AD OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE JOB DESCRIPTION

Ad trafficking sounds mechanical until a campaign misfires at launch. When creative specs fall out of alignment with ad server data points, or programmatic inventory runs against the wrong audience segment, the cost lands on the client relationship. The Ad Operations Associate is the practitioner who prevents that outcome, owning the technical setup and ongoing monitoring of direct-sold and programmatic campaigns from trafficking through delivery. This individual works within a cross-functional ad operations team alongside strategy, sales, and media agency counterparts, accountable for IAB compliance and delivery accuracy across display, video, and emerging OTT inventory.

As the Ad Operations Associate, you will manage the end-to-end technical execution of digital advertising campaigns, from creative validation and ad server configuration to daily performance monitoring and stakeholder reporting. You will work within an ad operations or media solutions team, coordinating across internal strategy and analytics functions while serving as the primary technical contact for agency and sales partners.

Career Impact: Hands-on experience managing programmatic and direct-sold campaigns across display, video, and OTT inventory builds a technical foundation that distinguishes ad ops professionals in the broader media buying market.

Business Impact: Accurate campaign trafficking and timely QA directly determine whether advertisers hit their contracted delivery targets and whether clients renew.

Growth Opportunity: Mastery of ad server configuration, IAB VAST standards, and programmatic supply-side operations creates a clear trajectory toward senior ad ops, programmatic trading, or media technology roles.

• Configure campaigns within ad server environments, aligning creative assets with targeting parameters and delivery specifications.
• Validate programmatic and direct-sold creatives against IAB standards and internal acceptability guidelines before and during campaign flight.
• Monitor daily campaign delivery and troubleshoot discrepancies between ad server reporting and contracted campaign goals.
• Partner with strategy and account teams during campaign setup to advise on technical requirements and creative versioning feasibility.
• Coordinate with media agency ad operations counterparts to communicate campaign deliverables and resolve trafficking issues.
• Review QA outcomes for high-profile campaign launches, escalating creative or data point violations to the appropriate internal teams.
• Ensure all active campaigns are accurately captured in internal reporting systems to support performance analysis and client-facing reporting.

Because QA rate matters to hiring teams, how to frame these trafficking duties on a resume shows how to quantify it.

• Bachelor's degree in advertising, marketing, data management, or equivalent work experience.
• 2 or more years of digital advertising operations experience, with direct involvement in campaign trafficking or programmatic activation.
• Working knowledge of the programmatic landscape, including demand-side and supply-side mechanics and ad serving workflows.
• Ability to read and apply digital creative specifications, including HTML5 standards and ad policy requirements across display and video formats.
• Proficiency in spreadsheet analysis, including pivot tables and lookup functions, for campaign monitoring and performance reporting.
• Strong attention to detail and structured approach to managing concurrent campaigns across multiple platforms and deadlines.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to coordinate across internal teams and external agency partners.

The qualification bar for ad ops candidates goes deeper than tools, and the skills page maps each competency to the experience levels employers screen for.

• Familiarity with OTT or connected TV advertising formats and the supply-side dynamics that govern premium video inventory.
• Experience supporting sales organizations with campaign setup, performance benchmarking, or post-campaign reporting.
• Exposure to digital content management systems used in dynamic creative versioning or personalization workflows.
• Reading-level understanding of web languages such as HTML or CSS as applied to ad unit troubleshooting.

• Creative compliance rate, measuring the proportion of campaign creatives approved against spec on first submission.
• Campaign delivery accuracy, tracking variance between contracted impressions and actual ad server delivery.
• Trafficking turnaround time, reflecting how quickly new campaigns move from brief to live status.
• QA defect rate per launch, measuring creative or data point violations caught before campaign go-live.
• Reporting completeness, tracking the percentage of active campaigns accurately captured in internal reporting tools at any given time.
• Typical tools: ad servers (commonly Google Ad Manager/DFP); SSP platforms (commonly industry-standard programmatic supply-side systems).

