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influence planner

title: 'Job Specification: The Role of an Influence Planner'
salary: $75,000 - $115,000 (Note: Varies significantly based on location, industry, and experience)
categories: [Marketing, Social Media, Public Relations, Advertising, Digital Strategy]
description: A comprehensive overview of the key responsibilities, required technical skills and professional background for the role of a 'Job Specification: The Role of an Influence Planner'.

🎯 Role Definition

An Influence Planner is the strategic architect behind a brand's creator and influencer marketing initiatives. This role goes far beyond simply identifying popular accounts; it's about deeply understanding cultural trends, audience behavior, and a brand's core objectives to build authentic, data-driven partnerships. The Influence Planner acts as a crucial bridge between the brand, the creators, and the target audience, ensuring every collaboration is meaningful, measurable, and drives business results. They are trend-spotters, relationship builders, skilled negotiators, and data analysts all rolled into one, responsible for crafting the "why" and "how" of a brand's presence in the ever-evolving creator economy.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Influencer Marketing Coordinator
  • Social Media Coordinator / Community Manager
  • Public Relations Assistant / Coordinator
  • Junior Digital Strategist or Media Planner

Advancement To:

  • Senior Influence Planner / Strategist
  • Influencer Marketing Manager
  • Head of Influence / Social Strategy
  • Director of Communications or Brand Partnerships

Lateral Moves:

  • Content Strategist
  • Brand Manager
  • Digital Communications Manager
  • Social Media Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop and articulate comprehensive, multi-platform influencer marketing strategies that align directly with overarching business goals, product launch calendars, and brand-building initiatives.
  • Conduct in-depth market and audience research to identify emerging cultural trends, relevant subcultures, and new creator talent to ensure brand campaigns are timely and culturally resonant.
  • Lead the end-to-end identification, vetting, and selection process for influencers and creators, utilizing a mix of platform tools, industry relationships, and qualitative analysis to ensure brand safety and audience alignment.
  • Build and maintain a robust, long-term network of relationships with key creators, talent managers, and multi-channel networks (MCNs) to facilitate seamless collaborations.
  • Craft compelling and detailed creative briefs for influencers that clearly communicate campaign objectives, key messaging, content requirements, brand guidelines, and FTC disclosure mandates.
  • Spearhead contract negotiations and manage the full contracting process, working alongside legal and finance teams to define deliverables, usage rights, exclusivity, and payment terms.
  • Oversee the day-to-day management of active influencer campaigns, including content pipeline tracking, timeline management, and serving as the primary point of contact for all creator communication.
  • Meticulously manage campaign budgets, ensuring projects are delivered on time and within scope, while tracking all expenditures and forecasting future needs.
  • Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Brand Marketing, PR, Social Media, E-commerce, and Creative, to ensure influencer strategies are fully integrated into larger marketing ecosystems.
  • Review and provide constructive feedback on all influencer-generated content to ensure it meets brand standards, creative direction, and campaign goals before it goes live.
  • Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and establish robust measurement frameworks to track the performance and ROI of all influencer activities, focusing on metrics like engagement, reach, sentiment, conversions, and media value.
  • Analyze campaign performance data to generate actionable insights, creating detailed post-campaign reports and presentations for key stakeholders that highlight successes and provide recommendations for future optimization.
  • Stay at the forefront of the creator economy, continually monitoring industry best practices, new social media platform features, and competitor influencer activities to drive innovation.
  • Develop and manage tiered influencer programs, including micro/nano-influencer activations, brand ambassador programs, and high-impact celebrity or macro-influencer partnerships.
  • Coordinate the logistics of product seeding and gifting programs, ensuring timely delivery and a positive unboxing experience for all participating creators.
  • Act as the internal subject matter expert on influencer marketing, educating other departments on the value, process, and potential of creator-led campaigns.
  • Manage the risk associated with influencer partnerships by performing thorough background checks and ensuring all content adheres to legal and regulatory guidelines (e.g., FTC, ASA).
  • Utilize specialized influencer marketing platforms (e.g., CreatorIQ, Grin, Traackr) for discovery, campaign management, and reporting, and provide recommendations on the best tools for the organization.
  • Contribute to new business pitches or internal strategy sessions by providing data-backed recommendations on how influence can solve specific business challenges.
  • Develop and execute paid social amplification strategies for top-performing influencer content to extend its reach and impact beyond the creator's organic audience.
  • Foster a collaborative environment that values creator authenticity, empowering them to produce content that resonates with their audience while still achieving brand objectives.

