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Media Associate Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Vans

Vans: Senior Manager, Media Strategy

Costa Mesa, CA · On-site

$125.28 - $156.60/hr

Leading a team of paid media associates and agency partners, you will collectively drive brand awareness, product consideration, and revenue growth to meet our full‑funnel business priorities. You ...

Hive

Associate, Media & Sports

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$100K - $120K/yr

Associate, Media & Sports We are looking for talented candidates to join our Enterprise Analytics team. As an Associate on our Media & Sports team, you will work closely with the Hive Media team - a ...

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All JobsMedia Associate JobsMedia Associate Jobs in California

Media Associate information

See California salary details

$32.6K

$51.9K

$75K

How much do media associate jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for media associate in California is $51,901.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $41,000.00 and $59,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a media associate, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Media Associate, you need a solid understanding of media planning and buying, analytical skills, and a relevant degree in marketing, communications, or a related field. Familiarity with digital advertising platforms, media management tools, and analytics software is typically required. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and effective communication help you coordinate campaigns and collaborate with clients and team members. These skills ensure that media strategies are executed efficiently, budgets are optimized, and campaign goals are achieved.

How does a media associate typically collaborate with other departments within an organization?

As a Media Associate, you'll frequently work with cross-functional teams such as marketing, creative, and analytics. Your main responsibilities often include coordinating media campaigns, ensuring brand messaging aligns across platforms, and sharing performance insights with stakeholders. Collaboration is key, as you'll need to communicate media plans, gather feedback, and adjust strategies based on input from various departments. This teamwork not only enhances campaign effectiveness but also gives you valuable exposure to different aspects of the business, fostering professional growth.

What is a media associate?

A media associate works in the media department of a company. In this career, you perform specialized tasks including managing social media content. Other duties include interacting with a community of users via the company’s social accounts. This is often an entry-level job, but most employers require educational qualifications such as a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or a related field. Experience and skills with a specific type of media, such as social media or online advertising, are valuable to employers as well.

What is the difference between Media Associate vs Media Coordinator?

AspectMedia AssociateMedia Coordinator
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in marketing, communications, or related fieldBachelor's degree in marketing, communications, or related field
Work EnvironmentAdvertising agencies, media firms, corporate marketing teamsAdvertising agencies, media planning firms, corporate marketing teams
Employer & Industry UsageCommonly used in marketing and media industries for entry to mid-level rolesOften used interchangeably with Media Associate, focusing on media planning and coordination

The main difference between a Media Associate and a Media Coordinator lies in their specific responsibilities. Media Associates typically focus on executing media campaigns, analyzing media data, and supporting media buying activities. Media Coordinators often handle scheduling, liaising with media vendors, and coordinating campaign logistics. Both roles require similar educational backgrounds and are used within the same industry environments, but Media Associates tend to have a more analytical and strategic focus, while Media Coordinators emphasize coordination and communication tasks.

More about Media Associate jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Media jobs in California? The most popular types of Media jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Media Associate jobs? Cities in California with the most Media Associate job openings:
Media Associate jobs near you
Infographic showing various Media Associate job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 71% Full Time, 25% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $51,901 per year, or $25 per hour.

Associate Director, Paid Media

Earthjustice

Los Angeles, CA • On-site, Remote

Full-time

This job post has expired 1 day ago. Applications are no longer accepted.

Job description

ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY
Earthjustice is the nation's leading environmental law organization. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health, preserve magnificent places and wildlife, advance clean energy, and combat climate change. We are here because the Earth needs a good lawyer.
 
Driven by a passion for justice, inclusion, partnership, and excellence, our core values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected.
 
POSITION SUMMARY
In addition to a talented cadre of environmental lawyers and legislative advocates, Earthjustice has an amazing Communications department that works in partnership with every other department at the organization. The Associate Director, Paid Media oversees the development and implementation of paid marketing strategies and multi-million-dollar media investments to meet strategic growth goals for the organization.  This person will also guide the paid media agency in execution of integrated strategies as well as technology and platform partners. This position involves comprehensive planning, managing budgets and, in collaboration with our agency partner, analyzing campaign performance and optimizing strategies for maximum ROI.  
 
This is a supervisory position overseeing 2 full-time paid media strategists.
 
