TV / CTV / Audio Planner & Buyer

Location: Denver, CO or Carbondale, CO (Hybrid)

About Backbone

At Backbone, we live by the mantra that passion drives results. We align our clients with our team members’ interests, bridging the gap between work and play while keeping an eye on the elusive work/life harmony. As the country’s leading active lifestyle marketing agency, Backbone has the unique opportunity to help brands like YETI, Smartwool, Big Green Egg, and many others balance brand goals with e-commerce objectives. For 29 years, Backbone has partnered with brands big and small to develop and execute effective, integrated media strategies — and has been consistently included on Outside Magazine’s “Best Places to Work” list.

The Job

The TV / CTV / Audio Planner & Buyer is a core member of Backbone’s brand media team, responsible for planning, buying, executing, and optimizing Linear TV, Connected TV (CTV), Radio, and Streaming Audio campaigns across national, regional, and local markets. This role blends strategic thinking with hands-on execution, translating integrated media strategies into efficient, high-impact upper-funnel investments.

This person is fluent in both modern, platform-based buying and traditional network and publisher relationships. They are comfortable working in self-serve platforms like The Trade Desk and Tatari, while also negotiating directly with broadcast, cable, streaming, and audio partners. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, analytically curious, and energized by stewarding media investments that connect brand storytelling with measurable business outcomes.

The Work

·       Plan, buy, and execute Linear TV, CTV, Radio, and Streaming Audio campaigns across national, regional, and local markets.

·       Activate and manage campaigns through The Trade Desk and Tatari.

·       Work directly with broadcast, cable, streaming, radio, and audio publishers to evaluate opportunities, negotiate rates, and secure added value.

·       Build detailed media plans including audience strategy, market mixes, reach and frequency projections, budget allocation, and flighting.

·       Partner with Media Strategy, Analytics, Account, and Creative teams to ensure recommendations align with brand goals and measurement frameworks.

·       Own day-to-day campaign stewardship including pacing, optimization, trafficking coordination, and vendor management.

·       QA buys, orders, invoices, and post logs to ensure financial accuracy and flawless execution.

·       Analyze performance and translate results into clear insights and actionable recommendations.

·       Support test-and-learn initiatives across emerging TV, CTV, and audio formats and measurement approaches.

Planning & Measurement Tools

Planning & Audience: Nielsen (NPM, Nielsen ONE), Comscore, MRI-Simmons, Scarborough, Kantar
Buying & Activation: The Trade Desk, Tatari, direct IO buying with networks and publishers
Measurement: Reach & Frequency analysis, Brand Lift Studies, Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM), Incrementality and lift studies, Cross-channel attribution tools

The Essentials

·       Bachelor’s degree.

·       3–6+ years of experience in TV, CTV, and/or Audio planning and buying.

·       Hands-on experience with The Trade Desk and Tatari.

·       Strong understanding of reach, frequency, GRPs, CPMs, and impressions.

·       Highly organized, detail-oriented, and financially precise.

·       Strong communication skills and collaborative mindset.

Salary & Benefits

Salary: $70,000 - $85,000 annually, based on experience

Benefits include medical plan options, dental & vision, 401(k) match, wellness benefit, home office stipend, professional development assistance, paid volunteer hours, parental leave, flexible schedule, company-wide offsites, and a remote/hybrid workplace.