UK

United Kingdom · Marketing · Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Connected TV Specialist

As a Connected TV Specialist, you pilot our brand's presence on screens, ensuring every ad hits its mark.

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, a real day, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

  • Experience bandMid-Level (2-5 years)
  • Direct reportsNo direct reports
  • Reports toManager, CTV & Programmatic
  • UK framework levelUsually a coordinator, or early in a professional job

Also advertised as Programmatic CTV Buyer · Digital Media Buyer (CTV) · Ad Operations Specialist (CTV) · Media Trader (Connected TV)

Built on an analysis of 43,079 real UK job descriptions · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Start with a free Future Fluency check, tuned to Connected TV Specialist

Ten quick questions, one per Future Fluency, asked against this role rather than a generic one. About five minutes, and no card.

Start the check, free
We see you

You sometimes wonder if AI will replace your role, but you know that your human touch in interpreting data and crafting stories is irreplaceable. It's a quiet dance with technology, and you're learning the steps as you go.

1What this role really is

This isn't just about buying ads; it's about making sure our brand shows up on the right screens, at the right time, to the right people. You'll be the one actually setting up, running, and optimising our Connected TV (CTV) campaigns, translating strategy into real-world performance. Think of it as being the pilot of our CTV advertising efforts, making sure we hit our targets and don't crash the budget. You'll work closely with the wider marketing team to get our messages out there effectively.

2A day in the life

Not a job advert. A real day, built from what this role actually holds.

08:45
You kick off the day by diving into the latest campaign performance metrics, noting trends and anomalies that need your attention.
11:00
After a quick coffee, you set up a new CTV campaign, meticulously adjusting targeting parameters and ensuring all assets are ready to launch.
14:30
You troubleshoot a discrepancy in ad reporting, liaising with support to resolve issues and keep the campaign on track.
16:15
Wrapping up the day, you document campaign progress and insights in the project management tool, ensuring everything is in order for tomorrow's tasks.

3What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

The Trade DeskIntermediate

Setting up new CTV campaigns, applying audience segments, monitoring daily pacing, and performing real-time bid optimisations.

Google DV360Intermediate

Managing CTV line items, setting up targeting parameters, pulling performance reports, and troubleshooting delivery issues.

Google Campaign Manager 360 (CM360)Intermediate

Trafficking VAST/VPAID tags, generating tracking pixels, QA'ing creative, and pulling standard delivery reports for reconciliation.

iSpot.tv / Samba TV (or similar)Basic

Pulling basic reach and frequency reports, understanding co-viewing factors, and monitoring brand lift metrics.

Snowflake (for Clean Rooms)Basic

Activating pre-defined 1st and 3rd party audience segments that have been prepared in a clean room environment.

Jira / AsanaIntermediate

Updating campaign tickets, managing personal tasks, and communicating campaign status updates to the wider team.

Tableau / Google Data StudioBasic

Using pre-built dashboards to monitor campaign performance, extract key insights, and inform daily optimisations.

4What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing inWhere you are nowThe step above
Campaign Optimisation (bids, audience, inventory)Requires manager approval for all changes.Independent decision-making within pre-defined campaign parameters. Escalate if changes impact budget by >10% or if performance drops significantly.Full autonomy to make optimisation decisions, including significant budget shifts, with post-facto communication to manager.
Troubleshooting Technical IssuesIdentify issue, report to manager, follow instructions.Independently diagnose and resolve common issues (e.g., tag errors, discrepancies) by working with support teams. Escalate to manager if issue persists or impacts budget/delivery.Lead troubleshooting efforts for complex, systemic issues, coordinating with multiple vendors and internal teams. Define long-term solutions.
Campaign Setup & LaunchExecute setup under direct supervision; all steps reviewed.Independently set up and launch standard campaigns, with manager review of final plan before activation. QA is your responsibility.Design and lead the setup of complex, multi-platform campaigns, defining best practices and templates for the team.
Reporting & AnalysisPull standard reports as requested.Independently pull, analyse, and summarise campaign performance, presenting findings and initial recommendations to manager.Develop new reporting frameworks and dashboards, providing strategic insights and presenting to senior stakeholders.

5How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, honestly: the hard targets, how often each one is actually looked at, and the quiet human signals that never make it onto a dashboard.

Campaign Pacing Accuracy
How closely your daily/weekly spend matches the planned budget.
Target · Achieve daily/weekly budget pacing within +/- 5% of plan.

If a campaign needs to spend £1,000 today, you'll aim for £950-£1,050. Getting it right means we don't underspend or overspend our precious budget.

Campaign Launch Error Rate
The percentage of campaigns launched with technical errors (e.g., incorrect tags, wrong creative, audience issues).
Target · Maintain a launch error rate of less than 2%.

Out of 10 campaigns launched in a month, you'd aim for zero or one minor error. This means campaigns go live smoothly and don't need urgent fixes.

Reporting Timeliness & Accuracy
Ensuring all standard performance reports are delivered on schedule and without data discrepancies.
Target · Deliver 100% of standard performance reports on time and with <1% data discrepancy.

Your weekly performance report for the Brand Manager is always in their inbox by Monday morning, and the numbers match what's in the DSP.

Video Completion Rate (VCR)
The percentage of viewers who watch an entire video ad.
Target · Improve or maintain VCR above 75% for 30-second spots.

If the VCR for a particular campaign drops below 70%, you'll have already spotted it and started making optimisations to improve it.

