AVP, Media Strategy, Planning and Execution

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic AVP for Media Strategy and Planning to oversee millions of in-house media spend across North America! The successful candidate will be responsible for leading media buys with all major publishers, including Google, Meta, X, LinkedIn, and others. This role requires a strategic leader who can manage a team of 20+ members and drive media planning, strategy, execution, and publisher relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead media buys with major publishers such as Google, Meta, X, and others.
• Develop and complete detailed media plans and strategies.
• Lead a team of 20+ media professionals, providing guidance, mentorship, and performance management.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with media publishers and partners.
• Monitor and analyze media performance, optimizing campaigns for maximum return on investment.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align media strategies with overall business goals.
• Stay updated with industry trends and standard methodologies in media trading and execution.
• Apply deep expertise in attribution modeling and first-party data.
• Develop and implement compelling campaign storytelling strategies.
• Experience with in-sourcing media teams, ad trafficking, and ad operations.
• Develop audience segmentation strategies.
• Optimize existing campaigns to achieve Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) or Lifetime Value (LTV).
• Manage the SEO team & strategies to improve organic search performance and visibility.
• Experience with MarTech platforms (Adobe, SFMC, Zeta, etc.), especially the ability to connect owned channels and paid media channels for the purpose of personalization.

What motivates you?

• You obsess about customers, listen, engage and act for their benefit.
• You think big, with curiosity to discover ways to use your agile approach and enable business outcomes.
• You thrive in teams and enjoy getting things done together.
• You take ownership and build solutions, focusing on what matters.
• You do what is right, work with integrity and speak up.
• You share your humanity, helping us build a diverse and inclusive work environment for everyone.

What we are looking for

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Advertising, Business, or a related field.
• MBA preferred but not required
• Proven experience in media trading and execution, with a focus on digital media.
• Solid understanding of media buying platforms and tools.
• Excellent leadership and team management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
• Experience with Media Mix Modeling.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience managing large media budgets and working with major publishers.
• Advanced degree in Marketing, Advertising, or a related field.
• Certifications in digital marketing or media buying.
• Expertise in attribution modeling and first-party data.
• Experience in campaign storytelling.

What can we offer you?

• A competitive salary and benefits packages.
• A growth trajectory that extends upward and outward, encouraging you to follow your passions and learn new skills.
• A focus on growing your career path with us.
• Flexible work policies and strong work-life balance.
• Professional development and leadership opportunities.

Our commitment to you

• Values-first culture: We lead with our Values every day and bring them to life together.
• Boundless opportunity: We create opportunities to learn and grow at every stage of your career.
• Continuous innovation: We invite you to help redefine the future of financial services.
• Delivering the promise of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: We foster an inclusive workplace where everyone thrives.
• Championing Corporate Citizenship: We build a business that benefits all partners and has a positive social and environmental impact.

#LI-Hybrid

About Manulife and John Hancock

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. To learn more about us, visit https://www.manulife.com/en/about/our-story.html.

Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At Manulife/John Hancock, we embrace our diversity. We strive to attract, develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the customers we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or religious beliefs, creed, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other ground protected by applicable law.

It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact recruitment@manulife.com.

Salary range is expected to be between

If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact recruitment@manulife.com for the salary range for your location. The actual salary will vary depending on local market conditions, geography and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training. Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance.

Manulife offers eligible employees a wide array of customizable benefits, including health, dental, mental health, vision, short- and long-term disability, life and AD&D insurance coverage, adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits, and employee/family assistance plans. We also offer eligible employees various retirement savings plans (including pension and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources. Our generous paid time off program in Canada includes holidays, vacation, personal, and sick days, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence. If you are applying for this role in the U.S., please contact recruitment@manulife.com for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.