partnership programs connect to the broader media plan
Stay current on changes in video, digital publishing, content, sponsorship, creator, commerce and experiential landscapes and assess the implications for Diageo's business
Support senior leadership with presentation materials, status updates, annual planning, marketplace points of view and client meetings
Investment, Negotiation & Partner Management
Lead direct-to-publisher investment strategy and negotiations across premium video, digital media, custom content, sponsorships and experiential opportunities
Evaluate partner proposals based on strategic fit, audience quality, scale, pricing, added value, measurement capabilities, executional feasibility and brand suitability
Cultivate senior relationships with media owners and strategic partners to unlock innovation, preferred access, commercial value and solutions tailored to Diageo's needs
Partner with broader investment teams to maintain strategic consistency across plan development, negotiations, implementation and stewardship
Monitor marketplace dynamics, inventory trends and partner capabilities to identify proactive opportunities and manage potential risks
Ensure negotiated programs have clear scopes, deliverables, timelines, usage rights, distribution plans, performance expectations and accountability
Content, Sponsorship & Experiential Activation
Serve as a day-to-day partnership lead and subject matter expert for clients, internal teams and external partners from brief through launch and final recap
Lead the development and activation of custom programs spanning branded content, video integrations, social amplification, talent or creator partnerships, sponsorship assets, hospitality and experiential activations
Guide partners in turning strategic objectives into ideas that are distinctive, culturally relevant, executable and appropriate for each Diageo brand
Develop and manage integrated distribution plans that connect custom content or experiences with paid video, digital and social media
Own program timelines, production schedules, approval processes, asset delivery, trafficking dependencies, meetings and cross-functional communication
Manage internal and external workstreams during ideation, creative development, production, launch and post-campaign reporting
Ensure all programs meet Diageo responsible marketing, legal, regulatory, brand safety, audience composition and category suitability requirements
Measurement & Performance
Define clear KPIs and measurement plans that reflect the role of each media, content and experiential component
Partner with Data and Analytics teams to apply approved measurement frameworks and quantify media delivery, engagement, brand impact and business value
Monitor campaign performance, partner delivery and program quality, identifying opportunities to optimize while programs are in market
Lead post-campaign evaluations and synthesize results, learnings and recommendations to improve future partnership and investment decisions
Create clear performance materials that communicate both quantitative results and the incremental value of custom programs
Client & Team Leadership
Build trusted relationships with Diageo clients through proactive communication, strong judgment and solutions-oriented counsel
Present partnership strategies, marketplace opportunities, investment recommendations, activation plans and results with clarity and confidence
Help set team priorities, allocate responsibilities and establish best practices across partnership development and execution
Mentor and develop junior team members, strengthening their skills across partner evaluation, negotiation, project management, content activation and client service
Foster a collaborative team culture focused on accountability, learning, innovation and high-quality execution
Contribute to agency thought leadership, case studies, marketing materials and new business efforts as needed
Education & Experience
Minimum 6 years of experience in media investment, digital partnerships, video, branded content, sponsorships, experiential marketing or integrated activation
Experience developing and negotiating direct partnerships with publishers, platforms, media owners, entertainment companies or experiential partners
Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-channel programs from strategy and ideation through execution and measurement
Strong understanding of premium video, streaming, digital publishing, social media, creator ecosystems, content production and experiential activation
Experience working within regulated categories or applying rigorous brand safety, audience eligibility and responsible marketing standards is preferred
Bachelor's degree in Communications, Advertising, Media, Marketing or a related field preferred
Knowledge & Expertise
Ability to evaluate opportunities through strategic, commercial, creative, operational and measurement lenses
Understanding of how video, digital, social, content, sponsorship and experiential elements perform independently and together within an integrated plan
Knowledge of marketplace pricing, media owner capabilities, custom content development, production processes and partnership measurement
Ability to turn complex information into clear, compelling recommendations, presentations, briefs, recaps and points of view
Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple workstreams, deadlines, stakeholders and approvals simultaneously
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a focus on presentation excellence
Collaborative leadership style, sound judgment, intellectual curiosity and a passion for culture, entertainment and innovation
$70,000 - $125,000
To the extent permissible by local law, Omnicom's policy requires employees to work in the office for a minimum of three days a week, unless additional in-office days are directed by their agency or manager.
About Harrison and Star
Harrison and Star is a healthcare advertising agency that provides marketing and advertising services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The company offers a range of services including brand strategy, creative development, digital marketing, and market research. Harrison and Star was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
