Job Description

At HLK, we value connection, teamwork and collaboration. We have offices in Chicago and St. Louis and require in-office work a minimum of 3 days per week. For this role, we are seeking candidates who are local to either Chicago or St. Louis only.

Role Summary
The Media Buyer is responsible for executing and optimizing paid media campaigns across search, social, and programmatic platforms in support of media plans developed by the media pod. Reporting to a Media Supervisor or Director of Media Planning, this role focuses on accurate activation, performance monitoring, and day-to-day optimization to deliver against defined media strategies and success metrics.

Key Responsibilities
Media Execution & Platform Management

• Execute paid media campaigns across search, paid social (Meta, LinkedIn), and programmatic (HLK Desk) platforms.
• Activate campaigns according to approved media plans, ensuring accurate setup, targeting, budgets, and creative rotation.
• Provide direction on creative asset needs by platform and engage directly with creative/studio as needed to deliver appropriate asset number and quality.
• Maintain platform hygiene, naming conventions, and documentation to support consistency and quality.

Performance Monitoring & Optimization

• Monitor campaign performance, pacing, and delivery on an ongoing basis.
• Maintain budget pacing documentation shared weekly with media planning lead.
• Implement optimizations based on performance trends and defined KPIs.
• Maintain optimization documentation shared as needed with media lead and cx lead
• Flag risks, issues, and opportunities to the Media Planner or Pod Lead.

Insight Sharing & Collaboration

• Understand the strategy and success metrics behind each media plan.
• Share performance insights, learnings, and observations with the pod to inform decision-making.
• Collaborate closely with Media Planners to ensure execution aligns with strategic intent.

Operational & Quality Excellence

• Partner with Operations and Data Intelligence to ensure proper tracking, QA, and billing alignment for all buys executed in pod.
• Support reconciliation and billing accuracy for executed media by interfacing with operations lead as needed.
• Adhere to operational standards, processes, and governance requirements.

What You Bring

• 6+ years of hands-on paid media experience with a clear performance track record
• Experience managing campaigns tied to ROAS, CPA, or revenue-based KPIs
• Platform expertise across:
  • Google Ads (Search, YouTube, Performance Max)
  • Paid Social (Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok as applicable)
  • Programmatic (DV360, but multiple DSP experience preferred)
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to connect performance data to business outcomes
• Comfort working in GA4 and navigating conversion tracking and attribution
• Experience utilizing testing strategies across creative, channels, and audiences

What Makes You a Fit at HLK

• You don’t settle for “in-market benchmarks” if performance can be better
• You think beyond platform metrics and focus on real business impact
• You’re curious, proactive, and willing to challenge both the plan and the results

What Success Looks Like

• Campaigns that consistently meet or exceed performance goals
• Clear, actionable insights that influence future strategy
• Smarter allocation of investment based on what’s actually working and data-driven return on investment strategies

At HLK, you’ll find:

• Ownership without micromanagement
• Collaboration without ego
• Ambition without burnout culture
• Curiosity as a core value
Leadership that develops leaders

We believe strong strategy and strong culture go hand in hand. Pods are built to give you room to lead, not just execute. If you’re ready to move from managing campaigns to driving performance and building teams, we’d love to talk.

We believe strong strategy and strong culture go hand in hand. Pods are built to give you room to lead, not just execute. If you’re ready to move from managing campaigns to driving performance and building teams, we’d love to talk.

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