OverviewThe Vice President, Media Operations will be a solution-oriented business partner to media teams within a complex, multi-agency environment. The candidate will be responsible for media and financial operations, integrating multiple parties across the media team, process improvements, systems management, general reporting, and driving compliance. They will coordinate and support the media finance process flow - specifically regarding budgeting, billing, and forecasting - with oversight of ad operations, and will ensure end-to-end operational excellence for the client.
We are looking for a leader with expertise in marketing technology and media performance management and measurement. The ideal candidate is a dot connector with an analytic mindset, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to organize and track multiple projects simultaneously. They should be proactive, resourceful, agile, and a creative problem solver who can foster client relationships and partner with clients to work through process changes, escalations, and forward-thinking ideas.
Candidates must reside within a commutable distance to our Chicago or New York office for a hybrid work schedule. ResponsibilitiesOperational Excellence- Help build and continue to optimize the paid media financial process to further streamline and deliver operational excellence to agency teams and the client.
- Participate as an active leader in developing a framework and building a bespoke media operations team in support of client operational excellence.
- Serve as a key partner in overseeing the management of delivery according to the SOW, including contracted guarantees.
- Track key operations-led activities, anticipate challenges, and raise appropriate flags to ensure timely execution of deliverables.
- Drive process adoption and optimization while maintaining integrity in a high-urgency, outcomes-oriented environment.
- Execute routine process and data quality checks to ensure accuracy and optimal efficiency, re-inventing processes as needed.
- Ensure accuracy of data pulls from various systems (e.g., MediaOcean/Prisma, Guidelines Planning).
- Monitor Standard Operating Procedures to identify problems and recommend process efficiency improvements in alignment with SOX requirements.
- Create training materials to document processes and instill best practices across teams.
Financial Operations- Serve as the media business partner across agency financial teams.
- Manage budgets and partner with media finance on billing and financial compliance.
- Build media budget forecasting and actualization processes, and partner with media finance on billing to ensure all reconciliations are completed according to client needs.
- Provide guidance and consultancy across budget hygiene from planning through billing handoff, working closely with key stakeholders including Media Strategy & Activation, Media Finance, and Corporate Accounting.
- Partner with Media Finance to establish an authorization process aligned with client needs.
- Prepare budget management and actualization reports drawing from Guidelines Planning and MediaOcean/Prisma.
- Work with internal stakeholders to resolve discrepancies prior to monthly billing.
- Analyze and explain variances.
- Prepare ad-hoc reports for internal and external clients.
- Manage the monthly budgeting process and coordinate resolution of forecast and billing-related issues.
- Work with the client to verify and reconcile issues with the reporting of actuals.
- Offer administrative support, training, and troubleshooting for the Guidelines Planning platform.
- Ensure team and personal deliverables are met on time; steward workflow and project management.
Client Relationship- Maintain client updates, develop and manage budgets, and identify and address media financial business challenges.
- Identify and communicate organizational or business challenges, working to deliver on the needs of the broader agency team and client as they pertain to media operations.
- Manage the client reconciliation process as it relates to timely review and adjustments for credits and debits.
- Serve as the primary contact for client finance questions and issues across Account Management, Media Operations Delivery, and the Client.
Leadership- Foster a collaborative culture, develop talent, and maintain strong stakeholder relationships.
- Liaise across all disciplines and business leaders for financial operations, legal matters, and other areas of media operations and compliance.
- Work closely with senior leadership across creative, analytics, search, and account functions to provide strategic media operations support.
- Actively develop junior talent and work with leadership to cultivate a consultative and growing team of advertising professionals and media technology experts.
Qualifications- University degree or college diploma, or equivalent work experience; preferred background in Marketing, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or Communications/Advertising.
- Media agency experience with a strong understanding of the inner workings of the agency model.
- 10+ years of overall industry experience with 7+ years in media operations.
- Strong financial acumen within the media space.
- Comfortable working with and organizing large data sets.
- Proven capabilities leading projects from conception to implementation.
- Demonstrated ability to manage concurrent projects.
- Excellent leadership skills with the ability to inspire and interact with all levels of staff.
- Effective presenter with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Organized, detail-oriented, and focused on accuracy with strong time management.
- Superior critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Additional informationThe Power of One starts with our people! To do powerful things, we offer powerful resources.
Our best-in-class wellness and benefits offerings include:
Paid Family Care for parents and caregivers for 12 weeks or more
Monetary assistance and support for Adoption, Surrogacy and Fertility
Monetary assistance and support for pet adoption
Employee Assistance Programs and Health/Wellness/Comfort reimbursements to help you invest in your future and work/life balance
Tuition Assistance
Paid time off that includes Flexible Time off Vacation, Annual Sick Days, Volunteer Days, Holiday and Identity days, and more
Matching Gifts programs
Flexible working arrangements
'Work Your World' Program encouraging employees to work from anywhere Publicis Groupe has an office for up to 6 weeks a year (based upon eligibility)
Business Resource Groups that support multiple affinities and alliances
The benefits offerings listed are available to eligible U.S. Based employees, are reviewed on an annual basis, and are governed by the terms of the applicable plan documents.
We also offer medical and voluntary benefits to our freelancers and temporary employees. Voluntary benefit options include supplemental medical insurance, transportation, and parking benefits, legal benefits, pet insurance, and auto and home insurance.
You must be actively employed for 90 consecutive calendar days in order to be eligible for Publicis medical and voluntary benefits. You will also be eligible to participate in the Publicis 401(k) Plan after you complete 1,000 work hours in a consecutive 12-month period.
Compensation Range: USD $149,340.00 - USD $239,148.00/Annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. This role may also be eligible for bonus or incentive compensation. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. Temporary roles may be eligible to participate in our freelancer/temporary employee medical plan through a third-party benefits administration system once certain criteria have been met. Temporary roles may also qualify for participation in our 401(k) plan after eligibility criteria have been met. For regular roles, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be 8/14/2026.
