[Hiring] Associate Director, Programmatic @Dept

Role Description

The Associate Director, Programmatic is responsible for leading the deployment function for one of our largest enterprise clients, ensuring programmatic strategies are translated into flawlessly executed campaigns at scale. This role oversees the people, processes, and operational standards required to build, launch, optimize, and maintain complex enterprise media programs.

This role serves as the senior day-to-day leader for the deployment team, overseeing Managers and Associates while fostering a culture of accountability, precision, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

You’ll be responsible for:

• Lead and mentor a team of Managers and Associates across U.S.-based, nearshore, and offshore teams, fostering professional growth, accountability, and a high-performing team culture.
• Partner closely with the Strategy/Performance and Ad Ops teams to translate strategy into execution and ensure optimizations are implemented accurately and efficiently.
• Own the successful deployment lifecycle across all campaigns within your team's remit, overseeing campaign build, trafficking, QA, launch, optimization implementation, and post-launch validation.
• Lead campaign architecture and account structure development, establishing scalable frameworks that support performance, reporting, optimization, and operational excellence.
• Serve as the senior escalation point for deployment challenges, launch risks, tracking discrepancies, platform troubleshooting, and operational issues.
• Identify, test, and operationalize AI-powered solutions that streamline campaign deployment, quality assurance, project management, documentation, and optimization workflows.
• Lead internal project management across programmatic deployment efforts, developing deployment roadmaps, launch calendars, implementation checklists, and operational documentation.
• Collaborate effectively across functional departments to deliver seamless campaign execution.
• Continuously identify, build, and scale process improvements, automation, and AI-enabled workflows.
• Promote DEPT®'s values while creating an inclusive, collaborative environment that supports learning, innovation, and growth.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of programmatic media experience within an agency environment, including experience supporting large, complex, enterprise-level clients.
• Advanced proficiency across leading programmatic platforms, including The Trade Desk, DV360, Amazon DSP, and Google Ads.
• Deep expertise in campaign architecture, account structure development, media deployment, quality assurance, trafficking, launch management, and optimization implementation.
• Proven experience leading and developing teams, with the ability to coach, influence, and create opportunities for others to grow.
• Extensive experience managing complex deployment workflows across multiple stakeholders, timelines, and workstreams.
• Strong understanding of project management principles, operational planning, launch governance, and process development.
• Confident mastery of campaign troubleshooting, measurement validation, tracking verification, and quality assurance.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust, stay organized, manage competing priorities, and deliver high-quality work.
• A "get sh*t done" mentality when it comes to solving operational challenges.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify risks and improve processes.
• A collaborative, curious, and solutions-oriented approach aligned with DEPT®'s values and culture.

Requirements

• Trello or Project Management experience.
• Natural curiosity around AI and automation, with a demonstrated ability to identify opportunities to transform operational workflows.

Benefits

• Healthcare, Dental, and Vision coverage.
• 401k plan, plus matching.
• PTO.
• Paid Company Holidays.
• Parental Leave.