Croud
Planning Director
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Planning Director
Job Title
Planning Director - Digital Marketing Location: Shrewsbury, UK (Hybrid Working - 3 days office, 2 days remote) Salary: Benchmarked range of £55,140 to £62,640 (progression framework determined by skills and experience)
Company Overview
Croud is a global, full-service digital marketing agency with a unique business model focused on driving sustainable growth in modern marketing. Recently recognised as:
- Sunday Times Best Place to Work for two consecutive years
- Performance Marketing Employer of the Year by PMW
Core Philosophy
Croud operates as a scaled network of Intelligent, Creative Specialists, delivering exceptional brand outcomes. Our culture is characterised by:
- Collaboration and shared vision for long-term impact
- Continuous learning and mutual support
- Future-thinking and innovation, prioritising better outcomes
- Generosity towards people—active inclusion and empowerment
- Purpose-driven mission to positively impact people, planet, and communities
Role Overview
As a Planning Director, you’ll act as the principal strategic partner for clients, bridging incisive strategy with execution while growing their businesses. Key priorities include:
- Being the main client contact, driving transformative partnerships with senior marketing leaders
- Leading end-to-end campaign planning, from interpreting client objectives to performance diagnosis
- Demonstrating a client-centric mindset, exceptional communication, and the drive to lead multiple projects simultaneously
- Balancing adaptability with resilience, earning client trust through sharp analysis and risky-but-calculated decision-making
Key Responsibilities
Client Strategy & Relationships
- Collaborate with senior client stakeholders to solve critical marketing challenges
- Develop deep commercial insights into clients’ business drivers and internal org structures
- Map key stakeholders for ongoing alignment
Campaign & Strategy Execution
- Oversee full campaign planning lifecycle:
- Define objectives and measurement frameworks
- Write strategic narratives
- Design testing methodologies
- Diagnose performance gaps
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Multi-Channel Media Planning
- Plan across all paid media channels, both online and offline (including print)
- Ensure data-driven investment decisions using analytics and insights
Performance & Insights
- Lead audience, competitor, and market intelligence projects for actionable insights
- Oversee measurement strategies to drive continuous optimisation
- Present insights to clients with compelling supporting ideas
Revenue & Economic Growth
- Grow Croud’s revenue via existing client expansion and business development contributions
- Turn strategies into win/win outcomes for clients and Croud
Leadership & Processes
- Manage a Planning team within a client hub, including line management of Planning Managers
- Ensure high-quality deliverables meet timelines and accurate billing
- Represent Croud at industry events, share thought leadership, and public speaking
Requirements & Keys to Success
Essential
- 10+ years of Planner, Account Director, or Strategy experience (digital/comms/media planning backgrounds welcomed)
- Hands-on experience in multi-channel campaign strategy, delivering measurable client outcomes
- Print planning and buying capability (mandatory)
- Strong luxury brand experience across sectors, with expertise in luxury consumer psychology
- Proven ability to sell insights and strategies to senior stakeholders, influencing media budget decisions
- Technical fluency with:
- Digital marketing platforms (Google Ads, DV360, Facebook Manager, Google Analytics)
- Advanced Excel/Google Sheets and PowerPoint/Google Slides
Desirable
- CPG and/or multi-brand retail experience
- Familiarity with industry insight platforms (TGI, GlobalWebIndex, Comscore)
- Experience with pitch process, transforming briefs into high-performing campaigns
- Winning new business acumen
Company Benefits
Work-Life Balance & Flexibility
- Hybrid working: Minimum 3 office days/week in Shrewsbury, flexible remote days
- Standard hours: 9:00am–5:30pm (negotiable with manager)
- Discretionary overtime flexibility when needed
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Progression & Development
- Clear career progression framework
- Dedicated learning opportunities through tailored development platforms
Comprehensive Benefits (post probation)
| Benefits | Details |
|---|---|
| Sabbatical | Paid after 7 years, optionally taken unpaid after 5 years |
| Leave | 25 paid days (25 days on 19 paid, after probation) |
| Holiday Celebrations | Regular socials & year-round company twisters |
| Generosity | Weekly lunches, ride-to-work schemes, railcards, classroom computers |
| Luxury Perks | Season ticket loan, free fruit/snacks, access to health & wellbeing resources |
| Financial | Annual bonus tied to performance, private medical plan, life insurance, income protection |
| Financial freedom | Sale commission, recruitment referral bonuses |
Culture & Values
- Equal opportunities: Commitment to diversity and inclusion; no discrimination on gender, race, age, disability, etc.
- Team off-sites and peer recognition ('bonusly')
WHY DO WORK HERE?
If our core values resonate with you:
- In it together – Collaborative, focused on outcomes
- Eye on the future – Foster creativity and innovation
- Generous in spirit – Inclusive culture encouraging growth
- Do what you say – Hold ourselves and others accountable
- Make a difference – Drive positive impact through work
This role is for someone who thrives on unlocking potential—in people, brands, and communities.
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Jessica, London
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