Head of Media & Digital Planning

Diageo was created in 1997 but its business is built on the principles and foundations laid years before by giants of the industry - Arthur Guinness, John Walker, Elizabeth Cumming and many more. Today, Diageo is a world class leader in beverage alcohol, producing an outstanding collection of over 200 brands. Its portfolio includes Guinness, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

CMD (Culture & Entertainment, Media and Digital) is a function which sits within the broader marketing team at Diageo but straddles other areas of the GB business (notably data, retail media and digital transformation). This newly formed role focuses on the development of strategies and ‘through-the-line' planning which ensure we are effectively deploying our GB marketing spend across both brand building and performance channels. The Head of CMD Planning, supported by a team of experienced planning managers, will also act as a bridge to the wider industry, upstreaming innovation, creativity, emerging channels, and significant developments within the media landscape. They will also nurture direct relationships with prominent media-brands to help our core products win in culture.

• Lead media strategy and planning across all 17 Diageo brands, increasing marketing effectiveness and return on investment through paid media, digital (data, paid social, search, eComm, DTC/websites, digital display), and owned/earned channels (influencers, talent and content). This role will help drive an ‘omnichannel' agenda in understanding the relationship between our brand and performance marketing efforts, ensuring ‘through-the-line' thinking across our campaigns to maximise our net return on marketing spend.
• Bring new perspectives and insight into Diageo as we look to navigate the evolving cultural and media landscape. Always adaptable to advising the business on how we adjust to/leverage emerging trends. Work closely with the Head of Activation to craft a test-and-learn agenda that identifies new consumer connection opportunities, driving successful business outcomes.
• Upstream insight, innovation, and creativity from within the industry to our Brand teams, and nurture direct relationships with prominent industry platforms/brands to ensure we are exploring/exploiting spaces and estate beyond standard media buys.
• Develop flexible planning principals (beyond reach and frequency) which complement our connections planning process and help us progressively evaluate media deployment in line with business growth (increased Vol, LT GP, and return on investment).
• Contribute to the evolution of our measurement and evaluation agenda to ensure all paid and earned media activity has a validated impact on business performance.

• Work closely with the brand teams, category directors and our agency partners to ensure our omnichannel readiness through media planning. Deliver world-class experiences across every physical and digital touchpoint: ensure all Diageo paid (media & digital), earned (influencer marketing, PR, talent and content) and owned (websites, owned assets) channels are seamlessly connected and delivering consistent world class physical and digital consumer experiences.
• Working with the Head of Activation to drive our "creativity with precision" agenda through implementational planning, helping us deliver data-driven personalization at scale across all our brands (employing Diageo's 1PD, and seeking 2/3PD opportunities).
• Help advise brand teams and senior collaborators on emerging channels and technologies, to ensure Diageo always retains a competitive, and progressive advantage.

• Build strong and effective relationships with other internal functions to explore how marketing output can build value in other areas of Diageo's business (consumer insight, geo-targeting opportunities, data collaborations beyond marketing etc).
• Own and lead strategic relationships with key agency partners, managing our planning resource and exploiting/exhausting skills and experience which exist beyond Diageo.
• Lead strategic relationships with key media owners and tech partners, collaborating at a senior level to enhance value, and enrich our existing planning processes.
• Manage, develop, and inspire a team of experienced planners working across media & digital marketing.

• 10+ years of proven experience delivering impactful strategies and planning through media and digital marketing, within agencies or client organizations.
• Demonstrated track record of tangible business results achieved through effective media strategy and planning. Through the line examples beneficial, but not essential.
• Possesses in-depth knowledge of current trends and innovations in media, tracking, analytics, and research.
• Experience working on large portfolio businesses/beverage alcohol is beneficial but not essential.

• Thrives in a fast-paced environment and embraces change.

• Possesses a strong ability to react quickly, adapt strategies, and maintain focus on delivering results.
• Navigates ambiguity with ease and leads effectively through complex scenarios.

• Not afraid to challenge the status quo, foster a test-and-learn culture, and constantly push boundaries.
• Proven leader who empowers team members, grants autonomy, and facilitates their growth and development.

• Expert communicator with experience navigating complex partner matrices within organizations.

• Digital marketing leader with deep expertise across all digital channels, planning, buying, and reporting systems and technologies (DSP, CDP, etc.).
• Proven experience in e-commerce, DTC, CRM, and omnichannel marketing initiatives.

• Confidently presents to collaborators and leadership at all levels.
• Navigates cross-functional teams and dynamics effectively, advocating for team objectives to achieve GB business goals.

• Possesses a comprehensive understanding of media measurement methodologies and execution across all paid and earned channels.
• Adept at crafting 1PD & 3PD strategies that deliver efficiencies and effectiveness.
• Experience designing audience strategies powered by data across media planning, buying, and measurement.