Planning Manager

Edelman is a voice synonymous with trust, reimagining a future where the currency of communication is action. Our culture thrives on three promises: boldness is possibility, empathy is progress, and curiosity is momentum.

At Edelman, we understand diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) transform our colleagues, our company, our clients, and our communities. We are in relentless pursuit of an equitable and inspiring workplace that is respectful of all, reflects and represents the world in which we live, and fosters trust, collaboration and belonging.

The Planning Manager is responsible for turning insight into measurable business impact.

This role goes beyond gathering research - it connects data, culture, audience behavior and brand ambition into strategic direction that drives performance across channels. The Planner ensures every brief, recommendation and idea is anchored in clear business objectives and defined success metrics.

You will play a key role in shaping effective campaigns that strengthen brand equity, influence behavior, and contribute to clients’ commercial growth.

Key Responsibilities

1. Drive Insight That Delivers Results

Conduct rigorous primary and secondary research to uncover actionable insights

Translate competitive audits, category analysis and cultural trends into clear strategic implications

Identify audience opportunities based on behavioral, attitudinal and market data

Synthesize complex data into concise, persuasive narratives tied to business outcomes

Ensure all insights ladder up to defined KPIs and measurable success indicators

2. Strengthen Brief Quality & Strategic Clarity

Co-develop strong, outcome-driven creative briefs aligned with client business objectives

Define clear problem statements, target priorities, and success metrics before campaign development

Support the development of “living briefs” that evolve based on performance learning

Help set parameters for campaign effectiveness across paid, earned, shared and owned channels

3. Connect Strategy to Performance

Investigate and evaluate client marketing channel usage and effectiveness

Monitor consumer trends, sentiment and campaign performance to refine strategy

Align insights with channel selection and engagement platforms based on measurable impact

Support post-campaign analysis by identifying key learnings and optimization opportunities

Ensure recommendations are evidence-based and commercially sound

4. Collaboration & Execution Excellence

Present insights and strategic recommendations clearly to internal teams and clients

Partner cross-functionally with account, creative, digital and media teams

Manage multiple assignments in a fast-paced environment while maintaining strategic rigor

Advocate for insight-driven thinking throughout the creative process

Qualifications

At least 3 years of relevant experience in communications, marketing, research or related fields

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, Business, or related disciplines

Experience in an advertising, marketing, or PR agency planning function

Strong ability to combine data and insights into a clear, defensible point of view

Experience working with primary and secondary research tools and synthesizing findings

Strong analytical capability with commercial awareness

Proficiency in PowerPoint and strong storytelling ability

Excellent presentation and written communication skills

Experience supporting integrated, multi-channel campaigns

Core Competencies

Outcome-oriented mindset - links strategy to measurable results

Analytical rigor combined with creative thinking

Strong stakeholder communication and influence skills

Intellectual curiosity and cultural awareness

Ability to balance speed and strategic depth

High integrity and commitment to excellence

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t perfectly align with every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.