(Senior) Planning Manager

Role Summary:
The (Senior) Planning Manager of Strategic Planning plays a crucial roles in driving Dentsu Sports Vietnam's growth and success. This position is responsible for leading the development and implementation of strategic marketing plans for key clients, managing strategists/planners/other staff on day-to-day client strategy needs on a single account or group of accounts - guiding insight generation, creative briefs, selling narratives, strategic POVS, and go-to-market plans, ... with a focus on achieving measurable business results. The (Senior) Planning Manager will also contribute to new business development and play a key role in thought leadership within the agency.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Planning:
Lead the development of comprehensive strategic marketing plans for clients, including market analysis, target audience identification, competitive assessments, and campaign objectives.
Translate client briefs into actionable strategies that align with their business goals and leverage the power of sports.
Identify and evaluate potential sponsorship opportunities for clients.
Develop innovative activation plans that maximize the impact of sponsorships and engage target audiences.
Collaborate with internal & external teams (creative, digital, account management) to ensure seamless campaign execution.
New Business Development:
Contribute to the identification and pursuit of new business opportunities.
Participate in client pitches, presenting strategic recommendations and demonstrating Dentsu Sports Vietnam's expertise.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders in the Vietnamese sports industry.
Thought Leadership:
Acts as a strong client and creative partner to drive the brand and business mission forward
Stay abreast of industry trends and best practices in sports marketing.
Contribute to the development of thought leadership content and participate in industry events.
Share knowledge and insights with colleagues, fostering a culture of learning and innovation within the agency.
Team Management:
Manage and mentor group members, in addition to being able to help manage their projects on a day-to-day basis and motivate them to push their thinking to the next level through a visionary approach to their problems.
Demonstrates and fosters a collaborative and high-performance team environment where ideas flourish.
Requirements:
Experience: 4-6 years in strategic planning, brand strategy, or IMC at an agency. Sports marketing or sponsorship experience is a strong advantage. Must be willing and able to take on account management responsibilities as business demands.
Sports Passion & Energy: A genuine sports fan who actively follows the Vietnam National Football Team and marathon events. Deep involvement in football or marathon activities is a strong advantage. Brings positive, high-energy attitude and a natural sports spirit to team and client environments.
IMC & Events: Hands-on experience executing integrated campaigns across sponsorship activation, on-ground events, and digital channels. Experience with football or marathon event management is a plus.
Communication & Pitching: Strong bilingual presentation and strategic storytelling skills (Vietnamese & English). Confident leading pitches and presenting to senior client stakeholders. Native Vietnamese required.
[PREFERRED] Dual Role Flexibility - Planning & Account: Given the agency's dynamic and lean team structure, candidates who are comfortable and willing to flex between the (Senior) Planning Manager role and Account management responsibilities - supporting client servicing, project coordination, and on-ground delivery as business demand - will be strongly preferred
AI Tools (Preferable): Actively uses AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, etc.) to accelerate research, insight generation, and deck production. Candidates who integrate AI into their daily workflow will have a strong advantage.