Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for TV Consultant

🎯 Role Definition

A TV Consultant is a seasoned media expert who serves as a strategic advisor to clients, agencies, or broadcast networks. They leverage deep industry knowledge, data analytics, and market insights to develop, execute, and optimize television-centric advertising and content strategies. This role is pivotal in navigating the complex and evolving landscape of linear TV, Connected TV (CTV), and Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms. The ultimate goal is to translate business objectives into effective media plans that capture audience attention, drive brand growth, and deliver a measurable return on investment. The TV Consultant acts as the bridge between data-driven insights and creative media solutions, ensuring that every dollar spent on television is strategically sound and impactful.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Media Planner / Senior Media Planner
Broadcast Buyer / Negotiator
Account Executive (at a TV network or media agency)
Market Research Analyst (with a media focus)

Advancement To:

Senior TV Consultant / Principal Consultant
Media Director / VP of Media Strategy
Group Director of Broadcast Investment
Head of Client Strategy

Lateral Moves:

Digital Media Strategist (specializing in video)
Content Acquisition Manager
Marketing Consultant
Director of Partnership Marketing

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and articulate comprehensive, data-driven television media strategies that align directly with client business goals, brand objectives, and target audience profiles.
Act as the primary subject matter expert on all facets of the television and video marketplace, including linear TV, VOD, CTV, OTT, and addressable advertising.
Lead the planning, negotiation, and execution of complex, large-scale TV media buys, ensuring optimal pricing, placement, and added value for clients.
Conduct in-depth analysis of audience viewership data using industry-standard tools (e.g., Nielsen, Comscore) to identify trends, uncover insights, and inform strategic recommendations.
Meticulously monitor and analyze campaign performance against established Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), providing regular, insightful reporting and optimization recommendations to clients.
Cultivate and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with key stakeholders at broadcast networks, cable operators, and media vendors to facilitate favorable negotiations and first-to-market opportunities.
Prepare and deliver compelling, high-impact presentations to senior-level clients and internal leadership, effectively communicating strategic rationale, performance results, and future opportunities.
Provide expert stewardship over multi-million dollar media budgets, ensuring accurate financial tracking, forecasting, and reconciliation throughout the campaign lifecycle.
Perform rigorous competitive analysis, tracking competitor media spending, messaging, and scheduling to provide clients with a strategic advantage in the marketplace.
Collaborate seamlessly with integrated marketing teams (digital, social, creative) to ensure the TV strategy is fully cohesive with the broader communications plan.
Evaluate emerging technologies, platforms, and data sources within the video advertising ecosystem, advising clients on how to best leverage innovation for their benefit.
Serve as the senior day-to-day point of contact for key client accounts, building trust and establishing yourself as an indispensable strategic partner to their business.
Guide clients through the complexities of the upfront, scatter, and direct response markets, tailoring buying strategies to their specific needs and risk tolerance.
Lead post-campaign analysis efforts, creating detailed wrap-up reports that synthesize results, distill key learnings, and provide actionable insights for future campaigns.
Mentor and develop junior team members, such as media planners and coordinators, by providing guidance, training, and constructive feedback on their work.
Identify and develop new business opportunities by leveraging your expertise and network to contribute to pitches for prospective clients.
Define and implement measurement frameworks to accurately attribute the impact of TV advertising on key business outcomes like sales lift, website traffic, and brand perception.
Manage intricate details of campaign trafficking and activation, troubleshooting any issues with creative delivery, rotations, or on-air discrepancies.
Stay at the forefront of industry regulations, privacy changes, and measurement updates that impact the television advertising landscape.
Translate complex data and media jargon into clear, concise, and understandable language for clients who may not be media experts.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to answer specific, time-sensitive business questions from clients or leadership.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and thought leadership by authoring white papers, blog posts, or participating in industry panels.
Collaborate with creative and production units to provide feedback on ad concepts, ensuring they are optimized for the television environment and specific placements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within integrated marketing teams to ensure media deliverables align with overall project timelines.
Develop and maintain a library of best practices, case studies, and strategic frameworks to enhance the team's collective knowledge and efficiency.
Assist in the evaluation and onboarding of new data providers, research tools, and advertising technology vendors.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced Media Research Software Proficiency: Deep, hands-on expertise with industry-standard media research and planning tools such as Nielsen Npower, Comscore TV, Kantar Media, and SQAD.
Media Buying & Management Platforms: Fluency in media buying systems (e.g., Mediaocean, Strata, FreeWheel) for managing and stewarding campaigns.
Data Analysis & Visualization: Strong ability to manipulate and analyze large datasets using Microsoft Excel (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPs) and experience with data visualization tools like Tableau or Power BI.
TV & Video Advertising Metrics: Expert understanding of core broadcast and digital video metrics, including GRPs, TRPs, CPP, CPM, Reach, Frequency, and VCR.
CTV/OTT Landscape Knowledge: In-depth knowledge of the Connected TV and Over-the-Top advertising ecosystem, including major players (Hulu, Roku, YouTube TV), ad-serving, and measurement challenges.
Financial Acumen: Proven ability to manage large budgets, including forecasting, pacing, and reconciliation with a high degree of accuracy.
Presentation Software Mastery: Skill in crafting visually compelling and persuasive narratives using PowerPoint, Keynote, or Google Slides.

Soft Skills

Strategic Negotiation: A master negotiator with the ability to secure favorable terms, pricing, and value-added opportunities while maintaining positive vendor relationships.
Client Relationship Management: Exceptional ability to build rapport, trust, and long-term partnerships with senior-level clients, acting as a trusted advisor.
Analytical & Critical Thinking: The capacity to dissect complex problems, interpret nuanced data, and formulate logical, evidence-based strategic recommendations.
Compelling Communication: Superior verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences.
Problem-Solving Agility: Proactive and resourceful in identifying and resolving issues, from campaign discrepancies to strategic challenges.
Attention to Detail: An unwavering commitment to accuracy and precision in all aspects of work, from data entry to client-facing reports.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

Master of Business Administration (MBA) or a Master's degree in a relevant field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Marketing
Communications / Advertising
Media Studies
Business Administration / Management
Statistics or Economics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5-10 years of progressive experience in media planning, buying, or a related consulting role.

Preferred:

Experience on the advertising agency side is highly preferred.
Direct experience planning and executing multi-million dollar national and local broadcast campaigns.
Demonstrable track record of managing major client accounts in verticals such as CPG, Automotive, QSR, or Financial Services.
Experience integrating linear TV buys with digital video/CTV/OTT strategies.