Digital Marketing/Communications Manager: Paid Media Buying — Publisher Direct, Endemic Trade & Programmatic

Responsibilities

• Develops and evolves the annual endemic media plan, defining publisher mix, placement types, flighting, and budget allocation against campaign and business objectives.
• Negotiate rates, added value, and contract terms directly with trade publishers, evaluating rate cards against audience quality, historical performance, and comparable market benchmarks.
• Manages the full buy cycle from RFP and proposal evaluation through insertion order execution, trafficking, in-flight monitoring, make-good resolution, and post-campaign reconciliation.
• Assesses publisher audience composition, circulation and traffic claims, and third-party verification data to determine whether a placement reaches the intended buyer audience.
• Establishes scalable frameworks for publisher evaluation and renewal decisions, including performance thresholds that determine which partners scale, hold, or sunset.
• Maintains the publisher relationship portfolio, conducting regular performance reviews and surfacing new inventory, formats, and first-look opportunities.
• Plans and executes sponsorship packages including newsletter takeovers, webinars, research reports, awards programs, and industry event presence.
• Develops creative briefs for custom content and sponsored editorial, partnering with Content and Brand Marketing teams to produce assets that meet publisher specifications and brand standards.
• Manages print placements including space reservations, material deadlines, mechanical specifications, and proofing coordination.
• Recommends and drives the balance between awareness-oriented sponsorship investment and direct-response placements based on program objectives and measured contribution.

Requirements

• This position is remote/work from home. You need to reside within the Eastern or Central Time Zones (Atlanta is preferred). If you live near any of the office locations listed, the role will be hybrid.
• Bachelor's degree in related discipline and 6 years' experience in a related field. The right candidate could also have a different combination, such as a master's degree and 4 years' experience; a Ph.D. and 1 year of experience; or 10 years' experience in a related field.
• Demonstrated experience buying media directly from publishers, including rate and contract negotiation, insertion order management, and post-buy reconciliation.
• Hands-on experience managing programmatic and paid social campaigns across demand-side platforms and self-serve buying platforms.
• Experience supporting multiple brands or business lines within a large, matrixed enterprise organization.
• Analytical thinking at a skilled level; interprets performance data, identifies root causes, and makes well-reasoned, data-based recommendations on media investment.
• Negotiation and vendor management; secures favorable terms and holds publishers and agencies accountable to committed deliverables.
• Business process management; builds repeatable processes and documentation where none exist and improves them as the function matures.
• Communication; explains media strategy, trade-offs, and results clearly to technical and non-technical audiences, including senior stakeholders.
• Collaboration and influence; works effectively across Marketing, Analytics, MarTech, Finance, and Supply Chain without direct authority.

Preferred

• Experience establishing a new capability or transitioning media buying from agency-managed to in-house is strongly preferred.
• B2B media experience preferred; endemic or trade publication buying experience is a significant advantage.

Benefits

• A competitive salary and top-notch bonus plans.
• Exceptional work-life balance, flexible time-off policies and accommodating work schedules.
• Comprehensive healthcare, with multiple options for individuals and families.
• Generous 401(k) retirement plans with company match.
• Professional development and continuing education opportunities.
• Inclusive parental leave policies, plus comprehensive fertility coverage and adoption assistance.
• Extra perks like pet insurance, employee discounts and much more.