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Director Media Operations Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Director of Social Media

Arlington, VA ยท On-site

$105 - $115/hr

Director of Social Media Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity ... Oversee day-to-day social media operations, ensuring consistent and high-quality content that ...

GEICO is seeking an innovative Sr. Director, Media to lead the modernization of our media practice ... Product Marketing, Marketing Analytics, Marketing Operations, Creative, Performance Marketing and ...

GEICO is seeking an innovative Sr. Director, Media to lead the modernization of our media practice ... Product Marketing, Marketing Analytics, Marketing Operations, Creative, Performance Marketing and ...

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Director Media Operations information

See Reston, VA salary details

$35.4K

$112K

$186.7K

How much do director media operations jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 17, 2026, the average yearly pay for director media operations in Reston, VA is $112,026.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $78,500.00 and $141,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a director of media operations do?

A Director of Media Operations oversees the planning, execution, and optimization of a company's media campaigns across various channels, such as TV, digital, print, and social media. They manage media buying, negotiate contracts, and ensure campaigns align with overall marketing goals. This role involves leading a team, analyzing campaign performance, and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to maximize return on investment. The Director also stays updated on industry trends to implement best practices and innovative strategies.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a director of media operations?

To thrive as a Director of Media Operations, you need strong leadership abilities, strategic planning skills, and a deep understanding of media production and distribution, often supported by a degree in communications, media, or a related field. Familiarity with media management platforms, analytics tools, and project management software is typically required, along with knowledge of industry standards and compliance. Excellent communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills help you lead teams, manage complex projects, and foster collaboration across departments. These skills ensure efficient media operations, drive successful content delivery, and support organizational growth in a competitive media landscape.

How does a director of media operations typically collaborate with other departments to ensure successful media campaigns?

A Director of Media Operations regularly works cross-functionally with creative, marketing, sales, and analytics teams to align media strategies with broader business goals. They facilitate clear communication between departments, ensuring that campaign objectives, timelines, and budgets are understood and adhered to. Collaboration often includes leading planning meetings, approving media plans, and troubleshooting issues that arise during campaign execution. This role requires strong leadership and organizational skills to coordinate efforts and drive campaigns to successful outcomes.

What is the difference between Director Media Operations vs Media Manager?

AspectDirector Media OperationsMedia Manager
ResponsibilitiesOversees overall media strategy, manages teams, and aligns media campaigns with business goalsExecutes media campaigns, manages media buying, and monitors campaign performance
Required SkillsLeadership, strategic planning, media planning, analyticsMedia buying, campaign management, analytics
Work EnvironmentSenior leadership, cross-department collaboration, strategic planningOperational, campaign-focused, team coordination
Common UsageIn larger organizations or agencies, involved in high-level decision makingIn marketing teams, focused on day-to-day media execution

The main difference between a Director Media Operations and a Media Manager lies in scope and level of responsibility. The Director oversees strategic media initiatives and manages teams, while the Media Manager handles campaign execution and day-to-day media activities. Both roles require media planning and analytics skills, but the director's role is more strategic and leadership-oriented.

What job categories do people searching Director Media Operations jobs in Reston, VA look for?

The top searched job categories for Director Media Operations jobs in Reston, VA are:

What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Director Media Operations jobs?

Cities near Reston, VA with the most Director Media Operations job openings:

Infographic showing various Director Media Operations job openings in Reston, VA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 80% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 94% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $112,026 per year, or $53.9 per hour.

Associate Director, Media Buying

Bully Pulpit International

Washington, DC โ€ข On-site

$100K - $110K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 13 days ago


Job description

Bully Pulpit International is an outcomes agency made up of strategists, data scientists, and artists. We come from politics, brands, and government and we communicate without barriers and measure what matters. We have more than 400 team members in six countries and thirteen offices — Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, D.C., London, Los Angeles, New York, Oslo, San Francisco, and Zürich. We apply our unique expertise across strategic communications, public affairs, research, and digital marketing to create sophisticated and customized strategies that make change possible for both American and European clients.

