Media Production and Procurement Manager

Job Purpose:

Support the BCP (Barilla Communication Process) to ensure the planning and implementation of the media strategies (at Country Level) for Region America, following the guidelines set by Global PU and the instructions given by Regional Mktg VP and collaborating with the Regional Marketing Directors. Support the Media Agency activity outputs in terms of Strategy, Planning and Buying in every country and for every brand of the Region. Assess and approve cost estimates relative to the production of advertising materials, as well as negotiate orders, contents, performance and remuneration with appointed external media players in order to ensure the optimal allocation of Production & Procurement budgets.

Key Accountabilities:

• Collaborate with the hierarchical and functional Heads to manage, develop and optimize the Barilla Communication Process (BCP), with the contribution of Marketing, for the Barilla brands in the appointed Regions of competence. Decide, in collaboration with the Superior and the Regional / Local Marketing Units the best channels of communication and the timing of implementation of the various initiatives, leading the relationship and the contribution of the media agency, giving directions for a continuous improvement and optimization of the media plans, based on the department specific and technical know-how. 
• Monitor constantly the progress of spending (relative to media, adv, production and procurement) for the assigned Region of competence, managing phasing and Company media “frozen budgets” and ensuring the proper reporting flow to the Mktg VP, Group Media, Finance Department, Marketing Units through dedicated media tools. Secure the media inputs for ZBB process. 
• Co-manage the relationship with the Media Agency (both at HQ and Local offices level) by identifying, defining and monitoring KPIs of the media planning and buying activities for each relevant Country of the assigned Regions of competence; managing the PRF (Agency Bonus) where present; ensuring the respect of the decisions taken by the Company in terms of advertising investments and media objectives. 
• Manage a specialist, assigning perimeter of responsibility & accountability, giving continuous feedback. 
• Monitor in every Country, through the collaboration of the Media Agency, the monitoring of the conditions/ deliverables agreed with media suppliers, analysing the level of achievement of KPIs, managing forms of guarantees and under deliveries compensation by media sales houses and negotiating penalties for last minute flights cancellation in order to protect the Company and to achieve the level of desired service. 
• Facilitate to ensure proper management of Barilla media orders for the Region of competence, through specific documents and procedures in accordance with administration and local rules. 
• Manage ad-hoc auditing projects to ensure costs and quality benchmarking of activities run by the Media Agency in both Regions, under the supervision of the Global Media VP and in collaboration with external consultants and media auditors. 
• Manage contents and budgets relative to advertising production for the Regions of competence, ensuring the proper time-to-market planning and execution (in terms of: shooting days, location, post production, technologies involved, music, speaker and actors royalties, etc) in line with the Brand Media Strategy, the creative brief and the guidelines provided by the Global PU. Manage the local deployment (contents and time-to-market planning) of international campaigns. 
• Manage the scouting, deployment and management of special communication projects, through new approaches to media (product placements, branded contents, events’ and programs sponsorships, etc.) 
• Collaborate with the hierarchical and functional Heads to ensure the scouting and the negotiation of Regional contracts with communication partners (creative agencies, media agencies, packaging agencies, production houses, media auditors), and testimonials/ celebrities for brands and events’ support. Together with Legal, Fiscal, ensure the establishment of contracts in order to guarantee the conformity with legal requirements and Company’s needs. 
• Facilitate and consolidate relationships with the media sales houses /agencies/ production companies / testimonials and the media agency in order to create a relationship of mutual trust and facilitate the development of business relations. 

Required:

• A bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Media or Communication 
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in a media agency / digital media agency / company's media planning & buying department
• Solid knowledge of media strategy, terminology, and analytics, including online and offline channels
• Strong analytical skills with emphasis on digital media reporting & analysis
• Strong Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint skills
• Ability to work well under pressure with attention to detail, strong organizational / project management skills

Preferred:

• Integrated account and/or project management experience
• Experience with media planning tools such as Nielsen, Com Score, DoubleClick and Google Ad Words
• Experience managing Programmatic media campaigns
• Bilingual in Spanish a plus