While this section details the metrics and tools, salary, certifications, and progression for ad ops professionals are covered in the career guide with the fuller career context.

• Base Salary Range: $45,000 to $65,000 per year, depending on experience and market.
• Bonus: Discretionary annual bonus, typically 5 to 10 percent of base salary.
• Equity: Generally not offered at this level; possible at growth-stage companies.
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer contribution varies by company.
• PTO: 15 to 20 days annually, plus standard US federal holidays.
• Common Perks: Remote or hybrid work options, professional development stipends, ad tech platform training access.

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Work authorization in the United States is required for this position. Employment is contingent on the successful completion of a background check in accordance with applicable law. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process upon request.

Match your DFP trafficking and creative QA experience to a resume that reaches the people who decide

Sitting at the intersection of ad operations and quality assurance, the Ad Operations Associate schedules direct-sold and programmatic campaigns in the Roku ad server and SSP while validating creatives against IAB and internal acceptability guidelines. Operating across Ad Ops, Tech Ops, Product, and Programmatic Enablement teams, this role ensures campaign settings align with internal policies and provides strategic QA support that protects high-profile and sensitive campaign launches.

Duties

• Use third-party tools to ensure creatives running in ad servers comply with ad specifications.
• Schedule both direct sold and programmatic campaigns in Roku ad server and SSP.
• Validate creatives running through programmatic campaigns to identify violations of the acceptability guidelines.
• Partner with other Ad Operations Associates to provide strategic QA support for high-profile or sensitive campaign launches.
• Confirm design and copy elements of sponsorship products conform to established guidelines.
• Ensure campaigns are properly captured in internal reporting tools and contribute to ad hoc strategic projects.
• Provide internal and external sales stakeholders with exceptional customer service and support.

Requirements

• Experience in digital ad operations or QA at a publisher, ad tech company, ad agency, or ad network.
• Experience in display and video advertising with a premium publisher or agency, including familiarity with IAB VAST and DFP.
• Familiarity with the digital ad sales process and OTT advertising is a plus.
• Analytical, project management, deadline-driven, and process-oriented personality.
• Methodological approach to work and an excellent problem solver.
• Highly organised and clear communication skills.

A key member of the Media Buying team, the Ad Operations Associate leads the launch and ongoing maintenance of Pay-Per-Click campaigns, including ad scheduling, tracking, and performance optimization. Collaborating across media buyers and client-facing functions, this role supports ad revenue growth by producing campaign recap and verification reports that give clients clear visibility into campaign delivery outcomes.

Functions

• Support Media Buyers on pre and post-campaign related tasks, including coordinating traffic and monitoring advertising campaign delivery.
• Help identify and resolve issues that negatively impact campaigns.
• Run weekly and daily performance reports.
• Work with media buyers to produce campaign recap and verification reports for clients as needed.
• Assist with additional duties to enable ad revenue growth, ensure efficient ad delivery, and organize campaign assets.

Experience & Qualifications

• Prior experience creating, managing, and optimising Paid Search campaigns, with some Media Buying experience preferred.
• Basic understanding of search matrices such as CPC, CTR, CPA, and conversion rates.
• Advanced Excel skills, including VLOOKUPs and Pivot Tables.
• Experience with Google AdWords and AdWords Editor (Bing Ads and Yahoo Gemini is a plus).
• Passion for digital media with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
• Highly organised with strong attention to detail and strong written and verbal communication skills.

Embedded within the Media Solutions team, the Ad Operations Associate builds and deploys campaign creatives across desktop, mobile, video, email, and podcast platforms while staging and monitoring campaigns in Google Ad Manager, social media, and other digital systems. Working closely with Campaign Managers and the broader sales organization, this role translates campaign objectives into properly executed digital tactics that drive advertising performance and delivery.