The Associate Director, Paid Media is expected to work a full-time (37.5 hours/week) schedule, and may work hybrid from the following locations: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, or Washington, DC
 
WHAT YOU’LL DO
  • Paid Media Strategy and Planning (20%)
    • In partnership with fundraising/advocacy/brand teams, build and optimize full-funnel media strategies (prospecting, retargeting, conversion) and integrated media plans for a growing multi-million-dollar paid media program
    • Develop and manage large multi-channel paid media campaigns that deliver a cohesive supporter/donor experience
    • Stay abreast of the evolving paid media landscape, trends and developments to ensure the paid media program leverages the market.  Regularly review and analyze the competitive landscape to differentiate our program.
  • Agency Management (20%)
    • Oversee the paid media agency relationship, ensuring execution meets our brand and quality standards and the overall program delivers against goals.
    • Provide real-time communication with the paid media agency to ensure we’re optimally executing on rapid response moments, conducting weekly performance reviews, having monthly and quarterly strategic discussions and setting appropriate plans annually.
  • Internal Relationships (20%)
    • In partnership with the brand/fundraising/advocacy teams (SMEs), translate team goals into integrated strategies, audience segmentation and performance plans in line with institutional and departmental priorities
    • Work closely with content teams (social, public affairs, creative, email and more) to ensure the supporter/donor journey is engaging and compelling
    • Collaborate cross-functionally with other teams across the organization, like Development, to identify opportunities for online-offline integration in support of their goals. 
  • Paid Media Implementation and Execution (20%)
    • Produce accurate, quality, and timely work in an ever-shifting landscape of news, technology, politics, and law. Adopt a flexible approach to meeting rapid response moments and pivot strategies where needed.
    • Optimization – analyze performance data and translate insights into actionable optimizations.  Oversee developing and maintaining comprehensive paid media dashboards. 
    • Build and scale a test-and-learn culture by advancing measurement, leveraging tools (incl. AI) and embedding data-informed audience strategies into action. 
  • Management (20%)
    • Manage and develop our in-house paid media team (currently 2 staff), providing training mentorship and growth opportunities for paid media strategists. 
    • Uphold Earthjustice’s mission and values by fostering a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative work environment, providing clear direction and feedback, and promoting a culture of learning for all team members.
    • Oversee relevant administrative, budgeting, and personnel management of direct reports, ensuring that all organizational policies and standards are met. Partner with Communications leadership on rolling out change management initiatives.
  • Ongoing Learning
    • Actively pursue professional development and contribute to a culture of learning by building skills and sharing knowledge.
    • Pursue innovative, best-in-class approaches to communications work and share those learnings with colleagues. Maintain an ongoing understanding of communications best practices and movement trends to ensure Earthjustice leads, not just follows. 
Please note that the percentage breakdowns provided above serve as a guideline and that other duties may be assigned as part of the job’s requirements.
 
WHAT YOU’LL BRING
  • 8-10 years of experience in paid media strategy, brand/performance marketing with experience managing substantial media budgets for nonprofits
  • Proven experience in managing agencies and third party vendors
  • Deep expertise in full funnel media planning, large-multi-channel paid media campaigns that deliver a cohesive supporter experience
  • Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and drive decision-making
  • Ability to translate complex issues into compelling, accessible communications 
  • Ability to prioritize, manage multiple deadlines, and respond quickly to new opportunities and developments 
  • Ability to work collaboratively with other staff to meet shared cross-team goals and give honest, constructive, respectful feedback 
  • Demonstrated commitment to Earthjustice’s values of Justice, Excellence, Inclusion, and Partnership.
  • Skill in leading diverse teams with emotional intelligence and cultural competence; fosters growth through mentorship, effective communication, and constructive feedback while hiring and developing team talents to align with organizational needs.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
This role may require the ability to:
  • Sit for extended periods with occasional standing and walking
  • Type, file, and/or handle office equipment
  • Lift and carry materials
  • Read documents, conduct computer work and document review
SALARY & BENEFITS
We offer a competitive salary and excellent, comprehensive benefits. We also offer a casual and congenial work environment.
Salaries at Earthjustice are determined by working location and are commensurate with the experience required. 
 
Salary range in New York, NY, and San Francisco, CA:  $170,300 - $189,200 
Salary range in Washington, DC, Chicago, IL, Los Angeles, CA:  $161,800 - $179,800 
 
TO APPLY
Interested candidates should submit the following materials via Jobvite. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 
  • Resume
  • Cover letter
  • Example of a paid media campaign you executed and the results
Information about our hiring process and tips for success can be found at https://earthjustice.org/about/jobs/hiring-process. Please reach out to jobs@earthjustice.org if you are having technical difficulties submitting your application. 
 
PLEASE NOTE
The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for personnel so classified.
 
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT
As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure that employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or any other factor that is not related to the position.