Lead II, Media Strategy & Planning

Location: Hybrid — 3 days onsite (Manhattan, NY or Bethesda, MD)

Reports To: Manager, Media Strategy & Planning

Within Marketing at GEICO, media strategy and planning translates business ambition into media investment that actually moves the business. Getting this right is a real competitive advantage and a must-do.

In this role, you'll steer the translation of business briefs and marketing plans into integrated media strategies and activation plans, working across television, audio, out-of-home, social, and emerging channels. You'll be the connective tissue between internal stakeholders, agency partners, and cross-functional teams — making sure plans are not just built well, but understood, executed cleanly, and optimized as new performance data comes in. That includes agency management, budget oversight, creative trafficking, and measurement.

This role suits someone who wants real ownership over how media dollars translate into business results — not just a seat managing a process. You'll need to move comfortably between strategic thinking and hands-on execution. As the team's media practice continues to evolve, there's real room to shape the future of GEICO media, not just execute against an existing playbook.

Strategic Business Partner

• Partner with agency partners and internal cross-functional stakeholders to develop integrated media strategies aligned to business and marketing objectives.

• Translate business briefs and marketing plans into actionable media briefs, strategic plans, tactical recommendations, and activation plans.

• Collaborate closely with Creative, Product Marketing, Analytics, and Performance Media channel teams to ensure cohesive messaging and execution across channels.

• Maintain a working knowledge of media, sports, culture, and consumer trends to identify opportunities that strengthen brand relevance and business impact.

• Operate effectively in a fast-paced environment, managing shifting priorities and timelines across multiple lines of business.

Media Strategy & Execution

• Support the strategic development and execution of national and local media plans across paid channels

• Partner with agency teams to ensure campaign recommendations, channel allocations, audience strategies/activations, and tactical plans are aligned with campaign objectives.

• Help evaluate and refine media strategies based on business performance, campaign insights, and changing market conditions.

• Assist in the development of strategic presentations, planning frameworks, POVs, and recommendations for internal stakeholders.

• Coordinate campaign launches and support executional excellence, including creative trafficking, asset management, and delivery timelines.

Proactive Brand Advocacy & Thought Leadership

• Monitor media marketplace trends, emerging platforms, and sponsorship opportunities to identify areas for testing, learning, and innovation.

• Maintain strong relationships with agency partners, media publishers, platforms, and technology providers to stay informed on new opportunities and best practices that drive our brand and business forward.

Measurement & Optimization

• Partner with internal and external analytics teams to monitor campaign performance and identify optimization opportunities.

• Help translate performance insights into actionable recommendations that inform future planning decisions.

• Assist with marketing mix modeling reviews, test-and-learn initiatives, and measurement frameworks to improve media effectiveness.

Agency Management

• Support management of the agency planning process, helping ensure deliverables, timelines, and recommendations meet expectations and business objectives.

• Review agency outputs and provide feedback on media plans, partner recommendations, reporting, and strategic opportunities.

• Foster collaborative relationships with agency teams to ensure strong communication, project management, and operational excellence.

Budget Management

• Manage national and local media budgets in partnership with Marketing Operations, Finance, and agency teams.

• Monitor campaign spending, budget allocations, and pacing to ensure investments are aligned with approved plans.

• Support financial forecasting, reconciliation, and reporting processes as needed.

• You've built and executed integrated media plans across channels like TV, digital, social, search, or OOH — you know how to move from brief to buy.

• You've worked inside a conversion-driven service business — financial services, insurance, or banking — where marketing is tied directly to customer acquisition and retention.

• You can translate performance data and agency recommendations into clear, actionable guidance that stakeholders can act on.

• You've managed agency relationships and held partners accountable to deliverables, timelines, and quality.

• You've owned or supported budget tracking and pacing and are comfortable being accountable for where dollars go.

• You're energized by fast-moving priorities and multiple lines of business running at once, not just steady-state execution.

• You're comfortable using AI tools like Claude or Copilot to speed up research, synthesis, or reporting.

• You want to help shape media strategy at an iconic brand in the middle of a transformation — not just execute someone else's playbook.

• Experience: 5+ years of media experience, including media agency experience; client-side experience is a plus.

• Industry context: Experience working inside a conversion-driven service business — financial services, insurance, or banking — where marketing is tied directly to customer acquisition and retention.

• Cross-functional delivery: Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, balance multiple priorities, and deliver results against project deadlines.

• Communication: Excellent oral and written communication skills, including experience presenting to senior stakeholders and executives.

• AI comfort: Comfort using AI tools like Claude or Copilot to support research, planning, and reporting.

• Education: 4-year degree preferred.

• Direct, hands-on experience managing large brands, with sports media experience highly valued.

• Familiarity with marketing mix modeling reviews or test-and-learn measurement frameworks.

• Experience with creative trafficking and asset management workflows.

• Availability to travel up to 25%.

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Annual Salary

The above annual salary range is a general guideline. Multiple factors are taken into consideration to arrive at the final hourly rate/ annual salary to be offered to the selected candidate. Factors include, but are not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the role, the selected candidate’s work experience, education and training, the work location as well as market and business considerations.