Advertising Traffic Coordinator Job Description

In advertising, timing Is everything.

The skills of a traffic coordinator are critical to all businesses in the media industry---advertising agencies, television and radio stations, newspapers, cable companies, online media and even the Yellow Pages. A traffic coordinator's main responsibility is to fulfill a client's advertisement contract as ordered. The position is deadline intensive, which means timing is everything. General knowledge of advertising and/or marketing is recommended. Close attention to detail and customer service and computer skills are a must.

The Basics

A traffic coordinator's responsibilities generally begin with a client contract. An advertising salesperson presents a client with a sales contract, which outlines the media buy---when, where and how often the client will advertise. For example, the client wants to air a 30-second commercial during a break in the 5 o'clock news on all major broadcast stations (ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX) in San Francisco for an entire week. If the client agrees to the sales contract, the traffic coordinator is then responsible for entering the sales contract into a database or working with a sales assistant to ensure the sales contract is complete. Additional responsibilities differ depending on the type of traffic coordinator.

Traffic Coordinator for an Ad Agency

If the traffic coordinator works for an advertising agency, it is her responsibility to make sure the client's advertisement (or "creative") is available to the media outlet(s) in a timely and accurate manner. She may work with a production company or graphic artist, the client or another media outlet to procure the creative. The coordinator also provides traffic instructions to the media outlet(s) indicating the name of the creative, details on its usage and how it will arrive (through a digital service, as a hard copy delivered directly to the station, etc.). Either on a daily basis or after the contract is complete, the traffic coordinator verifies that the ad ran according to the terms of the contract. The traffic coordinator is expected to handle multiple client contracts with placement in up to six different media outlets.

Traffic Coordinator for the Media

If the traffic coordinator works for a media outlet, such as a website, television station or newspaper, then he is responsible for the placement of the client's creative. Automated software will assist in initial placement but manual manipulation is often necessary. He will also work closely with the advertising agency's traffic coordinator to make sure the creative is available by deadline. On a daily or weekly basis the traffic coordinator will verify time, frequency, and placement of the creative in order to bill the client (or agency). This type of traffic coordinator also works closely with salespeople, providing a variety of creative-tracking reports.

Other Details

A traffic coordinator's job is often hectic with very little downtime. Most media sources do not allow for holidays, which means all work must be performed ahead of time in order to take time off. Traffic coordinators often work three days ahead of schedule. A traffic coordinator is also the "gatekeeper" for many media outlets. The position requires a sharp eye for detail and problem solving skills to manage overbooked schedules, illegal placement of commercials (e.g., gambling businesses cannot air in NCAA programming), incorrect placement of commercials (scheduled for the wrong program or time or placed next to a competitor) and inappropriate or illegal creative content. The traffic coordinator also acts as a liaison between the sales department and the operations department (or "mastering") which handles the equipment to air commercials. For example, a 28-second commercial must be sent back to the production company to add two seconds. The traffic coordinator alerts either the client or the salesperson representing the client of this issue and indicates whether a change in contract is necessary.

Necessary Skills

A successful traffic coordinator thrives under pressure, thinking fast on her feet and making command decisions. She must be skilled at multitasking and extremely organized. Accuracy is important; one mistake can mean thousands of dollars in lost revenue, or worse, the loss of a client. She must also possess excellent customer service and communication skills, particularly in stressful situations.