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Associate Media Planner Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Mindgruve

Media Strategy Associate

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$28 - $30/hr

We are looking for a Media Strategy Associate to join our dynamic media department. In this ... This role offers the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in media planning for a nationally ...

Albertsons

Media Manager - Retail Media

Pleasanton, CA · On-site

$135K - $141K/yr

End to end planning mindset - how do we do the optimal media approach at scale & deliver results ... Associate discounts * Health and financial well-being benefits for eligible associates (Medical ...

Albertsons

Media Manager - Retail Media

Pleasanton, CA · On-site

$95K - $123K/yr

End to end planning mindset - how do we do the optimal media approach at scale & deliver results ... Associate discounts * Health and financial well-being benefits for eligible associates (Medical ...

Albertsons

Media Manager - Retail Media

Pleasanton, CA · On-site

$135K - $141K/yr

End to end planning mindset - how do we do the optimal media approach at scale & deliver results ... Associate discounts * Health and financial well-being benefits for eligible associates (Medical ...

WPP Media

Associate Director, Planning

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

About WPP Media WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. With exceptional ... As an Associate Director of Planning, your primary objective is to supervise all implementation ...

YUM

Sr. Associate Manager, Precision Media

Irvine, CA · On-site

$122 - $138/hr

Taco Bell is seeking a Senior Associate Manager of Precision Media to lead and scale our integrated ... Proven track record in cross-channel media planning and buying across digital channels; deep ...

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsAssociate Media Planner JobsAssociate Media Planner Jobs in California

Associate Media Planner information

See California salary details

$10.9K

$82.4K

$143.6K

How much do associate media planner jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for associate media planner in California is $82,406.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $41,400.00 and $123,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an associate media planner do?

An Associate Media Planner assists in developing and executing media strategies for advertising campaigns. They research target audiences, analyze media consumption habits, and help select the most effective channels to reach potential customers. Their duties often include creating media schedules, tracking campaign performance, and coordinating with vendors. This role is typically entry-level and provides a foundation for advancing within the field of media planning.

What skills and qualifications are needed to thrive as an associate media planner?

To thrive as an Associate Media Planner, you need strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and a degree in marketing, advertising, or a related field. Familiarity with media planning tools such as Nielsen, comScore, and buying platforms like MediaOcean or Prisma is commonly required. Excellent communication, organization, and teamwork abilities help you collaborate effectively with clients and internal teams. These skills ensure strategic media placements that maximize campaign impact and meet client objectives efficiently.

What are typical challenges an associate media planner might face when working on multiple campaigns simultaneously?

As an Associate Media Planner, managing several campaigns at once can be challenging due to tight deadlines, shifting client priorities, and the need to coordinate with various internal and external stakeholders. You may need to balance competing demands while ensuring that each campaign is executed accurately and efficiently. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and clear communication are essential for handling overlapping timelines and making sure that deliverables meet clients’ expectations.

What is the difference between Associate Media Planner vs Media Buyer?

AspectAssociate Media PlannerMedia Buyer
ResponsibilitiesAssists in developing media strategies, research, and campaign planningExecutes media placements, negotiates with vendors, and manages ad buys
Skills & CertificationsKnowledge of media planning tools, basic analytics, and industry standardsNegotiation skills, familiarity with media platforms, and industry certifications
Work EnvironmentCollaborative team setting within advertising agencies or media firmsFast-paced environment focused on media transactions and placements

While both roles work within media and advertising, the Associate Media Planner primarily supports campaign planning and research, whereas the Media Buyer focuses on executing media buys and negotiations. Understanding these differences helps clarify career paths and employer expectations in media advertising.

What are the most commonly searched types of Media Planner jobs in California?

The most popular types of Media Planner jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Associate Media Planner jobs in California?

For Associate Media Planner jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Associate Media Planner jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Associate Media Planner jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Associate Media Planner jobs?

Cities in California with the most Associate Media Planner job openings:

What are popular job titles related to Associate Media Planner jobs in CA?

For Associate Media Planner jobs in CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Associate Media Planner jobs near you
Infographic showing various Associate Media Planner job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 66% Full Time, 29% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $82,406 per year, or $39.6 per hour.

