Group Manager - Media Strategy

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About the role

Group Head, Strategy (Media and Comms) for Automotive account. You will lead the thinking on how Client's motorcycles, scooters and EVs get advertised across India, and be the senior person the client turns to on media and communications.

• Account: Automotive (two-wheelers, scooters and EVs)
• Function: Strategy, Media and Communications
• Reports to: Business Head / VP Strategy
• Location: Bangalore
• Employment: Full time

What this role is for

The Automotive Client spends a lot on advertising, and that spend should rest on a proper understanding of buyers, the category and competitors. The Group Head makes sure it does. You own how media and communications strategy comes together for the account's brands, from national launches to regional and dealer level activity, and you represent the agency's strategic view with the client.

What you will do

Strategy and planning

• Build and own the yearly media and communications strategy for Client's brands, from commuter motorcycles to premium bikes, scooters and EVs.
• Turn consumer, category and competitor insight into clear choices on audience, channel and message, including regional and language specific plans.
• Lead strategy for launches, festive season campaigns and always-on brand work.
• Agree with the client's analytics and sales teams how effectiveness will be measured: reach, consideration, leads, test rides and sales.
• Guide the media mix across TV, digital, social, influencers, OOH, print, radio, retail and dealer activation, along with partnerships and sponsorships.

Working with the client

• Be the senior strategic contact for Client's marketing leadership. Present strategy, reviews and recommendations.
• Keep an eye on changes in the business and the category, and bring the client ideas before they ask.
• Work with creative, digital, data and production teams so the strategy shows up in the final work.
  

Leading the team

• Lead and mentor the strategy and media planning team, from senior planners to executives.
• Set the standard for plans, decks and reports, and review work before it goes to the client.
• Encourage testing and learning, and make sure good results get shared within the team.

Business side

• Work with the planning across media functions, buying and trading teams.
• Help grow the account and contribute to new business generation in the group.

Experience and qualifications

• 9 to 12 years in media, communications or brand strategy, with at least 5 years leading teams, in an agency or on the marketing side of a large advertiser.
• Work on automotive, two-wheeler or similar high spend, high involvement categories. EV experience is a plus.
• Hands-on experience building integrated plans across traditional and digital media for national brands with strong regional reach.
• Comfortable presenting to CMO level and senior marketing stakeholders.
• Graduate degree needed. MBA or a postgraduate degree in marketing, communications or business is preferred.

Skills we are looking for

• Strategic thinking: can take messy data and consumer insight and turn it into a clear point of view and a plan people can act on.
• Strong command of TV, digital, OOH, print, radio and retail media, and how they work together in an automotive purchase journey.
• Good understanding of India's two-wheeler market, including differences between regions, and between rural and urban buyers.
• Comfortable with budgets, media economics and measuring effectiveness.
• Persuasive in the room, with clear writing and good storytelling.
• A people leader who develops talent, gives honest feedback and keeps a high bar.
• Works well with creative, digital, data and client teams without slowing things down.

What the first year should look like

• The yearly media and comms strategy is agreed with the client before the next planning cycle starts, with a measurement framework attached.
• At least two major launches or campaigns planned and run on a strategy the client credits for the results.
• A stable team, with a development plan for each senior member.
• Client feedback that shows the agency is involved early in their decisions.
• Media efficiency and effectiveness measures improved against the agreed baseline.

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