Planning Director

Planning Director | PHD

Help Pioneer What's Next

At PHD, our ambition is simple: to be Australia's most pioneering communications agency.

We help ambitious brands outthink, outpace and outgrow their competition by combining human understanding, creativity and technology to deliver measurable business growth.

We're looking for a Planning Director to join our Sydney team and lead an exciting portfolio of clients.

This is a role for someone who loves great media thinking but excels at leading people, building trusted client partnerships and turning strategy into action. You'll be a confident client leader, an exceptional coach and a planner who knows how to bring the best out of teams.

You don't need to be the most technical digital expert in the room. What matters most is your ability to lead integrated thinking, drive effective outcomes and inspire those around you.

Why PHD?

PHD was built on a simple idea: "Thought before bought."

Today, we're taking that legacy forward through our philosophy of Intelligence. Connected. - combining human insight, creativity and technology to create competitive advantage for our clients.

Our future is centred around three pioneering commitments:

Pioneering Effectiveness Building market-leading effectiveness capability and setting the benchmark for measurable client growth.

Pioneering InnovationEmbedding innovation into every team, client relationship and way of working through curiosity, experimentation and fresh thinking.

Pioneering AI Preparing our people and clients for an AI-enabled future, embracing smarter ways of working and unlocking new opportunities through technology.

As Planning Director, you'll play a key role in bringing these ambitions to life.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Business Director, you'll lead planning across a portfolio of clients, acting as a trusted day-to-day partner and an influential leader within the agency.

You'll:

• Build strong, trusted client relationships and confidently lead day-to-day conversations.
• Lead integrated planning across channels, connecting strategy, creativity and media execution.
• Develop communication strategies and media plans that drive measurable business outcomes.
• Identify opportunities for innovation, growth and competitive advantage.
• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing team, creating an environment where people can thrive.
• Collaborate closely with Strategy, Investment, Digital and specialist teams to bring the best of PHD to every client.
• Champion effectiveness, ensuring recommendations are grounded in insight, evidence and commercial impact.
• Bring curiosity around AI, emerging technologies and the changing media landscape into your thinking and planning.

About You

You're an experienced media agency leader with strong planning credentials and a genuine passion for developing people.

You know how to build trusted relationships, navigate different stakeholders and inspire teams to deliver their best work. You're commercially minded, collaborative and comfortable taking ownership.

You'll bring:

• Strong integrated media planning experience gained within an agency environment.
• Proven experience building and managing client relationships.
• Experience leading, mentoring and developing teams.
• Confidence presenting ideas and influencing stakeholders.
• A solid understanding of digital and social within the broader communications ecosystem.
• A naturally curious and creative mindset, with the confidence to challenge conventional thinking.
• An interest in AI, innovation and the future of media.
• Strong judgement, accountability and a collaborative approach.

Above all, you're a smart, creative and commercially astute leader who knows how to bring people together to deliver outstanding work.

Join Us

This is an exciting time to join PHD.

You'll have the opportunity to work with ambitious clients, talented teams and an agency investing heavily in effectiveness, innovation and AI.

If you're a strong client leader, a passionate people developer and a planner ready to help pioneer what's next, we'd love to hear from you.

PHD, together with our Omnicom Media Group network, is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and people of all backgrounds to apply. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or marital, veteran, or disability status. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.