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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for an Influencer Planner

💰 $55,000 - $85,000

MarketingSocial MediaDigital StrategyPublic Relations

🎯 Role Definition

An Influencer Planner is the strategic architect and relational hub of a brand's influencer marketing efforts. This role goes far beyond simple outreach; it involves deeply understanding the brand's identity, target audience, and business goals to build authentic, data-driven, and impactful partnerships with content creators. The Influencer Planner is responsible for the entire campaign lifecycle—from identifying and vetting the right talent to negotiating contracts, managing relationships, and analyzing performance. They are trend-spotters, expert negotiators, and creative collaborators who bridge the gap between the brand and the creator economy, ensuring every partnership is authentic, compliant, and drives measurable results.


📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Social Media Coordinator
  • Marketing Assistant or Associate
  • Public Relations (PR) Coordinator
  • Junior Content Strategist

Advancement To:

  • Senior Influencer Planner
  • Influencer Marketing Manager
  • Head of Social Media & Partnerships
  • Director of Brand Partnerships

Lateral Moves:

  • Content Strategist
  • Brand Manager
  • Digital Marketing Specialist
  • Communications Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop, execute, and optimize comprehensive, data-driven influencer marketing strategies that align with overarching brand goals, product launches, and key marketing campaigns.
  • Identify, vet, and build a diverse and authentic network of relationships with influencers, content creators, and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) across primary platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter).
  • Manage the end-to-end execution of influencer campaigns, from initial outreach, pitching creative concepts, and talent negotiation to contract management, content briefing, and final reporting.
  • Conduct thorough audience analysis and demographic research to ensure selected influencer partners genuinely resonate with the brand's target consumer and maintain brand safety.
  • Create compelling, clear, and detailed creative briefs for influencers, outlining campaign messaging, content requirements, key performance indicators (KPIs), and mandatory FTC/ASA disclosure guidelines.
  • Negotiate fair and competitive rates, deliverables, content usage rights, and exclusivity terms with influencers, their agents, or managers, ensuring strict adherence to allocated budgets.
  • Monitor influencer content in real-time as it goes live to ensure it fully aligns with brand guidelines, campaign briefs, creative direction, and all legal compliance standards.
  • Track, measure, and analyze the performance of all influencer campaigns using key metrics such as engagement rate, reach, impressions, click-through rate, conversions, and Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).
  • Compile and present detailed post-campaign reports and performance analysis to key internal stakeholders, translating raw data into actionable insights and strategic recommendations for future initiatives.
  • Stay relentlessly up-to-date with emerging social media trends, platform algorithm changes, new content formats, creator culture, and the evolving global influencer landscape.
  • Manage and meticulously track the influencer marketing budget, handling all expenditures, processing invoices, and forecasting future financial needs to maximize ROI.
  • Master and utilize leading influencer marketing platforms and tools (e.g., Grin, AspireIQ, CreatorIQ, Tagger) for talent discovery, campaign management, relationship tracking, and performance analytics.
  • Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams—including Brand Marketing, Social Media, E-commerce, PR, Legal, and Creative—to ensure a cohesive and fully integrated marketing message.
  • Develop and maintain a comprehensive internal influencer database, meticulously categorizing creators by niche, audience demographics, past performance, and relationship status.
  • Coordinate and manage all logistics for product seeding and gifting programs, from product selection and shipment to tracking delivery and ensuring a positive unboxing experience for creators.
  • Review and provide constructive feedback on all influencer-generated content drafts (videos, images, copy) before publication to ensure quality, accuracy, and brand alignment.
  • Serve as the primary, day-to-day point of contact for all influencer partners, building rapport while promptly addressing questions, providing support, and resolving any issues that arise.
  • Source and analyze competitor influencer marketing activity and creator partnerships to identify strategic opportunities, potential threats, and white space in the market.
  • Manage the entire contract lifecycle, from drafting and sending agreements to ensuring all parties have signed and fully understand the terms and conditions before a campaign begins.
  • Shepherd influencer content through internal legal and regulatory review processes, ensuring all claims and depictions are compliant and approved.

Secondary Functions

  • Support the broader marketing team by contributing influencer-driven insights that can inform wider content strategy, product development, and customer feedback loops.
  • Assist in the planning and execution of brand-hosted events, both virtual and in-person, that involve influencer attendance or participation to foster community.
  • Contribute to the development of internal case studies and best-practice documents to showcase successful campaigns and institutionalize team knowledge.
  • Participate in creative brainstorming sessions for larger marketing campaigns, providing the unique perspective of creator culture and digital audience engagement.
  • Manage the administrative process of influencer payments, liaising with the finance department to ensure all invoices are processed correctly and partners are paid on time.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Influencer Marketing Platforms: Proficiency with tools like CreatorIQ, Grin, AspireIQ, or similar for discovery, management, and reporting.
  • Social Media Analytics: Deep understanding of native platform insights (Meta, TikTok, YouTube) and familiarity with third-party tools like Sprinklr or Sprout Social.
  • Project Management Software: Experience using platforms like Asana, Trello, or Monday.com to manage complex campaign timelines and deliverables.
  • Data Analysis & Reporting: Strong ability to manipulate data in Excel/Google Sheets, create performance dashboards, and translate metrics into narratives.
  • Contract Negotiation & Management: Demonstrable experience in negotiating terms, rates, and usage rights, and understanding key legal clauses in contracts.
  • Budget Management: Proven ability to track and manage a budget, ensuring campaigns are delivered within financial constraints.
  • FTC & Legal Compliance: A firm understanding of FTC/ASA disclosure guidelines and other legal requirements for influencer advertising.
  • Relationship Management (CRM) Tools: Experience using CRM or database software to manage and track relationships with hundreds of contacts.

Soft Skills

  • Relationship Building: A natural ability to build and maintain authentic, long-term relationships with a diverse group of personalities.
  • Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; the ability to be clear, concise, and persuasive.
  • Negotiation and Persuasion: The confidence and skill to negotiate effectively while maintaining positive relationships.
  • Impeccable Organization & Attention to Detail: The ability to juggle dozens of moving parts, from contracts to content approvals, without letting anything slip.
  • Creative & Strategic Thinking: The capacity to develop innovative campaign ideas that are also rooted in strategic business objectives.
  • Adaptability & Trend Awareness: A passion for social media and a finger on the pulse of what's next in digital culture and creator trends.
  • Problem-Solving: A proactive, solution-oriented mindset to navigate the unexpected challenges that arise in live campaigns.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree or equivalent, relevant work experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Marketing
  • Communications
  • Public Relations
  • Digital Media
  • Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2-5 years of direct, hands-on experience in an influencer marketing, social media marketing, or digital PR role.

Preferred:

  • A proven track record of managing successful influencer marketing campaigns from conception to completion, with a portfolio of work or case studies to demonstrate results. Experience working either at a brand or an agency with a focus on consumer goods, tech, or lifestyle is highly desirable.