Director Channel Operations Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

The Opportunity
This role provides a rare chance to develop a new function as Adobe moves advertising operations in-house, replacing outside agencies with an AI-based engine. It requires working at the crossroads of strategy, data, and hands-on work, with real sway over global advertising for a Fortune 500 company.
Team Mission
Lead and develop the team that converts marketing strategy into media plans for Adobe's Global audience segments (Business Professionals, Creative Professionals, and Creators). Adobe is internalizing paid media execution and establishing a new "Channel Planning" function to connect strategy with practical execution.
What you'll Do
Key Initiatives

• Build and manage a group of Channel Planners located in key regions (America, EMEA, APAC, Japan). These individuals bridge marketing strategy and the buying desk, guaranteeing global consistency in media planning while adapting to local nuance.
• Own the "Adobe on Adobe" story, ensuring all regions are bringing to bear Adobe adtech, where it makes sense (GenPem, AEP, RTCDP, etc)
• Take responsibility for the framework guiding this new team's interaction with regional marketing leaders. Establish clear ways to handle critical issues, decision rights, and expectations. Schedule formal reviews every 3-6 months to ensure the approach is effective.
• Collaborate with Adobe's media-buying team in India
• Drive smarter audience targeting and data-sharing across regions and campaigns, and manage partnerships with ad platforms (to unlock better rates, credits, and support)
• In partnership with Ops, set standards for how campaigns are tagged, organized, and quality-checked before they become available

Scope & Direct Reports

• Director-level leader directly managing a global team of (6) Channel Planners
• Americas-based, with monthly international trave to stay connected with in-market regional Channel Planners and local Media Strategy teams
• Peers include the heads of regional marketing strategy groups and the leader of the India-based buying team
• Works closely with (but doesn't directly manage) the buy desk, analytics, strategy, and engineering partners
• Define how Adobe plans and accomplishes advertising campaigns for years to come, starting with paid social and growing from there
• Balance consistent global standards with the reality that every region has different pricing, language, and regulatory needs

First 90-Day Deliverables:

• Hire and build out the core team
• Arrange routine meetings with regional marketing leaders, the new planning team, and the India-based buying team
• Audit how campaigns currently get planned, tagged, and quality-checked
• Stand up the playbook and process for how the planning team hands work to the buying team when there is a blocking issue

What you need to succeed

• 10+ years in digital advertising/media, with 5+ years leading media buying or campaign execution teams
• Proven track record building new teams or functions from scratch
• Strong hands-on knowledge of digital ad platforms and the technology used to target audiences and measure campaigns
• Experience standardizing how a media team operates across multiple regions or markets
• Excellent skill at influencing collaborators and managing change - this role will need agreement from multiple regional leaders
• Self-starter, comfortable both setting direction and rolling up their sleeves

Nice-to-Haves:

• Experience working with Adobe's marketing and advertising tools specifically
• Experience managing overseas or offshore execution teams
• Experience across both business (B2B) and consumer advertising
• Background connecting the planning side of advertising to the execution/buying side

About Adobe
Adobe empowers everyone to create through innovative platforms and tools that unleash creativity, productivity and personalized customer experiences. Adobe's industry-leading offerings including Adobe Acrobat Studio, Adobe Express, Adobe Firefly, Creative Cloud, Adobe Experience Platform, Adobe Experience Manager, and GenStudio enable people and businesses to turn ideas into impact, powered by AI and driven by human ingenuity.
Our 30,000+ employees worldwide are creating the future and raising the bar as we drive the next decade of growth. We're on a mission to hire the very best and believe in creating a company culture where all employees are empowered to make an impact. At Adobe, we believe that great ideas can come from anywhere in the organization. The next big idea could be yours.
Let's Adobe together
At Adobe, we believe in creating a company culture where all employees are empowered to make an impact. Learn more about Adobe life, including our values and culture, focus on people, purpose and community, Adobe for All, comprehensive benefits programs, the stories we tell, the customers we serve, and how you can help us advance our mission of empowering everyone to create.
Adobe is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on gender, race or color, ethnicity or national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Learn more.
Adobe aims to make our Careers website and recruiting process accessible to any and all users. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation to navigate our website or complete the application process, email accommodations@adobe.com or call +1 408-536-3015.
AI Use Guidelines for Interviews:
Our interviews are designed to reflect your own skills and thinking. The use of AI or recording tools during live interviews is not permitted unless explicitly invited by the interviewer or approved in advance as part of a reasonable accommodation. If these tools are used inappropriately or in a way that misrepresents your work, your application may not move forward in the process.
At Adobe, we empower employees to innovate with AI - and we look for candidates eager to do the same. As part of the hiring experience, we provide clear guidance on where AI is encouraged during the process and where it's restricted during live interviews. See how we think about AI in the hiring experience.
Expected Pay Range:
Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several U.S. geographic markets, and we pay differently based on those defined markets. The U.S. pay range for this position is $157,300 -- $315,100 annually. Pay within this range varies by work location and may also depend on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the job location during the hiring process.
In California, the pay range for this position is $217,600 - $315,100
At Adobe, for sales roles starting salaries are expressed as total target compensation (TTC = base + commission), and short-term incentives are in the form of sales commission plans. Non-sales roles starting salaries are expressed as base salary and short-term incentives are in the form of the Annual Incentive Plan (AIP).
In addition, certain roles may be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of a new hire equity award.
State-Specific Notices:
California:
Fair Chance Ordinances
Adobe will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and "fair chance" ordinances.
Colorado:
Application Window Notice
Aug 06 2026 12:00 AM
If this role is open to hiring in Colorado (as listed on the job posting), the application window will remain open until at least the date and time stated above in Pacific Time, in compliance with Colorado pay transparency regulations. If this role does not have Colorado listed as a hiring location, no specific application window applies, and the posting may close at any time based on hiring needs.
Massachusetts:
Massachusetts Legal Notice
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.