Primary Responsibilities

Planning Ownership

- Own the full planning process on assigned accounts — brief through flowchart, R&F; analysis, channel rationale, and measurement framework — with limited oversight required.

- Interrogate every brief before planning begins.

- Is the budget sufficient for the stated goals?

- Are the KPIs measurable and connected to business outcomes?

- Is the audience defined specifically enough to drive targeting decisions?

- Apply R&F; benchmarks to validate that plans achieve media sufficiency.

- Build channel mix rationale grounded in audience insight, not habit or default allocation.

- Connect media decisions to the client's growth challenge, not just their channel preferences.

- On accounts without an embedded Strategy resource, hold the strategic foundations: 5C's analysis, growth challenge articulation, and a workable comms framework to plan from.

Research &

- Audience

- Lead competitive and market research on assigned accounts using MediaRadar, Pathmatics, and category sources — surfacing what it means for the plan, not just what it shows.

- Build and analyze audience profiles using Scarborough, Arima, Experian, and Placer.ai, translating behavioral insight into channel and messaging implications.

- Stay current on media effectiveness research, channel best practices, and industry trends — bring them to the plan proactively, not when asked.

Measurement &

- Performance

- Collaborate with analytics on defining KPIs and success metrics before the plan is finalized.

- Support with measurement frameworks that connect media activity to business outcomes.

- Monitor in-flight performance and flag pacing issues, R&F; shortfalls, or optimization opportunities.

Team Development





- Provide direct guidance and feedback to Associate Manager(s) and Associate Planners.

- Review junior planners' work with a coaching lens — explain the why, not just the fix.

- Model the brief interrogation and planning rigor you expect from others.

Tools &

- Operations

- Proficient and independent across core tools:

- Planning & buying: Guideline, Strata, MarketMate

- Research & intelligence: Scarborough, Arima, MediaRadar, Placer.ai

- Reporting & productivity: Radio Locator, Excel, PowerPoint, Asana

- Use AI tools (including Claude) to accelerate research, analysis, and drafting — not to replace judgment.

- Maintain accurate budget tracking and flowcharts; own the handoff to Investment with no gaps.

Experience

- 4–6 years of integrated media planning experience across digital and traditional channels.

- Demonstrated independence in plan development — owns the process, not just the outputs.

- Experience with hyperlocal and franchise/multi-unit clients a plus.

- Telecom and CPG industry vertical experience is a plus.

- At least one year in a role with responsibility for reviewing or guiding junior work.

Skills &

- Knowledge

- Solid working knowledge of reach, frequency, and media sufficiency principles — can apply them, not just describe them.

- Ability to interrogate a brief and identify gaps before planning begins.

- Proficient across planning, research, and reporting tools listed above.

- Understands how channel decisions connect to business and audience outcomes — not just media metrics.

- Solid written and verbal communication; can present a plan rationale clearly and defend it when pushed.

- Attention to detail that shows up in the work, not just in a self-description.

📌 MANAGER - MEDIA PLANNING (Bengaluru)
🏢 Bandhan Technologies
📍 Bengaluru