Manager, Ad Operations and Trafficking

Manager Ad Operations and Trafficking REMOTE

Summary:

Acadia is seeking an Ad Operations Manager to establish and lead our ad trafficking campaign delivery and media QA processes across all paid digital media channels. This foundational hire will define Acadias ad operations framework set standards for trafficking campaign setup tag management QA and post-launch governance across display video social and DSP activated campaigns.

You will be both a builder and a doer executing hands-on trafficking in Google Campaign Manager and supporting trafficking and workflow in DSPs search and social platforms while developing Standard Operating Procedures naming conventions QA checklists and automation processes that will scale across teams.

You will collaborate closely with Media Analytics Account Management and Performance Creative teams to ensure flawless campaign execution tracking accuracy creative integrity and data consistency across the agencys paid media operations. There will also be less frequent collaboration with the Retail Media team.

Key Responsibilities

Build and Launch the Function (First Six Months):

• Establish Acadias agency-wide process for trafficking and QA from insertion order to launch and through reporting; including setup of Google Campaign Manager and trafficking templates.
• Work closely with media planning and buying teams as well as platform specialists to identify codify and document campaign handoff requirements.
• Ensure all necessary campaign input details are captured clearly and completely for trafficking.
• Partner with Media Analytics Dashboarding and Performance Creative teams to create naming conventions taxonomy standards and creative and placement hierarchy.
• Build and update the master trafficking matrix and Asana workflow to support effective team operation and project management.
• Collaborate with Analytics and Dashboarding teams to define Floodlight tagging UTM parameter standards and tracking governance.
• Document standard operating procedures for trafficking QA and tag distribution steps.
• Develop onboarding materials FAQs and reference guides making sure documentation stays updated for new and current team members.
• Deliver initial onboarding and training sessions to ensure the Ad Ops team and cross-functional partners can execute the defined processes accurately.
• Maintain ongoing monitor of inputs into established process from collborating teams with an intent to maintain adherance to the established agency ad ops process.
• Work with team leads to resolve any issues that may arise.

Ongoing Campaign Trafficking QA and Platform Support:

• Execute or oversee campaign setup and trafficking in Google Campaign Manager supporting activation in DSPs such as DV360 or The Trade Desk and social platforms as needed.
• Responsibilities include placement builds creative uploads and comprehensive tag management. Familiarity with activation on Amazons DSP is a plus.
• Configure and maintain Floodlight activities groups and attributes in Google Campaign Manager including settings for lookback windows attribution and custom variables.
• Oversee and implement UTM parameter standards ensuring tracking consistency and effective analytics integration.
• Work with a variety of creative types and tag solutions including HTML5 creatives third party tags click trackers backup images and polite loading formats.
• Manage VAST and VPAID tags for video and CTV placements as appropriate.
• Collaborate with the Performance Creative team to coordinate dynamic creative assets data feeds and profile mapping for campaign elements in Google Campaign Manager.
• QA all DCO components for correct rendering dynamic logic feed integration and trafficking accuracy.
• Partner with DCO specialists to troubleshoot and update dynamic units as needed throughout the campaign lifecycle.
• Manage and implement third-party measurement and verification tags such as IAS MOAT DoubleVerify and other relevant vendors when needed.
• Coordinate tag wrapping and QA to ensure proper operation with Google Campaign Manager DSP and social platform partners.
• Conduct thorough quality assurance including use of Campaign Manager preview links testing environments Chrome DevTools Google Tag Assistant and related QA tools.
• Perform preflight and post-launch checks to confirm pixels and trackers are firing and placements are functioning as intended.
• Generate and distribute tags to publishers and platforms.
• Maintain trafficking sheets tag logs and comprehensive campaign documentation that is audit ready.

Cross Functional Collaboration and Training:

• Work closely with Media Planners Buying teams Creative specialists and Account teams to validate insertion order details targeting specs and ensure handoff is complete before trafficking begins.
• Organize recurring touchpoints with media planning buying and creative teams to address campaign needs clarify handoff procedures and resolve any workflow issues in advance of launch.
• Collaborate with Analytics partners to verify tracking troubleshoot discrepancies and ensure data integrity.
• Partner with Creative and Production teams to ensure assets meet technical specifications size requirements and follow consistent naming conventions.
• Integrate workflow with the DCO team to ensure all dynamic elements are correct and up to date.
• Select train onboard manage and mentor new Ad Ops team members as team expansion is needed updating training materials SOPs and process guides regularly as workflows evolve.
• Lead scheduled process review meetings with the Ad Ops team at least quarterly review lessons learned update best practices and drive continuous improvement.
• Establish and track clear communication channels including feedback surveys or brief retrospectives with relevant teams following major campaigns to foster collaborative improvement.

