Company description Zenith is one of Publicis Groupe’s largest media agencies, spanning 95 markets globally with US offices in New York, Burbank, Chicago, Atlanta and Detroit. For more than 30 years, we have been at the forefront of media, helping to evolve and reshape the industry. We are highly regarded as a true agency partner by many high-profile brands for our expertise across numerous categories and wide range of capabilities that are unparalleled in the industry. Clients hire us for our track record of excellence in strategic planning, investment, and measurement. We also have specialist offerings, including content, commerce, multicultural and future-proofed data capabilities. Overview The Director, Operations is responsible for providing strategic and day-to-day operational leadership for the PepsiCo Client Operations team. This role oversees the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of processes, systems, and best practices to drive operational efficiency, financial accuracy, and consistency. The Director, Operations partners closely with cross-functional teams and leadership to ensure operational excellence, support business objectives, and drive accountability throughout the organization. Responsibilities Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing optimization of operational processes supporting media planning, investment, and campaign activation. Drive standardization initiatives, establish consistent workflows, taxonomy, naming conventions, and system requirements across brands and teams. Maintain direct ownership of key Guideline Planning (GLP) processes, including system governance, data integrity, workflow enhancements, and operational troubleshooting. Establish and maintain quality assurance processes to ensure accuracy, consistency, and compliance across media plans, authorizations, and system inputs. Lead the development and maintenance of playbooks, templates, guidelines, and training materials to support consistent execution across teams. Ensure operational alignment between media planning inputs, investment execution, authorizations, and downstream financial reporting. Serve as an escalation point for complex operational issues, proactively identifying risks and implementing long-term solutions. Partner with SVP, Operations and senior leadership to establish operational priorities, drive strategic initiatives, and support broader organizational objectives. Lead and support cross-functional operational projects, establishing clear expectations, deliverables, timelines, and accountability across participating teams. Identify opportunities to improve broader operational effectiveness through workflow optimization, process improvements, and enhanced ways of working. Develop and maintain strong relationships with Clients and internal departments, fostering collaboration, communication, and alignment on organizational priorities. Provide operational guidance and support for internal reporting, time tracking, onboarding, and other team management processes. Partner with Finance, Planning, and Investment leadership to ensure accurate and consistent financial processes, financial compliance, budget management, forecasting, and reporting. Oversee and manage the draft billing process for various portfolio brands. Support SVP, Operations with Scope Tracking, Staff Plan Management, etc. Manage and develop direct reports through ongoing coaching, performance management, delegation, and professional development opportunities. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and operational excellence. Lead and support ad hoc operational projects and business initiatives as needed. Qualifications Education and Experience: Bachelor’s Degree. 7+ years of experience in operations, media planning, or project/client management within an agency environment. Project management certifications are a bonus. Managerial and Operational Skills: Demonstrated ability to develop and implement operations standards, workflows, and best practices across cross-functional teams. Strong understanding of media planning and buying processes, financial workflows, reporting requirements, and campaign execution Technical Proficiency: Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint. Guideline Planning (MediaTools) experience preferred. Experience with MediaOcean / Prisma and other media planning and investment systems. Experience with Project Management/Workload Management tools. Experience and interest in AI adoption, AI tools/usage. Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills: Exceptional critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities. Communication and Detail Orientation: Exhibits strong communication skills, including clear writing and professional speaking, strong listening skills and tactfully communicating positions on relevant issues. Ability to manage multiple priorities, navigate ambiguity, and deliver results in a fast-paced environment. Professional presentation, training, and client-facing skills. Problem-Solving Approach: Hands-on problem-solving abilities with a "can-do" approach, combining thinking and doing. Proactive and Forward-Thinking: Demonstrates forward thinking, ideating, and considering next steps with minimal direction. Team Collaboration & Development: Ability to manage up to senior reporting managers and effectively delegate/manage down to direct reports. Embodies a positive, team-player attitude. A passion for learning new skillsets, receptive to constructive feedback and desire for career growth. Reporting and Succession Reports directly to SVP, Operations Additional information Our Publicis Groupe motto “Viva La Différence” means we’re better together, and we believe that our differences make us stronger. It means we honor and celebrate all identities, across all facets of intersectionality, and it underpins all that we do as an organization. We are focused on fostering belonging and creating equitable & inclusive experiences for all talent. Publicis Groupe provides robust and inclusive benefit programs and policies to support the evolving and diverse needs of our talent and enable every person to grow and thrive. Our benefits package includes medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401K, as well as parental and family care leave, family forming assistance, tuition reimbursement, and flexible time off. If you require accommodation or assistance with the application or onboarding process specifically, please contact USMTTACompliance@publicis.com. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. Veterans Encouraged to Apply. Compensation Range: USD $121,315.00 - USD $194,220.00/Annually. This is the pay range the Company believes it will pay for this position at the time of this posting. Consistent with applicable law, compensation will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience of the applicant along with the requirements of the position, and the Company reserves the right to modify this pay range at any time. Temporary roles may be eligible to participate in our freelancer/temporary employee medical plan through a third-party benefits administration system once certain criteria have been met. For regular roles, the Company will offer medical coverage, dental, vision, disability, 401k, and paid time off. The Company anticipates the application deadline for this job posting will be 12/15/2026.