Post to 100+ job boards and hire in days, not weeks.
Indeed Platinum Partnership Sales & Support: +1 (480) 360-6463

Media Planner job description template

If you are hiring for this role, start here. This free template is our detailed definition of the position, with everything you need to find and hire the right person. Copy it, add your own requirements, and post it.

Free job description below
Median pay
$60,964per year, about $29 an hour
Range$30,500 to $80,500 a year
Hourly$15 to $39 an hour
Also calledDigital Media Planner, Media Director, Campaign Manager
DepartmentMarketing and Communications
The role

What is a Media Planner?

Media Planners, also known as Media Specialists or Brand Strategists, are professionals who create and execute advertising campaigns and strategies for various clients.

They collaborate with clients to determine which type of media will reach their target audience and conduct research to identify the audience demographic, behavior, and buying habits.

Their goal is to maximize the impact of advertising campaigns through a range of platforms.

They also monitor the effectiveness and performance of campaigns and assess post-campaign results to implement changes and refinements.

What to screen for

The top Media Planner skills.

Five things separate a strong hire from a résumé that reads well. Use these as your scorecard criteria.

SkillWhy it matters
Analytical SkillsMedia Planners must be proficient in data analysis to make informed decisions. They need to analyze the target audience and their buying habits, demographic, and preferences, as well as previous campaign results and feedback. Once they make conclusions through analysis, Media Planners can determine the best source of action based on their findings.
CommunicationMedia Planners are in constant touch with other employees, clients, and various media outlets. To build and maintain positive and successful working relationships they must have extraordinary communication skills. Communication helps them liaise with clients, understand their needs, explain their ideas, and present the best media plans for their demands.
CreativityCreativity helps Media Planners brainstorm and implement unique advertising campaigns for their clients. Media Planners must be creative thinkers in order to promote products and services in an attractive way. Creativity allows them to engage customers, increase brand awareness, and come up with fresh and intriguing advertising solutions.
ResearchMedia Planners use research skills for various aspects of their job. Research helps them identify and learn about current market trends and customer behavior and preferences. Research findings then help them create more effective campaigns that will increase sales, brand awareness, and customer satisfaction.
OrganizationMedia Planners must have excellent organizational skills to stay on top of their responsibilities and tasks. Organization is important because it allows Media Planners to prioritize their duties, lead several projects at the same time, and keep track of large amounts of data and information.
Free template

The job description, ready to post.

Copy it as written, or edit it until it sounds like your company. Both work.

Media PlannerMarketing and Communications · Free to use and edit

Our company is hiring an organized and creative Media Planner to join our advertising department. As our Media Planner, your primary responsibility will be developing, implementing, and executing advertising campaigns and strategies for our clients on various media outlets. You will also be in charge of researching the target audience, studying their demographic, buying habits, and preferences, and implementing your findings into unique campaigns to increase brand awareness and customer satisfaction.

Additionally, you will monitor the performance and effectiveness of campaigns, assess post-campaign results, and recommend changes and refinements. You will select the best media outlet combination to reach the target audience and therefore achieve goals, and analyze feedback and campaign data.

Ultimately, you should have outstanding analytical, research, communication, organization, and creativity to become our new Media Planner!

Duties and responsibilities

  • Develop, implement, and execute advertising campaigns and strategies on various media outlets
  • Implement unique media strategies to attract and retain customers, increase brand recognition, and maintain customer satisfaction
  • Meet with clients to discuss their goals and objectives and develop appropriate media plans
  • Manage daily workflow of the department, including scheduling meetings, creating proposals and marketing materials, etc.
  • Identify the target audience and study their demographic, characteristics, behavior, and buying habits
  • Conduct market research to identify trends and collect relevant information
  • Gather and analyze information and feedback from newspapers, magazines, social media, and other media
  • Select the best media outlet combination to target specific audiences based on purchasing habits and other parameters
  • Assess post-campaign results and recommend changes and refinements to improve the performance
  • Manage and oversee campaign budgets and negotiate rates with stakeholders and media
  • Monitor the performance and effectiveness of advertising campaigns and ensure they align with the client or company’s objectives
  • Proofread and approve advertising content before releases
  • Maintain professional relationships with media, including newspapers, magazines, websites, etc.

