Media Director
Cactus is an independent creative advertising agency based in Denver, Colorado and we are on the hunt for a Media Director to join our growing media team, elevate our media capabilities, and act as our media lead within key client relationships. You'll be at the forefront of developing insightful, data-driven media plans that seamlessly connect with compelling creative, ultimately delivering powerful campaigns that resonate and drive measurable outcomes for our clients. This is a full time position, with a preference for someone located in Denver (we have a hybrid in-office / work from home policy), but we are open to remote for the perfect candidate.
The Media Director is a senior media leader responsible for developing and executing high-impact paid media strategies across Cactus’s client portfolio. This role owns the full media practice on a set of accounts — from strategy and planning through execution, optimization, and measurement — while leading, mentoring, and growing the media team beneath them.
The right candidate brings deep cross-channel expertise, sharp instincts for complex client relationships, and the process-building mindset to scale a growing practice. This is a role for someone who doesn’t just manage campaigns — they shape how we work, what we offer, and how we grow.
Salary:
$135,000 - $150,000 commensurate with experienceLocation:
This is a Denver preferred role with 3 days in office, 2 days WFH. Remote considered for the right candidate.Employee Benefits
- Comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision for Employee and Family
- 401k Retirement Savings Plan with 4% match
- Flexible Benefit/Cafeteria Plan
- $50,000 Life Insurance, short-term and long-term disability on all full time employees at no cost to the employee
- $475 per year for Continuing Education and Professional Memberships
- $30 per month wellness reimbursement
- $100 per month Transportation/Parking Allowance
- 8 paid Holidays along with 1 week between Christmas and New Years and Birthday
- Four weeks paid time off for childbirth recovery and an additional, separate four weeks bonding time for moms, dads, and adoptive parents
- Customary profit-sharing distribution in December, based on agency business performance
- Unlimited Time Off
Job Roles
CLIENT LEADERSHIP & STRATEGY:
Serve as the senior media point of contact for key accounts, owning the client relationship at the strategy and leadership level.
Navigate complex, high-stakes client environments with confidence, composure, and a solutions-oriented mindset.
Develop media strategies that are anchored in business objectives and integrated with creative thinking — not just channel plans.
Lead quarterly and annual media planning processes, presenting recommendations with clear rationale, supporting data, and measurable goals.
Anticipate client needs, proactively identify risks, and bring forward-thinking recommendations before problems arise.
Translate complex media concepts into clear, compelling narratives for non-media stakeholders.
TEAM LEADERSHIP & DEVELOPMENT:
Lead, mentor, and manage a team of media planners, buyers, and associates — setting clear expectations, coaching performance, and developing talent.
Develop and document media team processes, workflows, and quality standards to increase consistency and scalability across accounts.
Collaborate closely with creative, strategy, and account teams to ensure media and creative are aligned from brief through delivery.
Drive a culture of accountability, curiosity, and continuous improvement within the media practice.
Partner with leadership on team capacity planning, hiring, and media capability development.
ADVANCED MEDIA PLANNING & EXECUTION:
Develop sophisticated, multi-channel media plans across digital (paid social, paid search, programmatic, CTV/OTT, audio, display) and traditional channels (broadcast TV, radio, OOH).
Lead audience strategy development including first-party data integration, segmentation, and targeting architecture.
Oversee media investment decisions, vendor relationships, and negotiation of rates, added value, and custom programs.
Ensure media execution quality, pacing, and performance across all active campaigns.
Identify and evaluate emerging media opportunities, formats, and platforms relevant to client business goals.
ADVANCED ANALYTICS & MEASUREMENT:
Lead the development and deployment of advanced measurement frameworks including media mix modeling (MMM), multi-touch attribution (MTA), and incrementality testing.
Define measurement strategies at the outset of each engagement, ensuring alignment between business KPIs and trackable media outcomes.
Partner with data and analytics resources to build reporting infrastructure that surfaces actionable insights, not just metrics. Embrace AI as a key counterpart in the development of these resources.
Drive optimization recommendations informed by performance data, trend analysis, and competitive intelligence.
Educate clients and internal teams on the value, limitations, and practical application of advanced measurement methodologies.
Stay current on the evolving measurement landscape, including the deprecation of third-party cookies, clean room solutions, and privacy-safe data strategies.
PROCESS BUILDING & PRACTICE DEVELOPMENT:
Identify gaps in current media tools, processes, and ways of working — then build the systems to close them.
Develop and refine agency-wide media planning templates, channel playbooks, and optimization frameworks.
Contribute to new business pitches, POVs, and thought leadership that demonstrate Cactus’s media sophistication.
Evaluate and recommend media technology, data partnerships, and vendor relationships that expand agency capabilities.
Qualifications
10+ years of paid media experience, with at least 3 years in an Associate Director, Director-level or senior lead role at an agency.
Proven track record managing complex client relationships at a senior level, including experience navigating challenging stakeholder dynamics with professionalism and strategic clarity.
Expertise across digital and traditional media channels: paid social, SEM, programmatic, CTV, broadcast, radio, OOH, retail media, influencer and evolving media.
Demonstrated experience with advanced measurement methodologies including media mix modeling and multi-touch attribution.
Strong team leadership skills — you’ve built, managed, and developed a team and have the track record to show for it.
Experience developing agency processes, planning frameworks, or capability-building initiatives.
Excellent presentation and communication skills; able to lead executive-level client conversations with confidence.
Proficiency in media planning tools, ad platforms (Meta Ads Manager, Google Ads, DV360, The Trade Desk), and reporting/analytics tools.
Experience in regulated or government-adjacent categories (e.g., gaming, lottery, financial services, healthcare).
Familiarity with performance-based media programs.
Experience working with or procuring media mix modeling from vendors such as Nielsen, Analytic Partners, or similar.
Background working in or alongside a creative agency, with appreciation for the intersection of media and creative thinking.
Comfort with first-party data strategy, clean rooms, and privacy-safe measurement frameworks.
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