| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Media and Advertising |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Media Manager |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 2 to 5 years in media buying across traditional or digital media |
Media Buyer job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Media Buyer
Department: Media and Advertising
Reports to: Media Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Media Buyer negotiates and buys advertising space and time across TV, print, digital, outdoor and radio. They take the approved media plan, secure the best rates and positions from channels, publications and platforms, place the orders, and track that every booking runs and delivers. The role sits in the media team of an agency under a media manager. A good one stretches the client's budget with sharp negotiation, keeps bookings and invoices matched, and steps in fast when a placement under-delivers.
Key responsibilities
- Take the approved media plan and negotiate rates, positions and added value with channels, publications, platforms and vendors.
- Place insertion orders and buys, confirm bookings in writing, and keep a clear record of every deal.
- Set up and manage digital campaigns on platforms such as Google Ads and Meta, and adjust bids and budgets to hit targets.
- Track delivery against the booked plan daily, and chase make-goods when a placement under-delivers.
- Reconcile buys with delivery reports and vendor invoices, and clear correct bills for payment.
- Build relationships with media sales teams to get better rates and first access to good inventory.
- Watch rate cards, festive premiums and platform changes, and advise the planner on timing.
- Optimise live digital campaigns on cost per result, pausing weak placements and scaling strong ones.
- Keep the media manager updated on spends, pacing and any delivery risk.
- Maintain records of orders, delivery and payments for audit and client reconciliation.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in mass communication, marketing or commerce
- Knowledge of media buying and digital ad platforms
- A digital advertising certification is an advantage
- 2 to 5 years in media buying across traditional or digital media
KRAs and KPIs for a Media Buyer
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Rate savings | Negotiate rates below rate card by a set target across bookings each quarter |
| Delivery | Booked impressions or spots delivered in full, with make-goods secured for any shortfall |
| Campaign efficiency | Digital cost per result kept at or below the plan on most campaigns |
| Reconciliation | Buys, delivery and invoices matched with zero unresolved disputes each month |
| Budget pacing | Spends pace to plan through the flight, with no overspend or unspent budget at close |
| Vendor relations | Priority inventory and added value secured on key campaigns |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, DSP platforms, MS Excel, BARC or comScore data.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Senior Media Buyer, Media Manager
Interview questions for a Media Buyer
- How do you negotiate a better rate with a channel when the client's budget is fixed and small?
- A digital campaign is spending fast but not converting. What do you check first?
- A publication delivered fewer insertions than booked. How do you handle the make-good?
- How do you reconcile a month of buys, delivery reports and vendor invoices?
- How do you decide where to shift budget between platforms mid-campaign?
- How do you keep good relationships with media sales teams without overpaying?
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What does a media buyer do?
A media buyer negotiates and buys advertising space and time across TV, print, digital, outdoor and radio. They take the approved plan, secure the best rates and positions, place orders, and track that every booking delivers. On digital they run and optimise campaigns on platforms like Google Ads and Meta to hit cost targets.
What is the difference between a media planner and a media buyer?
A media planner decides the strategy: which channels, what budget split, and the reach and frequency to aim for. A media buyer then negotiates and purchases that inventory, places the orders and makes sure it delivers. Planning sets the what and why; buying handles the how much and the follow-through.
What skills does a media buyer need?
A media buyer needs sharp negotiation, a good grasp of rates and audience data, hands-on skill with digital platforms like Google Ads and Meta, and careful reconciliation of buys against invoices. Numeracy and persistence matter, because the job is about stretching budgets and chasing every under-delivery until it is fixed.