Overview

We're looking for a Sales Planner to join our team! The Sales Planner will be responsible for coordinating the pre-sales portion of securing the local market teams advertising campaigns across all Cars.com products. This person will be the main point of contact for checking available inventory for the advertising sales team & clients, communicating and collaborating with the fulfillment teams and all other sales support functions as directed. Order entry, optimization, billing and other post sale activities are not a direct responsibility of this role.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Fosters open communication amongst all stakeholders including advertisers, agencies, sales teams and the Fulfillment Teams
• Collaborate with Advertising Sales Reps by offering ideas and recommendations to optimize the success of all print and online advertising campaigns.
• Work directly with Sales Reps, Marketing Analysts, and/or Sales Management to determine pre-sales research needs.
• Organizes and creates sales research and competitive information.
• Work with the Digital Lead and Marketing to complete all RFP’s accurately and on time.
• Review IO’s for smooth DSM order entry on Fulfillment Team, including confirming all ad positions and inventory availability. Work closely with the sales support teams to facilitate fulfillment (delivery), tracking and billing of campaigns to ensure that deliverables meet client expectations
• Check inventory availability across all sites and ad positions (including Dexter).
• Administer the Admail process to ensure clarity on roles/responsibilities, checking availability, and communicating order and material deadline expectations with client.
• Collaborate with Sales Reps and DAO in tracking and optimizing campaign performance.
• Creates media plans and special promotions tailored to client needs.
• Perform competitive media research for lead generation in areas such as print tearsheeting, and internet and Mobile research. When appropriate, interacts with marketing staff to identify appropriate presentations for sales clients. Provides necessary sales collateral as needed.
• Assist in weekly/monthly/quarterly sales reporting (i.e. projections, sales activity, market share, revenue) to sales teams and sales manager, and other custom reports as needed.
• Partner with TI & DAO Quality Assurance and/or Trainer to determine training needs.
• Must be able to quote rates for the full Tribune Recruitment Services suite to respond to Sales, Advertiser, and Agency questions/concerns on pricing, products and programs.
• When appropriate, makes sales calls to identify client needs.
• Be a product and category expert in relevant businesses in order to offer up recommendations or improvements to existing plans or campaigns.
• Develop expertise in CRM, Market Builder, Adit, AX, SharePoint, DSM and other new products and programs that CTMG develops.
• Perform other duties as assigned by Management.
• Collaborates with the sales and marketing teams to determine client solution
• Works in partnership with sales teams and management to develop new products and services to meet changing client needs

REQUIREMENTS/QUALIFICATIONS:

• Requires a Bachelor’s Degree in Business or Liberal Arts, or equivalent related experience in customer service or other sales-related or sales support functions.
• Candidate must be highly motivated, organized and have the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment with a high level of accuracy.
• Requires a high proficiency with technology, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Must have creative, effective and efficient PowerPoint skills
• Strong interactive/digital knowledge/understanding.
• Candidates must have strong oral and written skills and a positive/can-do attitude.
• Excellent analytical, written and oral communication skills
• Experience coordinating complex recruiting and advertising campaigns
• Must be an effective at multi-tasking and have exceptional time-management skills
• Must be comfortable interacting with large clients in person and over the phone
• Must have a positive attitude and be driven to optimize results for clients