Senior Media Manager - Paid Media & Performance

The Challenge

Most agencies staff senior roles with people who are good at managing up and delegating down. We need someone who's good at the actual work. Our clients need a strategist who can build the plan, defend it to a skeptical CMO, and optimize it when reality doesn't match the forecast. You'll own accounts end-to-end with real P&L accountability—not "support" them from the sidelines.

What You'll Own

• Full P&L accountability for 4-6 accounts
• Strategic media planning: channel mix, budget allocation, testing roadmaps
• Direct client relationships—you're the face of performance for your accounts
• Mentorship of Media Coordinators and Specialists on your accounts
• Identifying scaling opportunities and when to pump the brakes
• Complex problem-solving: when attribution breaks, compliance flags campaigns, or performance craters—you fix it

How You'll Know You're Winning

• Your book of business hits or exceeds client KPIs consistently
• Clients renew and expand because of your strategic leadership
• You've developed at least one Coordinator into a Specialist within 12 months
• You can present to a CMO and make them smarter about their business
• The Media Director is pulling you into new business pitches
• You're building playbooks and processes that make the whole team better

Day-to-Day Impact

• 35% - Strategy and optimization across your accounts (channel mix, budget allocation, scaling decisions)
• 25% - Client leadership (weekly calls, QBRs, strategic planning)
• 20% - Team development and QA oversight for junior team members
• 15% - Reporting and analysis that drives decisions, not just documents results
• 5% - New business support and pitch development

Real example: Monday you're restructuring a client's Meta account after iOS changes tanked performance. Tuesday you're presenting a quarterly plan to a CMO. Wednesday you're coaching a Coordinator through their first solo client call. Thursday you're troubleshooting a complex pixel setup with our tech partner. Friday you're in a pitch meeting for a new prospect.

Our Operating Style - We're ex-founders who built and sold our own companies, so we operate differently. No bureaucracy, no hand-holding, no "that's not my job" attitudes. You'll have real ownership of client relationships and business outcomes. Small team, high standards, real impact on client growth.

Requirements

Your Background

• 4-6 years managing paid media, with at least 2 years owning accounts end-to-end
• You've managed meaningful budgets and can speak to results
• Deep Meta expertise is non-negotiable; strong Google skills required
• You've built media strategies, not just executed someone else's plan
• Experience presenting to clients and stakeholders who ask hard questions
• You understand incrementality, MMM concepts, and why last-click attribution lies
• Bonus: You've managed or mentored junior team members

Benefits

The Role & Growth Path

Title: Senior Media Manager

Band: $75-95K

Department: Paid Media & Performance

Reports to: Media Director

Growth path: Success here leads to Media Director ($100-125K) within 18-24 months

Benefits: Health, dental, vision, and 401K match

Location: In-office, NYC Garment District

Start: Q1 2026