The Impact You Will Make

In this position as an Associate Director, Media Buying, you will act as a core contributor to team priorities, effectively communicating the strategic value, operational rigor, and "why" behind media activation goals to the broader media team. You will also help develop, articulate, and evangelize BPI’s agency-wide approach to buying strategy, platform best practices, and technical execution. Additionally, you will conduct analysis into programmatic inventory, and vendor research to ensure BPI negotiates and executes highly effective, innovative, and market-leading media activations that drive measurable impact for our clients.

  • Starting Salary Range: $100,000 - $110,000 (+ annual bonus)
  • Expectation to work from one of our offices (Chicago, DC, NYC, SF, LA) at least 3 days a week

What the Day-to-Day Looks Like

Media Strategy & Execution

  • Able to run most mid-spend clients + campaigns independently. Responsible for overseeing flawless media execution on campaigns you are supporting
  • Work efficiently across numerous client teams by communicating effectively, setting and meeting expectations, securing buy-in, and creatively solving problems
  • Manage and supervise campaigns hands-on across multiple verticals, channels and all major buying platforms, including Google Ads, YouTube, Meta, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Reddit, TikTok, The Trade Desk and DV360
  • Be able to contribute to client reports by analyzing platform metrics, provide actionable insights, and make smart optimizations to influence performance.


POV/Offering

  • Identify areas for team-wide workflow and process improvements, and work with senior leaders to implement them
  • Contribute to decisions on new tech and tools for the team to adopt and help effectively onboard them to the team
  • Act as senior-level agency point of contact with selected ad tech partners, inventory suppliers, and data providers

Collaboration

  • Act as a main point-of-contact within the team to manage client and account team requests – i.e., budget changes, campaign flighting, and audience recommendations
  • Work closely with creative and insights team on execution of challenging media placements and implementation of campaign measurement
  • Delegate appropriately and collaborate with media planners to support plan development.

Management

  • Eligible after 6 months to lead a group of and directly manage Media Buyers, Senior Media Buyers, Media Managers, and Media Supervisors
  • Act as a mentor to junior team members across your accounts
  • Attract, retain, and improve talent on the Buying team through effective management, mentorship, and training

Requirements

What You Bring

  • Proven hands-on experience in programmatic and social media buying, preferably in an agency environment, with a track record of successful campaigns for at least 4 years
  • Experience working across some of our client verticals, including public affairs, strategic communications, advocacy and political campaigns
  • Proven experience in audience planning and forecasting for clients
  • Strong leadership, direct team management, and training skills
  • Exceptional communication and problem-solving abilities
  • Hands-on experience running campaigns across all digital ad formats in multiple DSPs, including The Trade Desk, DV360, Yahoo and Amazon
  • Ability to oversee ad operations and trafficking in Google Campaign Manager
  • Familiarity with ad tech platforms and partners, tools, and emerging industry trends
  • Excellent analytical and strategic thinking capabilities
  • Demonstrated ability to meet and exceed client performance targets
  • A passion for mentoring and developing team members

Benefits

BPI offers a wide range of benefits to U.S.-based employees, including 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) program with employer match up to 4%, generous time off for vacation, $50 monthly phone reimbursement, unlimited sick time, and 16 weeks of paid leave for new parents. BPI’s benefits prioritize employee wellness and progressive support to our diverse workforce.

We’re looking for all kinds of people.

BPI Group is an integrated public affairs agency that delivers outcomes for the top organizations and leaders around the world. With expertise in strategic communications, digital marketing, creative, research, and measurement, we offer a cohesive approach across corporate, policy, and public affairs strategy in today’s interconnected world. By combining incisive strategy and deep tactical expertise, we make change possible. Our transatlantic presence includes offices across thirteen markets in the US and Europe.

We are an equal opportunity employer and make employment decisions based on individual commitment to excellence. We want to have the best qualified people in every job. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, status as a protected veteran, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member) or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state or local laws. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.
BPI is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace that fosters a sense of belonging – so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description,
we encourage you to still consider submitting an application. We consider applications holistically and you may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings!

Let’s keep in touch. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter at bpigroup.com