Planning Director

Overview

At Croud, Planning Directors are responsible for growing our clients' businesses by matching incisive strategy with the plan to deliver it. As part of our Strategy & Planning team, you will be the main point of contact for our clients, requiring strategic smarts, detailed knowledge of media and media planning, and the ability to build transformative partnerships with senior marketing leaders. The successful candidate will have a client‑centric approach, exceptional communication skills, and a self‑starter attitude, taking the lead on multiple projects at once.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with senior client stakeholders to identify and solve key marketing challenges, collaborating internally to produce strategy with broad buy‑in and media plans.
• Steer Croud's relationships with key clients, gaining a deep understanding of their commercial drivers, and map the client's organisation with the Client Partner to identify key stakeholders.
• Be present at every stage of the campaign planning process: interpreting objectives, creating measurement frameworks, writing incisive strategy, building testing methodologies, and diagnosing performance.
• Conduct cross‑channel media planning, ensuring investment decisions are rigorously informed by all available data.
• Create media strategy covering all paid media channels, both online and offline.
• Oversee measurement and testing strategy across channels, driving constant improvements in performance.
• Oversee audience, market and competitor intelligence projects to provide insightful, actionable work.
• Drive revenue through existing account growth and contribution to business development.
• Turn complex marketing problems into strategies to present back to clients.
• Represent Croud at industry events, public speaking and thought leadership activities.
• Manage a Planning team within a client hub, including line management of one or more Planning Managers.
• Oversee the creation of high‑quality, timely deliverables for clients and ensure accurate billing from media campaigns.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated in‑depth experience as a Planner or Account Director (or equivalent).
• Experience developing integrated campaign strategies that deliver measurable client outcomes across both online and offline channels.
• Experience with print planning, and ideally buying.
• Experience in CPG and/or multi‑brand retail (bonus, not required).
• Experience working with luxury brands across sectors, and a strong understanding of luxury consumers.
• Extensive experience presenting to clients and selling ideas to senior stakeholders.
• Hands‑on experience with key digital marketing platforms: Google Analytics, Google Ads, Facebook Ads Manager, DV360.
• Hands‑on experience with industry planning & insight tools (e.g., TGI, GlobalWebIndex, Comscore) is a nice‑to‑have.
• Ability to transform data into actionable insights.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel/Google Sheets and Microsoft PowerPoint/Google Slides.
• Proven track record of winning major accounts and turning pitch strategy into industry‑leading performance.
• Client‑centric mindset, exceptional communication, self‑starter, adaptability, resilience, analytical thinking, risk tolerance, and the knack to question the status‑quo while seeing a clear path to success.

Benefits

• Paid sabbatical after 7 years (unpaid option after 5 years).
• 25 days holiday per year.
• Discretionary annual performance‑based incentive.
• Sale commission.
• Recruitment referral bonus.
• Health & Wellbeing contribution.
• Two Recharge Days each holiday year.
• Ride‑to‑Work scheme.
• Railcard season ticket loan.
• Home office screen.
• Daily office perks: free fruit, breakfast cereals, snacks, tea & coffee.
• Weekly complimentary lunch.
• Enhanced primary and secondary family leave, extended parental leave, and shared family leave.
• Life insurance and income protection.
• Medical cash plan.
• Pension.
• Curated 3rd‑party learning platform and access to Croud Campus.
• Peer‑to‑peer recognition scheme "bonusly".
• Team off‑sites / regular socials.
• Year‑round holiday parties.
• Flexible working options.
• Day to make a difference.
• Standard hours 9:00am to 5:30pm; flexibility as agreed with line managers and occasional outside hours may be required.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Croud is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the grounds of gender, marital status, race, religion, colour, age, disability or sexual orientation. All candidates will be assessed based on merit, qualifications and their ability to perform the requirements of the role. Internal candidates may also be considered.