Optimization Strategist, Executive Accounts (Social and Display)

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USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. We seek to inspire, inform, and connect audiences as a sustainable, growth focused media and digital marketing solutions company. Through our trusted brands, including the USA TODAY NETWORK, comprised of the national publication, USA TODAY, and local media organizations, including our network of local properties, in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom, we provide essential journalism, local content, and digital experiences to audiences and businesses. We deliver high-quality, trusted content with a commitment to balanced, unbiased journalism, where and when consumers want to engage. Our digital marketing solutions brand, LocaliQ, supports small and medium-sized businesses with innovative digital marketing products and solutions. USA TODAY Co. open roles are featured on various external job boards. When applying to a position at USA TODAY Co., you should be completing an application on USA TODAY Co. Careers via Dayforce. Job postings directing you to complete an application on other external sites may not be valid. To connect with us, visit www.usatodayco.com

The Optimization Strategist will work in a pod structure with Account Managers to support our largest clients, providing strategic insights and recommendations for Paid Social and Display campaigns. While Account Managers are responsible for client facing communication, the Optimization Strategist is the principle responsible for day-to-day campaign management, optimization, and reporting. Their primary focus is on analyzing campaign performance data to constantly refine targeting specific audience segments, ad creative and placements, and deliver results through data-driven insights.

This role will require direct management of social and ad operation marketing platforms, and partner with Account Management teams on overall client strategies and KPIs.

Position Requirements:

Our ideal candidate must have a background in digital marketing with applied experience in Paid Social channels including Meta, Youtube, Snapchat and Tiktok, as well as display. Candidates must have a minimum of three years working knowledge and understanding of the digital marketing landscape. The Optimization Strategist candidate must be a self-starter, be proactive, can work independently on tasks, work well with a team, follow through on projects. Candidates must have advanced knowledge of Microsoft suite products including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, and excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Duties include creating audience targeting strategy and achieving set ROI goals, determining target audience demographics and settings, deploy engaging ad creative strategy, manage day-to-day campaign performance and identifying real-time trends, and participate in client advertising performance discussions.

Position Responsibilities:

Monitor, evaluate, and leverage digital marketing knowledge to manage campaign performance and determine actionable improvement opportunities; from a proactive standpoint

Troubleshoot and resolve performance issues using best practices while creating new, innovative solutions to meet the changing needs of our clients

Develop and advise on technical marketing strategies by understanding client business goals, assessing feasibility, and identifying marketing and advertising opportunities for our clients

Build rapport with internal partners including digital and marketing staff members such as Account Managers, Sales Representatives, Ad Operations, and design teams, through routine and scheduled interactions

Incorporate constantly evolving technologies and processes into the client solution delivery process

Be comfortable analyzing data and using it to inform optimization strategies

Capable of using data to tell a story and help the client understand what is driving performance

Key Skills:

Technical expertise with a strong understanding of creative best practices, social platform algorithms, audience tools and management platforms.

Data analysis with the ability to interpret complex data sets, draw actionable insights, and make data-driven decisions to optimize campaigns; strong Excel skills required

Exceptional communication skills to collaborate with cross-functional teams, present findings, and explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders

Collaborate with designers to optimize the creative for maximum view through and click through results

Proactively look for expansion and optimization opportunities on a regular basis and stay current in the channel’s landscapes and make innovative recommendations

Manage to specific KPIs for both the individual, assigned customers and the greater Gannett business as a whole

Key Competencies

Customer Focus

Establish and maintain effective relationships with internal partners to help drive ROI for our customers

Demonstrate dedication to meeting client expectations and performance requirements

Collaboration

Ability to collaborate with Account Management colleagues on shared clients and retention goals

Work well with international fulfillment support and creative teams

Organization:

Able to manage time and prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment

Organize tasks, deliverables and meet commitments on time and strive to overdeliver on SLA deadlines

Reporting/Analytical Thinking

Capable of interpreting data and making campaign optimizations to improve and prove performance

Quickly identify the symptoms and underlying cause of problems

Ability to report, interpret and relay campaign data in an actionable format

Business Process and Technology Acumen

Capable of quickly mastering business processes

Ability to master technology solutions

Conflict Management

Excels at and understands the importance of focused and active listening

Can find common ground and explains differing viewpoints comprehensively

About You:

Bachelor’s Degree (i.e. General Business, Economics, Finance, Marketing, Advertising or Public Relations)

Must have 3+ years hands-on experience optimizing online/digital advertising campaigns

Must have 2+ years of analytics/reporting experience

#LOCALiQ

The annualized base salary for this role will be $45, 000,00 - $55,000.00.  Variable compensation is not reflected in these figures and based on the role, may be applicable. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, location, and union representation, if applicable.

USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a diverse workforce. As such, we will consider all qualified applicants for employment and do not discriminate in connection with employment decisions on the basis of an applicant or employee’s race, color, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, marital status, personal appearance (including height and weight), sexual orientation, family responsibilities, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy status (including childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), education, genetic characteristics or information, political affiliation, military or veteran status or other classifications protected by applicable federal, state and local laws in the jurisdictions where USA TODAY Co. employs employees. In addition, USA TODAY Co., Inc. will provide applicants who require a reasonable accommodation, as a result of an applicant’s disability or religion, to complete this employment application and/or any other process in connection with an individuals’ application for employment with USA TODAY Co., Inc. Applicants who require such accommodation should contact USA TODAY Co., Inc.’s Recruitment Department at Recruit@usatodayco.com. Applicants must be authorized to work in the applicable location. Applications from outside these regions will be removed from our system after submission.