Governance Process Improvement and Quality:

• Develop and maintain comprehensive QA checklists STOP IF gates and launch readiness scorecards. STOP IF gates must be satisfied before any new campaign is launched.
• Implement opportunities for automation using tools such as Asana rules Google Sheets macros or platform APIs to streamline QA and reporting.
• Own the internal Ad Ops process from end to end. Continuously review audit and improve trafficking QA and tag management processes to keep pace with evolving needs.
• Evaluate and recommend Ad Ops management tools verification partners and workflow refinements at the team level.

Qualifications:

• Four to seven years of hands-on experience in digital ad operations or trafficking supporting display video and social campaigns.
• Proven experience trafficking and QA in Google Campaign Manager is required with strong knowledge of campaign setup placement creation creative uploads verification tagging and Floodlight setup.
• Experience with dynamic creative optimization trafficking and troubleshooting including data feed management creative mapping and working with DCO or Studio teams is required.
• Familiarity with trafficking or workflow management in major DSPs such as DV360 or The Trade Desk and social platform workflows is a plus.
• Advanced understanding of Floodlight setup and governance including activity and group settings lookback and attribution configurations and custom parameter mapping.
• Strong skills with UTM parameter creation and management working with creative technical specs for HTML5 video and tracking tags and basic troubleshooting in developer tools.
• Experience with quality assurance and troubleshooting for campaign setup using tools such as Campaign Manager preview links Chrome DevTools Google Tag Assistant or platform-specific testing utilities.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to maintain documentation traffic sheets and archived process records.
• Excellent communicator with a track record of collaborating successfully across media analytics dynamic creative creative and account teams.
• Proven team mentor and trainer with attention to process compliance and quality standards.
• Comfortable as a player and coach able to lead by example and adapt to evolving team and agency needs.

Success Metrics (First Year):

• Complete enforce and audit Acadias trafficking and QA SOPs on a quarterly basis to maintain quality and compliance.
• Reduce campaign trafficking and QA turnaround time by 25 percent within six months.
• Maintain a launch error rate of less than one percent with zero critical campaign trafficking errors involving links trackers or creative mismatches.
• Achieve on-time launch rates to SLA targets and resolve trafficking or QA issues within two business days whenever possible.
• Train and onboard at least two team members to execute trafficking tasks under the defined SOPs within the first year.
• Achieve stakeholder satisfaction from media planning performance creative and account teams on trafficking and collection of campaign handoff information as measured in biannual feedback reviews.
• Continuously update and improve training and documentation based on lessons learned and team feedback.
• Deliver Strategic Point of View to improve robust privacy and viewability enhancements for top tier clients.

What we offer - The Perks

• A work environment that enthusiastically encourages creativity risk-taking and growth.
• Paid Holidays
• Paid vacation and sick time
• We are closed Christmas Eve through New Years Day
• Solid Health Benefits (medical dental and vision insurance)
• 401k Match
• Equity for All Program
• Opportunity for growth that is second to none in the industry
• Flexible working hours
• Paid time off
• Floating holiday
• And more.

Heres how we live our values at Acadia

• Can-do: We dedicate ourselves to helping our clients and co-workers reach their fullest potential. We demonstrate courage and urgency to find and take ownership.
• Curiosity: We show genuine interest. We are the first to ask why the first to research and the first to understand. We ask questions until we find the path to conquer obstacles and build solutions
• Candor: We are honest and transparent in all our actions. We strive to foster positive and mutually beneficial relationships where respect and humanity thrive.
• Community: We will make lives better for those people clients and other deserving causes that we care deeply about.

Reporting Structure:

This position reports to the Head of Paid Media. It works in partnership with the Head of Integrated Media and the Director of Analytics/Dashboarding on plan activation and tag governance. The role will also include direct reports such as Ad Ops Specialists or Trafficking Coordinators in the future.

Compensation Benchmark (2025 US Market):Title: Manager Ad OperationsBase Salary: $85000 to $110000 depending on market and technical depthBonus: 10 percent to 15 percent based on performanceLocation: Hybrid or Remote with East Coast time zone preferredAcadia is committed to diversity and inclusion and welcomes candidates from all backgrounds.If you are ready to build execute and elevate best in class ad operations across top media channels we encourage you to apply.