Secondary Functions

  • Support the wider marketing and communications team by providing real-time insights gleaned from the creator community and social listening.
  • Contribute to the development of the organization's overall content and social media strategy.
  • Assist in crisis communication scenarios involving brand ambassadors or influencer partners.
  • Participate in industry events, webinars, and forums to represent the company and build its profile within the creator marketing space.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Influencer Marketing Platforms: Hands-on proficiency with tools like CreatorIQ, Grin, Traackr, AspireIQ, or similar for discovery, management, and reporting.
  • Social Media Analytics: Expertise in using native platform analytics (Instagram Insights, TikTok Analytics, YouTube Studio) and third-party tools (e.g., Sprout Social, Brandwatch, Sprinklr) to measure performance.
  • Project Management Software: Experience organizing complex campaigns using tools like Asana, Trello, Monday.com, or Jira.
  • Contract Negotiation & Management: Ability to draft, review, and negotiate influencer agreements, understanding key terms like scope, usage rights, and payment schedules.
  • Budget Management: Proficiency in creating, tracking, and managing six-figure (or larger) campaign budgets using Excel or Google Sheets.
  • Data Analysis & Reporting: The skill to transform raw performance data into compelling, easy-to-understand reports and actionable insights for leadership.
  • Paid Social Amplification: Knowledge of how to run paid ad campaigns on platforms like Meta (Facebook/Instagram), TikTok, and YouTube to boost influencer content.
  • SEO/SEM Principles: A solid understanding of how influencer content can impact search engine rankings and support broader digital marketing efforts.
  • FTC/ASA Guidelines: Deep knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements for influencer disclosures and endorsements.
  • Content Management Systems (CMS): Familiarity with how to integrate influencer content into owned properties like brand blogs or websites.

Soft Skills

  • Relationship Building: An innate ability to build and nurture authentic, long-term relationships with a diverse range of creators and talent managers.
  • Strategic Thinking: The capacity to see the bigger picture and develop influencer plans that solve business problems, not just generate likes.
  • Negotiation & Persuasion: The confidence and tact to negotiate effectively to create win-win scenarios for both the brand and the creator.
  • Exceptional Communication: Articulate and clear in both written (briefs, emails) and verbal (calls, presentations) communication.
  • Creativity & Trendspotting: A natural curiosity and a keen eye for what's new, what's next, and what's relevant in culture and on social media.
  • Adaptability: The ability to pivot quickly in a fast-paced environment and adjust strategies based on real-time data or changing platform algorithms.
  • Organizational Prowess: Meticulous attention to detail and the ability to juggle multiple campaigns, conversations, and deadlines simultaneously.
  • Data-Driven Mindset: A commitment to using data and analytics to inform decisions, measure success, and prove the value of your work.
  • Problem-Solving: Proactive in identifying potential issues (e.g., a creator going off-brief) and finding swift, effective solutions.
  • Empathy: The ability to understand the perspectives of both the brand and the creator to foster respectful and productive partnerships.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree or equivalent hands-on experience in a directly related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's or Master's Degree in a relevant field of study.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Marketing
  • Communications
  • Public Relations
  • Advertising
  • Journalism
  • Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3-7 years of professional experience in social media, digital marketing, or public relations.

Preferred:

  • A minimum of 3 years of direct, hands-on experience dedicated specifically to influencer marketing, either within an agency or for an in-house brand team. The ideal candidate has a proven portfolio of successful campaigns across various platforms and budget levels, demonstrating a track record of moving from strategic concept to detailed execution and measurable results.
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