Manager, Digital Media – Programmatic

Manager, Digital Media – Programmatic

Hawthorne | Los Angeles, CA or Remote

Reports To: SVP, Digital Media

About Hawthorne: Hawthorne Advertising is a data driven performance marketing advertising Agency providing innovative Marketing Science, Performance Analytics, and Integrated Creative and Media solutions to manage and optimize advertising campaigns for top multinational brands.

Hawthorne Advertising does not offer, nor cover the cost of, employer-sponsored work visas for this position. Applicants must have current, independent authorization to work in the United States.

Profile: The Manager, Digital Media – Programmatic is responsible for the execution, optimization, and performance oversight of programmatic media campaigns across DSP platforms and publisher ecosystems. This role serves as a programmatic subject matter expert within the agency, executing campaign strategy, advanced optimization techniques, and media innovation initiatives to drive client performance outcomes.

The Manager partners closely with internal leadership, account teams, analytics, and external media partners to drive scalable, data-driven programmatic solutions across multiple client accounts. In addition to campaign leadership, this role is responsible for cultivating publisher relationships and negotiating programmatic buying opportunities including Private Marketplace (PMP) and Programmatic Guaranteed (PG) deals to maximize campaign efficiency, inventory quality, and performance.

This position is ideal for a highly analytical and strategic programmatic media professional with 3-6+ years of experience who has demonstrated success managing complex campaigns, mentoring junior team members, and driving measurable business outcomes within a fast-paced agency environment.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree with 3-6+ years of experience in digital media, with a primary focus on programmatic advertising
• Demonstrated experience leading and optimizing complex programmatic campaigns across multiple verticals and KPIs
• Advanced hands-on proficiency with DSPs including: The Trade Desk Amazon DSP & additional enterprise programmatic buying platforms preferred
• Strong understanding of:
• Audience targeting and segmentation strategies
• Inventory sourcing and supply path optimization
• Advanced bidding methodologies
• Measurement frameworks and attribution models
• Budget forecasting and pacing strategy
• Data integrations and audience onboarding
• Proven ability to independently develop optimization strategies and drive performance improvements at scale
• Experience negotiating and activating:
• Private Marketplace (PMP) deals
• Programmatic Guaranteed (PG) deals
• Preferred Deals and direct publisher partnerships
• Strong understanding of publisher ecosystems, inventory quality, viewability, brand safety, and supply-side dynamics
• Experience collaborating directly with publishers, SSPs, and media vendors to secure strategic inventory opportunities
• Working knowledge of broader digital media channels to support integrated campaign planning and execution
• Advanced proficiency in Excel for pacing, forecasting, performance analysis, and data validation
• Strong proficiency in PowerPoint for executive-level and client-facing presentations
• Strong analytical thinking, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to manage multiple accounts, campaigns, and priorities simultaneously in a deadline-driven agency environment
• Agency experience strongly preferred

Role Accountabilities:

• Lead the strategic execution and optimization of programmatic media campaigns across assigned accounts
• Own campaign performance outcomes and ensure alignment with client business objectives and KPIs
• Translate client and media strategies into scalable programmatic activation plans
• Provide leadership and guidance to junior team members and support ongoing programmatic development across the team
• Identify opportunities for innovation, testing, automation, and operational efficiencies
• Establish and manage publisher relationships to unlock strategic inventory opportunities and added value
• Negotiate and execute PMP and PG deals to support campaign performance, audience targeting, and media efficiency goals
• Monitor campaign health, pacing, profitability, and delivery to ensure efficient use of client investment
• Contribute strategic insights and marketplace intelligence to improve agency-wide programmatic capabilities

Responsibilities:

• Lead, execute, manage, and optimize programmatic media campaigns across platforms such as The Trade Desk, Amazon DSP, and other programmatic platforms
• Oversee campaign setup, QA, launch execution, and ongoing optimization strategy across assigned accounts
• Analyze campaign performance data and proactively identify optimization opportunities related to:
• Targeting strategy
• Bid management
• Inventory sourcing
• Creative performance
• Audience segmentation
• Supply path optimization
• Develop strategic performance recommendations and present insights to relevant stakeholders
• Manage campaign budgets, pacing, forecasting, and financial stewardship across multiple campaigns
• Collaborate with analytics, account, creative, and media planning teams to ensure integrated campaign execution and alignment with broader media objectives
• Build and maintain relationships with publishers, SSPs, and media vendors to evaluate inventory opportunities and emerging solutions
• Negotiate, activate, and manage:
• Private Marketplace (PMP) deals
• Programmatic Guaranteed (PG) deals
• Strategic publisher partnerships
• Evaluate publisher proposals and inventory opportunities to ensure alignment with client KPIs, audience strategy, and media quality standards
• Monitor inventory quality, brand safety, fraud prevention, and viewability performance across campaigns
• Mentor and support junior team members by providing guidance on campaign management, troubleshooting, optimization approaches, and platform best practices
• Stay current on evolving programmatic technologies, platform capabilities, privacy regulations, and industry trends
• Support testing initiatives and innovation efforts across audience strategy, measurement, creative formats, and inventory approaches
• Assist leadership in developing programmatic best practices, workflows, and operational efficiencies
• Complete additional duties and projects as assigned based on company needs

SALARY

Annual salary range of $80,000 - $85,000. Compensation will be determined based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience and skills.

HAWTHORNE BENEFITS

Finance Resource Planning

Lunch and Learns - Including 401k planning and more!

Paid Legal Services with Rocket Lawyer - Elder Care and Family Support Resources

Flexible Vacation Policy

Bereavement Benefits

Growth and Development Program

Mentorship Program

Remote or Hybrid Working Options

Family, Spouse and Single Health, Dental, Vision Insurance options - Includes Telehealth Services

Health Savings Account - Family, Spouse, Single

Flexible Spending Account - Medical and Dependent Care options

Hawthorne Paid and Voluntary Life Insurance options

All Work at Home Equipment is provided - Laptop, Motors, Etc.

Paid Community Hours - Renews Annually

And More!