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in marketing, advertising, media studies, business studies, or communications
  • Previous working experience as a Media Planner or a related position in advertising
  • Extensive knowledge of social media platforms and various media outlets
  • Proficiency with analytical and research tools
  • Outstanding communication and presentation skills
  • Ability to build and retain professional relationships with clients and media
  • Creative mind
  • Effective organization and time management
Add your pay range, benefits, and location before you post. Postings with a stated range get significantly more finished applications than the ones that leave it out.

Take the template with you

Copy it straight into your job board or ATS, or have it emailed to you with the interview questions for this role.

Education

What education this role needs.

Media Planners need at least a Bachelor’s degree in marketing, advertising, communications, business studies, or media studies to enroll in this field.

These degrees will provide them with knowledge in advertising strategy, media planning, research methods, statistics, and other relevant coursework.

Aspiring candidates are typically required to have a few years of previous working experience in the marketing or advertising industry to gain the necessary skills and expertise.

After the applications land

Sample interview questions for a Media Planner.

Once you have gathered the applications, work through these in order. Twelve questions across four areas, enough to tell your shortlist apart.

Personal
  • Could you tell us more about your background?
  • Do you have a favorite social media platform?
  • What interests you the most about marketing?
Human Resources
  • Could you briefly describe your experience as a Media Planner?
  • Would you be able to relocate for work if needed?
  • What is your biggest strength as a Media Planner?
Management
  • What is your experience with analytical and research tools?
  • How do you typically collect customer feedback from campaigns?
  • How do you effectively determine a client's goals and objectives?
Technical Skills and Knowledge
  • How do you imagine the future of advertising through media?
  • What would you do to improve and redefine a campaign that is not received well enough?
  • How would you carry out an important campaign if you are short on budget?
Pay

How much to pay when hiring.

Annual pay by percentile. Where you land depends on the size of the cycle they will own, and the 25th percentile is usually where a first analyst hire sits.

10th percentile$30,500
25th percentile$51,000
Median$60,964
75th percentile$67,000
90th percentile$80,500

Hourly equivalents run from $15 at the 10th percentile to $39 at the 90th.

Related job titles

Candidates may apply under a different name.

Post the title your industry uses and keep the rest of the description. These three roles overlap enough that the same posting usually reaches all of them.

Same work, different title

Three titles, one description.

Search behavior varies by industry, so the same job is advertised under several names. If you are unsure which one your candidates search for, run two titles and see which fills.

Digital Media Planner

Media Director

$112,704 median

Campaign Manager

$73,870 median
Questions

Frequently asked questions.

Where do Media Planners work?

Commonly, Media Planners work in advertising, marketing, media agencies, public relations firms, and large corporations.

What do Media Planners do?

Media Planners are professionals responsible for increasing brand recognition, sales, and customer satisfaction by developing and executing advertising campaigns and strategies based on market and customer research.

How much do Media Planners earn annually?

Media Planners earn between $30,500 and $80,500 per year.

What are the necessary qualifications for Media Planners?

Media Planners must have a Bachelor’s degree in marketing, advertising, communications, or business studies.

They must also have exceptional research, analytical, communication, creative, negotiation, and organizational skills.

More in finance

Other job description templates.

Same format, same free, same median pay data. Browse the full library if the role you are hiring for is not here.

Media Director

$112,704 median

Campaign Manager

$73,870 median

Advertising Manager

$88,300 median

You have the description. Now go find the person.

Paste this template into AvaHR, publish to 100+ job boards in one click, and screen every applicant in one pipeline. Free to start.

You'll never hire alone.