Core Functions

• Support the Media Solutions team and other teams (production, events, product, etc.) in translating campaign objectives into practical tactics.
• Build campaign creatives for deployment across digital platforms, onsite - desktop, mobile, video, email, and podcasts.
• Ensure all advertising creatives follow ad policies and specifications.
• Troubleshoot live issues and guide Campaign Managers on benchmarks, technical questions, and custom ad units.
• Perform testing and QA on ad products and campaign materials.
• Stage and monitor digital campaigns in Google Ad Manager (DFP), social media, Google Ads, and other platforms; provide performance analysis and insights.
• Oversee and monitor the performance of ongoing campaigns to ensure proper execution and delivery.
• Support the day-to-day operational needs of the sales organization.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree required, preferably in advertising, data management, marketing, or a related field.
• 2+ years of digital experience, preferably at a media agency or digital publisher.
• Prior experience with ad-tech/serving systems such as Google Ad Manager (DFP), programmatic, DMPs, paid media, and/or social ads.
• Proficient in MS Excel and generally familiar with Adobe Creative Suite and web languages (HTML, CSS, etc.).
• Experience with CRM tools such as Salesforce is a plus.
• Strong analytical abilities with the capability to translate business and technology knowledge into plain terms.
• Able to manage multiple deadline-driven tasks, work collaboratively across teams, and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Fluent in English (written and spoken) and any other European language is a plus.

Reporting to the Customer Care leadership, the Ad Operations Associate shapes data infrastructure by managing data sources, fine-tuning scripts, and maintaining department dashboards within the Customer Care portal. Partnering with cross-functional colleagues on data application projects, this role delivers business-oriented reporting, forecasting models, and actionable analysis to identify performance gaps and opportunities for improvement across the organization.

Primary Duties

• Manage data sources, fine-tune scripts, and maintain the Customer Care portal containing department dashboards.
• Design and perform comprehensive, business-oriented reporting and analysis to monitor Customer Care performance, locate problems, and identify enhancement opportunities.
• Perform ad-hoc analysis to address business challenges and provide data-driven conclusions and advice.
• Summarize data analysis requirements to support data application projects.
• Train colleagues on data insights and basic data analysis skills.
• Build forecasting models with Python.

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or above in statistics, mathematics, computing, business analytics, or a related field.
• At least 3 years of experience in Business Intelligence or Data Analytics roles.
• Experience in online shopping and knowledge of the eCommerce industry is a plus.
• Proficient in SQL and Python, including machine learning libraries.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel Pivot.
• Strong customer orientation, proactive, highly energetic, and self-motivated.
• Excellent presentation, attention to detail, and ability to work under tight deadlines with minimum supervision.

The Ad Operations Associate delivers end-to-end campaign activation across display, video, social, and DOOH channels by building creative versions within the internal CMS, configuring ad server setups, and monitoring daily delivery against client KPIs. Working alongside strategy, analytics, and partner media agency teams, this role ensures technically precise execution of dynamic creative campaigns that support cross-channel growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Work closely with strategy and account teams during project setup to consult on technical aspects of the campaign.
• Build out creative variants within our internal CMS.
• Set up the campaign within the creative suite of the ad server and align it with ad server data points.
• Monitor daily activity and troubleshoot where necessary.
• Work internally with developers to ensure quality assurance standards are met.
• Develop relationships with the Ad Operations team in the partner media agencies and communicate clearly with them on campaign deliverables.
• Work closely with Strategy team to ensure exact implementation of client-approved strategic initiatives and KPIs.
• Work closely with the analytics team to ensure the ad serving setup satisfies the reporting needs of the client.

Required Qualifications

• Proven interest in the digital media industry with knowledge of the programmatic landscape and experience working across a client's ad tech stack.
• Digital experience within an operations team (trafficking/campaign management/programmatic activation), including set up within ad servers (DoubleClick/Sizmek/Flashtalking).
• Knowledge of HTML5/JavaScript/CSS and digital content management systems.
• Advanced Excel and data analysis skills, including Spreadsheets, Pivot Tables, and Key Formulas.
• Strong attention to detail, methodological approach to work, and excellent problem-solving skills.
• Highly organised with clear communication skills and the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Fast and keen learner who enjoys working with large data sets and troubleshooting when required.