Paid Media Specialist

Who We Are

At Donovan, we’re a passionate team committed to delivering unmatched 360° marketing solutions to Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) companies. With a deep understanding of the entire food chain—its who, how, and why—we build stronger, more meaningful relationships, rolling up our sleeves to tackle challenges and deliver exceptional results.

Why Work With Us

At Donovan, we embrace a collaborative and innovative culture that prioritizes working smarter every day. Our mission is to provide comprehensive and forward-thinking solutions for our clients—no excuses.

If you thrive in a fast-paced, problem-solving environment where building relationships, flexibility, and positive energy are celebrated, Donovan is the place for you.

Role Summary

This role is programmatic-first, requiring expertise in audience targeting, real-time bidding, and DSP management—while maintaining a strong working knowledge of the broader paid media ecosystem (Search, Social, Retail Media).

From strategy through execution and reporting, this role ensures campaigns are not only launched effectively—but continuously optimized to drive measurable business outcomes.

Responsibilities

Programmatic – (50%)

• Lead the planning, execution, and optimization of large-scale programmatic display and video campaigns across DSP platforms working with the Director of Paid Media
• Build and manage audience strategies, including first-party, third-party, contextual, and lookalike targeting
• Oversee real-time bidding (RTB) strategies, budget pacing, frequency controls, and inventory selection
• Translate campaign goals into programmatic media plans, aligning audiences, inventory, and KPIs
• Continuously optimize campaigns using performance data (CTR, CPM, CPA, ROAS, viewability, etc.)
• Conduct A/B testing across creative, audience, and bidding strategies to improve efficiency and performance
• Partner with internal teams to ensure proper tracking, tagging, and pixel implementation
• Stay ahead of programmatic trends, privacy shifts, and evolving ad tech capabilities

Cross-Channel Paid Media Strategy – (50%)

• Develop and support full-funnel paid media strategies that integrate programmatic, Search, Social, and emerging channels
• Manage and optimize campaigns across Google Ads, Meta, and other platforms as needed to support client goals
• Ensure channel alignment and budget allocation strategies maximize overall campaign performance—not just siloed results
• Analyze cross-channel performance to identify insights, efficiencies, and opportunities for scale
• Build and deliver clear, insight-driven reporting, translating data into actionable recommendations for clients and internal teams
• Collaborate with Account and Content teams to ensure messaging, creative, and media strategies are fully aligned
• Manage multiple client accounts with agility, balancing priorities in a fast-paced agency environment
• Apply best practices across all paid channels while adapting to each platform’s role within the broader strategy

Skills Required

• Strong hands-on experience with Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) (Example: Basis)
• Deep understanding of programmatic ecosystem (SSPs, exchanges, ad servers, DMP/CDP integrations)
• Experience with audience targeting strategies (retargeting, contextual, behavioral, geo, endemic)
• Working knowledge of Search and Social platforms (Google Ads, Meta) to support integrated planning
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into actionable insights
• Experience with campaign trafficking, tagging, and troubleshooting across platforms
• Understanding of attribution models and performance measurement across channels

Qualifications

• 2+ years’ experience in programmatic media buying or digital media planning (agency experience preferred)
• Familiarity with real-time bidding (RTB), campaign setup, and optimization workflows
• Comfortable presenting performance insights to internal teams and clients
• Experience with Google Analytics and/or other measurement platforms
• Google Ads or programmatic platform certifications are a plus
• CPG or retail experience is a plus

Salary

$60,000 – $68,000 DOE

• Actual base salary determined on a case-by-case basis and varies on job-related knowledge and skills, education, and relevant job and industry experience
• Position will report to Director of Paid Media
• Local candidates only