Job Type: Permanent position | Full time position

Job Description About the Role As a Senior Activations Manager, you'll oversee activation performance across a portfolio of clients while leading and developing Activations Managers, Executives and Assistants. You'll work closely with Activations Directors, Client Leaders, Publishers and Platform Partners to ensure campaigns are delivered to the highest standard and continuously optimised for success.

This role requires advanced stakeholder management, commercial acumen, campaign expertise and leadership capability. You'll be expected to lead strategic activation conversations, improve operational performance and elevate the capability of the wider activation team. What

You’ll Actually Be Doing Client Leadership & Strategic Partnership

Build trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders

Lead campaign performance discussions and reviews

Translate business objectives into activation priorities

Provide proactive optimisation and growth recommendations

Manage client expectations confidently and effectively

Support long-term client retention and growth

The Publisher Partnership & Marketplace Leadership

Develop senior relationships with publishers and platform partners

Identify marketplace opportunities that create client value

Hold partners accountable for performance and delivery standards

Drive stronger collaboration between publishers and client teams

Stay ahead of platform developments and industry change

Leverage partnerships to improve campaign outcomes

The Team Leadership & Capability Building

Lead and develop Activations Managers and Executives

Provide coaching,



mentoring and regular performance feedback

Build capability frameworks and development plans

Support succession planning and future leadership development

Foster accountability, collaboration and ownership

Create a high-performance activation culture

The Campaign Excellence & Delivery Leadership

Oversee campaign implementation across multiple portfolios

Ensure campaigns are delivered accurately and efficiently

Monitor campaign health, pacing and performance

Escalate and resolve delivery risks proactively

Drive consistency in activation standards and processes

Ensure campaigns remain aligned to strategic objectives

The Financial Operations & Commercial Management

Oversee campaign billing, reconciliations and governance processes

Ensure robust financial discipline across client portfolios

Monitor commercial performance and revenue delivery

Improve workflow efficiencies and operational effectiveness

Support forecasting and resource planning

Ensure financial accountability across the team

The Reporting, Analytics & Performance Insights

Review campaign reporting and optimisation recommendations

Ensure reporting drives action and decision-making

Identify portfolio-wide trends and improvement opportunities





Strengthen insight quality across client teams

Translate campaign performance into business outcomes

Promote data-led decision making

The Strategic Planning & Activation Integration

Partner with Planning and Client teams on campaign strategy

Bring activation expertise into planning discussions early

Ensure activation informs future recommendations

Support stronger integration across media disciplines

Connect performance outcomes back to strategic objectives

Influence campaign effectiveness from planning through execution

The Innovation & Continuous Improvement Agenda

Drive testing, learning and innovation initiatives

Encourage adoption of new platform capabilities and technologies

Identify automation and workflow efficiencies

Share best practice across activation teams

Improve operational ways of working

Help evolve UM's activation product

The Leadership Influence & Agency Contribution

Support major client reviews and business opportunities

Contribute to agency-wide capability initiatives

Champion activation best practice across the business

Support new business and growth opportunities

Influence activation standards beyond your immediate portfolio

Help shape the future direction of activation at UM

The Technical Capability

Planning & buying proficiency in biddable platforms across at least 2-key channels, Search, Social or Programmatic.

Demonstrated expertise in multiple platform examples including DV360, TTD, Amazon, Google Ads, SA360, Meta,

TikTok, Snapchat.

Proven ability

📌 Senior Activations Manager (Sydney)
🏢 Ipg Mediabrands
📍 Sydney