Media Buyer

Summary/Objective: The Media Buyer is responsible for the accurate execution, monitoring, documentation, budget control, and reconciliation of approved traditional media buys. This role works closely with the Media Planner to ensure that all buys are implemented according to the approved media plan, budget, schedule, negotiated terms, and client requirements. The Media Buyer is the operational backbone of the media department — ensuring that every placement runs as planned, every budget is accounted for, and every discrepancy is resolved. This role demands exceptional organizational discipline, numerical accuracy, and the professional relationships to get issues resolved quickly and effectively with media vendors. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions - Execute approved media buys according to the media plan, budget, rates, schedules, placements, and conditions authorized by the Media Planner or Head of Media Investment. - Prepare and maintain media orders, advertising schedules, campaign calendars, purchase orders, and all related buying documentation. - Confirm that all orders accurately reflect the approved stations, programs, publications, markets, formats, dates, times, units, rates, placements, and added-value elements. - Monitor campaign delivery and ensure that media placements run according to the approved schedule, budget, and agreed conditions. - Identify preemptions, missed spots, under-delivery, incorrect placements, schedule changes, or other discrepancies, and follow up with media vendors until fully resolved. - Recommend operational adjustments that may improve delivery, budget utilization, and campaign effectiveness, subject to Media Planner approval. - Coordinate approved makegoods, credits, replacement placements, and schedule corrections with media representatives. - Maintain control of assigned budgets by tracking authorized, ordered, committed, billed, credited, and actual expenditures. - Review invoices against approved orders, schedules, rates, confirmations, and proof of performance; resolve billing discrepancies as needed. - Maintain accurate and organized records of media orders, schedules, approvals, invoices, credits, makegoods, affidavits, and proof of performance. - Monitor competitors' traditional media activity and notify the Media Planner of relevant changes in media usage, placement, or scheduling. - Build and maintain professional working relationships with approved media sales representatives and vendor contacts. - Manage multiple client accounts, media buys, schedules, budgets, vendors, and deadlines simultaneously. - Provide timely updates to the Media Planner regarding campaign execution, delivery, budget status, billing issues, and outstanding documentation. - Collaborate with internal teams to support the coordination of integrated campaigns, including schedules, materials, deadlines, status updates, and documentation. - Support the Media Planner and other internal teams as needed. Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Essential Functions: Campaign execution & placement management - Place, confirm, and maintain all approved traditional media buys across assigned client accounts. - Verify that every order accurately reflects approved parameters — stations, programs, formats, rates, dates, and placements — before campaigns go live. - Monitor live campaign delivery daily, flagging delivery issues, preemptions, or missed placements immediately upon detection. Budget tracking & financial reconciliation - Track all budget activity across authorized, ordered, committed, billed, credited, and actual spend for each assigned campaign. - Audit…