Overview
For a media planning & buying trading business, the Head Media Sales role should be commercially driven—focused on client acquisition, media inventory monetisation, agency/client relationships, negotiations, margins, collections, and revenue growth, rather than only conventional media sales.
Designation : Head – Media Sales
Department: Media Planning & Buying / Media Trading
Reports to: Founder / Managing Director
Role Objective: Own and grow the media trading business by acquiring advertisers and agency accounts, developing media solutions, negotiating competitive buying rates, protecting margins, and ensuring revenue realization across TV, Print, Radio, OOH, Cinema and Digital media.
Key Roles & Responsibilities
1. Revenue & Business Growth
Own monthly, quarterly and annual media sales targets.
Develop new business across direct clients, advertising agencies and corporate accounts.
Build a strong pipeline of advertisers with recurring media spends.
Identify opportunities to increase share of wallet from clients.
Develop category-wise opportunities across FMCG, BFSI, Auto, Real Estate, Education, Consumer Durables, Retail and other sectors.
2. Media Planning & Solution Selling
Understand client briefs, objectives, markets, audiences and budgets.
Work with the planning team to develop integrated media recommendations.
Present media plans based on reach, frequency, CPRP/CPM/CPT, market priorities and campaign objectives.
Sell solutions rather than simply offering media inventory or discounted rates.
Identify cross-media opportunities across TV, Print, Radio, OOH, Cinema and Digital.
3. Media Trading & Commercial Negotiations
Maintain a clear understanding of market rates and offer rates as per Industry Standard.
Structure client deals while protecting the company's trading margin.
Identify bulk-buying and strategic inventory opportunities.
4. Margin & Profitability Ownership
Own not only topline billing but also gross margin/contribution from media transactions.
Monitor buying cost versus client selling price.
Establish minimum margin thresholds for different media categories.
Prevent excessive discounting purely to win business.
Review account-level profitability regularly with management.
5. Client & Agency Relationships
Build senior-level relationships with CMOs, Marketing Heads, Brand Heads, Media Heads, procurement teams and agency leadership.
Personally manage strategic and high-value accounts.
Conduct regular client meetings and business reviews.
Become the escalation point for important commercial and media-related matters.
Build long-term annual/retainer/media-AOR relationships wherever possible.
6. Pitching & New Business
Lead media pitches and commercial presentations.
Develop customised proposals for prospective advertisers.
Coordinate with planning, buying, digital, strategy and creative teams wherever required.
Participate in RFPs, media pitches and rate negotiations.
Convert campaign-based clients into recurring media accounts.
7. Forecasting & Management Reporting
Maintain a structured sales pipeline and revenue forecast.
Track leads, proposals, negotiations, closures and repeat business.
Provide weekly/monthly reports covering pipeline, billing, revenue, gross margin, collections and outstanding payments.
Analyse performance by client, salesperson, media category and business vertical.
8. Credit Control & Collections
Ensure appropriate client credit terms before releasing campaigns.
Coordinate with Finance for invoicing and collections.
Monitor ageing and outstanding receivables.
Follow up with clients for timely payment.
Avoid exposing the company to excessive credit risk, particularly where media owners require earlier payment.
9. Team Leadership
Build and manage the Media Sales/Business Development team.
Allocate accounts, categories and sales territories.
Set individual revenue and margin targets.
Conduct pipeline reviews and coach team members on pitches and negotiations.
Develop a performance-driven sales culture without compromising margins or collections.