We are Mindstream Media Group, a smart, nimble media agency built to deliver outsized results for our clients. Our story is not about outspending larger agencies and hold cos. It is about out-thinking and out-working competitors. Our core disciplines are media strategy, media planning, media investment, marketing science, analytics, and measurement. We thrive as bold strategic advisors to deliver strong and measurable business outcomes, and we live our core values for our clients and for each other every day: Accountability, Tenacity, Resourcefulness, Innovation, and Collaboration.

We are looking for an Associate Director, Media Strategy who leads through strong strategic thinking and collaboration. In this role, you will support the development of media strategies, help guide junior team members, and partner closely with senior leaders to ensure plans are grounded in insight and aligned to business goals. You will play a key role in connecting the dots across teams, contributing to smart, actionable strategies, and helping bring them to life in a clear and compelling way.

The ideal candidate understands how to connect media, creative, marketing science, and client needs, and can help translate complex ideas into clear, actionable approaches.

Responsibilities:

• Support the development of media strategies by understanding the context behind each ask, plan, or pitch
• Translate strategic direction into clear guidance for planners and activation teams
• Contribute to campaign briefs, including goals, media objectives, audience insights, creative considerations, timelines, and success metrics
• Assist in building thoughtful audience strategies grounded in motivations, behaviors, and journeys
• Provide input on budget allocation and channel recommendations based on insights and performance data
• Ensure alignment between media strategy and messaging, creative, and placements
• Contribute to the narrative of media plan presentations, helping communicate strategy and expected outcomes clearly
• Partner with Marketing Science to support testing frameworks, measurement approaches, and reporting needs
• Stay informed on industry trends and share relevant insights with the team
• Support client communication by contributing to presentations, POVs, and proactive recommendations
• Help mentor and guide junior team members, fostering strong collaboration and quality of work

Requirements:

• Minimum 5 to 7 years of experience in strategic planning, marketing strategy, media strategy, or creative strategy
• Strong understanding of media, marketing, and the evolving tech landscape, including AI
• Previous agency experience strongly preferred
• Strong writing and communication skills
• Ability to simplify complex ideas into clear, actionable insights
• Collaborative mindset with experience working across cross-functional teams including media, creative, and analytics
• Organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities
• Proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
• New business or pitch experience is a plus