Programmatic Media Group Manager

The Programmatic Media Group Manager is a highly experienced and influential leader responsible for shaping, executing, and optimizing Citi's programmatic media investments, specifically leading Citi’s programmatic media team. This pivotal role requires over 10 years of progressive experience, demonstrating expert-level, hands‑on proficiency in leading media activation platforms, coupled with strategic oversight of technical implementations, advanced optimization methodologies, and rigorous analysis of performance and quality metrics.

The incumbent will lead a hands‑on-keyboard team, safeguarding Citi’s brand while driving significant business outcomes, managing and mentoring programmatic professionals, and ensuring robust governance and operational excellence. Reporting into the Head of Media Transformation and AdTech, this role is essential in influencing both Citi’s internal approach and the broader industry ecosystem through best‑in‑class strategic technology partnerships, positioning Citi at the forefront of a privacy‑first, opt‑in advertising experience.

• Strategic Leadership & Team Management:
  Lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing in‑house team of programmatic media analysts and coordinators. Oversee day‑to‑day operations, foster a culture of continuous learning, ensure high performance, and facilitate career growth for team members. Experience building and scaling an in‑house programmatic media team is a significant plus.
• Advanced Platform Strategy & Execution:
  Define and lead Citi’s future‑proof platform capabilities strategy, identifying, evaluating and implementing best‑in‑class solutions for media activation, sophisticated optimization and robust measurement. Maintain expert‑level, hands‑on proficiency in leading programmatic buying platforms, including non‑negotiable expertise in DV360, to guide advanced campaign architecture, intricate bid strategies, and complex optimization challenges. Experience with Amazon and Yahoo DSPs is a nice to have.
• Key Vendor Management & Partnerships:
  Cultivate and lead strategic relationships with core programmatic vendors and technology partners. This includes driving joint business plans, fostering innovation, negotiating favorable terms, evaluating new vendor capabilities and managing existing vendor performance to align with Citi’s long‑term vision and media strategy.
• Deep Analytical & Optimization Leadership:
  Direct the application of advanced analytical insights, guiding the team in identifying actionable strategies from deep programmatic metrics including supply path optimization, attention data, sustainability metrics and comprehensive media quality indicators.
• Agency & Partner Oversight:
  Provide senior strategic oversight and expert guidance for all agency programmatic strategies and operations, ensuring alignment with Citi’s objectives and best practices.
• Governance & Operations:
  Establish and enforce comprehensive governance frameworks for all programmatic media activities. This includes managing risk and control processes, ensuring meticulous documentation of strategies and execution, overseeing quality assurance (QA) protocols, facilitating internal and external audits, and managing billing forecasting and reconciliations for programmatic media spend.
• AdTech Commercial & Legal Strategy:
  Drive the AdTech contracting process, ensuring optimal transparency, control and preferred rates. Collaborate extensively with Citi legal and compliance teams to navigate approvals for new and emerging technology utilisation.
• Thought Leadership & Internal Advocacy:
  Serve as a subject matter expert, simplifying complex programmatic technology and vernacular for diverse internal groups. Champion the AdTech vision, delivering compelling narratives and influencing multiple levels of leadership across various organizations.
• Appropriately assess risk when business decisions are made, demonstrating particular consideration for the firm’s reputation and safeguarding Citigroup, its clients and assets, by driving compliance with applicable laws, rules & regulations, adhering to policy, applying sound ethical judgment regarding personal behaviour,…