Associate Director, Performance Media

CourtAvenue

San Diego, CA • On-site

$110K - $130K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 10 days ago

Job description

CourtAvenue is a company of industry experts accelerating digital transformation for the world's most ambitious companies.
At CourtAvenue, you will be a part of a culture powered by entrepreneurs, technologists, data scientists and the habitually restless dedicated and energized to design products and services that transform businesses while optimizing them for growth. You will have the opportunity to learn and grow within a culture that values innovation while focusing on redesigning the experience between consumer and service (or product) by leveraging a fluid, seamless, and thoroughly transparent engagement.
About the Role
Performance media moves fast: new platforms, new AI tools, new signals to chase every quarter. We're looking for someone who genuinely loves being in the middle of that, and wants to build the systems that help a whole team get better at it together.
As Associate Director, Performance Media, you'll lead our Centers of Excellence across Paid Search, Paid Social, Programmatic, Retail Media, and emerging channels, setting the standards, frameworks, and training that help our specialists do their best work. You'll stay hands-on: jumping into platforms to troubleshoot, test, and optimize alongside your team, not just reviewing their work from a distance.
This role is built for someone who knows performance media inside and out and is ready to bring that expertise to a team, whether you've been managing people for years or you're a strong senior specialist ready for your first shot at leading. You'll partner closely with Media Strategy, Analytics, Creative, and Data.
What You'll Own
Performance Media Leadership
  • Lead the Performance Media Centers of Excellence across Paid Search, Paid Social, Programmatic, Retail Media, and emerging activation channels.
  • Set the playbook: best practices, governance, quality standards, documentation, and operating procedures across every performance discipline.
  • Keep us ahead of the curve by evaluating new platforms, automation opportunities, AI solutions, and industry shifts.
  • Drive cross-channel planning strategies that maximize efficiency and business impact.
Channel Expertise & Activation
  • Be the go-to platform expert across Google Ads, Search Ads 360 (SA360), Microsoft Ads (Bing), DV360, Amazon DSP, Amazon Ads, Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Reddit.
  • Stay hands-on in core platforms, jumping in for campaign launches, optimizations, troubleshooting, audits, and escalations.
  • Lead advanced audience strategies, bidding methodologies, attribution approaches, automation initiatives, and measurement frameworks.
  • Champion activation quality across every performance channel.
Team Leadership & COE Development
  • Lead a team of about 4 Performance Specialists and Channel Leads.
  • Coach, mentor, and develop channel experts, helping them grow technically and in their careers.
  • Build the onboarding programs, certification paths, and training curricula that help the whole team level up.
  • Run quality assurance reviews and set the bar for executional excellence.
  • Encourage knowledge-sharing across channel teams so great ideas travel.
Performance Strategy
  • Build data-driven testing and optimization strategies that continuously improve channel performance.
  • Lead full-funnel planning across Search, Social, Programmatic, Retail Media, and emerging channels.
  • Design testing roadmaps and learning agendas that keep performance improving quarter over quarter.
  • Partner with Analytics on measurement plans, attribution strategies, incrementality testing, and reporting frameworks.
Client Engagement
  • Be the platform expert clients turn to for channel performance and optimization questions.
  • Bring your channel-level insights, optimization recommendations, and testing results into reporting reviews as needed.
  • Translate what's happening in the platforms into clear, useful takeaways for client contacts.
  • Help clients navigate the fast-changing media landscape, including privacy shifts, AI advancements, and new platform capabilities.
Financial & Operational Excellence
  • Keep media investment on track with accurate budget pacing, forecasting, and performance efficiency across accounts.
  • Own accountability for channel-level KPIs including ROAS, CPA, and CAC, partnering with Analytics and Media Strategy on incrementality testing.
  • Spot opportunities to work smarter, improving scalability without sacrificing quality.
  • Partner with leadership on resource planning, staffing, and building the team's capabilities.
  • Loop in Media Strategy leadership when client conversations move from execution into budget or business strategy.
What You Bring
  • 7-9 years in performance marketing, with working knowledge across Paid Search, Paid Social, and Programmatic.
  • Experience mentoring, coaching, or informally leading channel specialists. Formal people-management experience is a plus, not a must. If you're a strong senior specialist ready for your first opportunity to lead a team, we want to hear from you.
  • Hands-on experience with at least four of: Google Ads, Meta, DV360, Amazon DSP or Amazon Ads, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, Microsoft Ads, enough to execute, troubleshoot, and optimize directly when it counts.
  • Strong working knowledge of audience strategy, attribution, measurement, and conversion tracking across multi-channel campaigns.
  • Experience managing media investments of approximately $100M+ across accounts or business units.
  • The ability to turn performance data into clear, actionable recommendations for day-to-day client and internal conversations.
  • Strong communication and leadership skills, and comfort operating in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
Preferred Qualifications:
  • Depth across all three channel types (Search, Social, Programmatic).
  • Familiarity with Search Ads 360 and/or DV360 as distinct managed platforms.
  • Retail media experience, including Amazon Ads or other retail media networks.
  • Experience building operational processes, channel governance frameworks, or Centers of Excellence from the ground up.
  • Platform certifications across Google Marketing Platform, Meta, Amazon Ads, TikTok, or LinkedIn.
  • Experience across both regulated (Rx) and non-regulated (OTC) categories: a plus, not required; we'll help you learn the ropes.
How We Work
  • We follow a structured hybrid model: in the office midweek, remote on Mondays and Fridays.
  • Ideally based near our Chicago, IL or San Diego, CA offices.

$110,000 - $130,000 a year
CourtAvenue, INC. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. CourtAvenue recruits qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran, or genetic information.
CourtAvenue, INC. participates in the E-Verify program. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form (I-9) upon hire.
CourtAvenue, INC. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. CourtAvenue recruits qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran, or genetic information.
CourtAvenue, INC. participates in the E-Verify program. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form (I-9) upon hire.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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