VP, Programmatic Strategy & Operations

We're hiring a VP of Programmatic Strategy & Operations to serve as the right hand to the SVP of Programmatic & Activation Technology. This is a rare seat: you'll be operating at the intersection of strategic media development, cross-functional partnership, and operational excellence — across a 33+ person team managing over a quarter of a billion in annual media investment for some of the most demanding brands in the country.

Responsibilities

Lead the strategic development of programmatic media plans - including full architecture: channel selection, DSP strategy, audience construction, deal structures (PMP, PG, open market), and budget allocation logic; Design media strategies that span CTV, display, video, DOOH, and emerging formats; Translate client briefs and investment strategies into sophisticated, defensible programmatic plans; Demonstrate mastery of how the programmatic ecosystem interconnects: DSPs, SSPs, DMPs, CDPs, clean rooms, identity graphs, bid infrastructure, and ad servers; Serve as the internal authority on the evolving landscape: signal loss, identity resolution, contextual targeting, attention metrics, MFA/brand safety; Own the relationship between programmatic and the broader biddable ecosystem; Partner with activation technology and engineering on proprietary tooling (PACER, InSite AI, SPO); Build measurement frameworks that answer real business questions: incrementality, path-to-conversion, cross-channel attribution, and audience quality; Partner closely with analytics and data science teams to develop custom testing frameworks: DSP bakeoffs, incrementality studies, reach/frequency analysis, and outcome-based measurement; Own the reporting narrative for key accounts; Build non-standard reporting frameworks for accounts where standard metrics don't capture real value; Maintain hands-on fluency across the major DSP environments — DV360, The Trade Desk, Amazon DSP — including advanced features; Understand trafficking structures, pixel implementation, brand safety controls, frequency logic, and bid landscape mechanics deeply enough to identify where errors originate and how to prevent them; Provide technical direction on audience strategy: segmentation logic, lookalike modeling, suppression lists, contextual targeting layers, and data marketplace evaluation; Evaluate and pressure-test new ad tech partnerships with genuine technical rigor; Serve as the primary operational lead for the programmatic team; Directly manage Directors and Associate Directors across national and regional account pods; Bridge programmatic with investment, strategy, analytics, and local teams; Partner with the SVP on org design, hiring, and the staffing model

Requirements

10+ years in programmatic media with progressive responsibility; Expert-level knowledge of the programmatic ecosystem: not just how to run campaigns, but how DSPs, SSPs, identity, data, and measurement actually work together (and where they break); A track record of developing sophisticated programmatic strategies — plans that go beyond standard templates and reflect genuine thinking about how media drives business outcomes; Real experience building measurement frameworks beyond last-click: incrementality, multi-touch, brand lift, custom attribution — and the ability to partner with analytics teams to execute them; Deep technical platform knowledge: DV360, The Trade Desk at minimum, plus working familiarity with ad servers, CDPs, clean rooms, and identity solutions; Experience managing senior direct reports (Directors and above) with the emotional intelligence to coach, challenge, and retain high performers under pressure; Agency experience required — you understand how to navigate internal politics, manage client expectations, and build cross-functional alignment in a complex org structure; Automotive account experience strongly preferred

Nice to have

Automotive account experience

Benefits

Generous medical, dental, vision, pet insurance, commuter benefits, disability and life insurance coverage; 401(k) matching; up to 14 holidays per year; a “Do Good Day”; unlimited PTO; employee social and wellness events; DEI Council; auto purchase rebate program; monthly wellness allowance; in-office amenities such as fresh kombucha and an in-house barista; continuous training and workshops for career development