Proactive Optimisation
Your ability to spot underperforming elements (creative, audience, inventory) and make changes before they become a bigger problem.
  • You're bringing suggestions to your manager, not just waiting for instructions. You've already tested a new bid strategy when you notice performance dipping. You're checking dashboards multiple times a day, not just once a week.
Effective Troubleshooting
How quickly and effectively you identify and resolve technical issues with campaigns (e.g., tags not firing, discrepancies).
  • When a campaign isn't serving, you've already checked the ad server, DSP, and creative specs before escalating. You can clearly explain the problem and what you've tried. You're not just saying 'it's broken', you're saying 'it's broken because X, and I've tried Y and Z'.
Stakeholder Communication
Keeping relevant internal teams informed about campaign status, performance, and any issues.
  • You're sending clear, concise updates to the Brand team about campaign progress. You're flagging potential budget issues to your manager before they become critical. People feel informed and trust your updates.
Process Adherence
Following established campaign setup, QA, and reporting processes to ensure consistency and minimise errors.
  • Your campaign naming conventions are always correct. Your pre-launch checklists are always completed. You're documenting changes in Jira as required, making it easy for anyone to pick up where you left off.

6Would you like it

The honest version. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Seeing Direct Impact

You'll get a real kick out of seeing your campaign go live and then watching the performance metrics improve because of your daily tweaks. It's about seeing your actions directly translate into results.

Optimising a campaign's audience targeting and seeing the Video Completion Rate jump from 60% to 80% within a week, knowing that was down to your efforts.

Mastering Complex Systems

You enjoy diving deep into how Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) and ad servers actually work, understanding the nuances of bidding algorithms, and becoming a true expert in the mechanics of ad delivery. It's a puzzle you love to solve.

Troubleshooting a tricky discrepancy between the ad server and DSP, digging into the logs, and figuring out the exact technical reason why the numbers don't match.

Staying Ahead of the Curve

The constant evolution of ad tech, new measurement techniques, and privacy changes excites you. You're motivated by learning what's next and being an early adopter of new strategies.

Being the first on the team to understand how a new clean room technology works and proposing ways we could use it for better audience insights.

What frustrates people
  • The 'Measurement Black Box': Trying to piece together a coherent story of ROI when your DSP, ad server, and three different measurement vendors all report conflicting numbers. It's a real headache.
  • Last-Minute Fire Drills: Getting an 'urgent' creative swap from the client at 4:30 PM on a Friday that means you have to re-traffic the entire campaign for a weekend launch. Your plans for the pub? Gone.
  • Reconciliation Hell: Spending a good chunk of your first week of the month manually trying to match delivery numbers between platforms just to approve invoices. Yes, it's as boring as it sounds.
  • Walled Garden Frustration: Being accountable for campaign performance on platforms like Amazon or YouTube when they give you minimal data transparency and very little control over how things actually run.
  • Budget Whiplash: Having a perfectly optimised, high-performing campaign suddenly paused due to a budget cut, only to be told two weeks later to 'spend an extra £500K by end of day'. It's jarring.
What this role does not give you
  • A perfectly stable, predictable daily routine. Expect curveballs.
  • Complete control over every aspect of a campaign; you'll often be working within platform limitations.
  • A role where you only deal with the 'fun' strategic stuff; there's a lot of hands-on, detailed execution.
  • A quiet, isolated working environment; you'll be collaborating and troubleshooting constantly.

7Who you work with

This role directly drives the efficiency and effectiveness of our CTV advertising spend. Your ability to get campaigns live, optimise them on the fly, and report accurately means our marketing budget is working as hard as possible. You're essentially the engine room for a significant chunk of our digital media investment, making sure we're not just spending money, but spending it wisely to generate tangible results for the business.

Inside the business
  • Marketing Manager (Brand & Performance)
  • Creative Team
  • Analytics Team
  • Product Marketing
Outside the business
  • Demand-Side Platform (DSP) Account Managers
  • Ad Server Support Teams
  • Measurement Vendors
  • Creative Agencies

8What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • At least 2 years of hands-on experience in programmatic media buying, ideally with some exposure to video or CTV platforms.
  • Proven ability to set up, launch, and optimise digital advertising campaigns in a Demand-Side Platform (DSP).
  • Experience with an ad server (like Google Campaign Manager 360) for trafficking creative and pulling reports.
  • A solid grasp of digital marketing metrics (e.g., CPM, VCR, CTR, CPA) and what they actually mean.
  • Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data and identify trends or issues.
  • Proficiency in Excel or Google Sheets for data manipulation and reporting.

9What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced DSP Features & Customisation

Simply knowing how to click buttons in a DSP won't be enough. You'll need to understand how to use more advanced features, like custom algorithms or complex audience segment integrations, to squeeze every bit of performance out of our campaigns. This is where the real competitive advantage lies.

Custom Bidding Algorithms · API Integrations · Supply Path Optimisation (SPO) Deep Dive · Advanced Audience Segmentation

  • This month: Dig into the 'advanced features' sections of our main DSPs. What haven't you used yet? Experiment in a test environment.
  • Next quarter: Look for webinars or training sessions offered by our DSP partners on their more complex functionalities.
  • Month 4-6: Propose a small test campaign using a custom bidding strategy or a new API-driven reporting method.
  • Ongoing: Network with other programmatic specialists to learn about their 'power user' tricks.

Quick win: Identify one advanced feature in your current DSP that you've never used. Spend an hour learning about it and think about how it could apply to a current campaign.

Cross-Platform Identity Resolution

With so many devices and fragmented viewing habits, understanding how to connect a user's journey across different screens (mobile, desktop, CTV) is crucial for accurate targeting and measurement. This is the holy grail of digital marketing, and you'll need to be part of solving it.

Universal ID Solutions (e.g., UID2.0, RampID) · Graph-Based Identity · Household Graph · Deterministic vs. Probabilistic Matching

  • This month: Research the major identity solutions in the market (e.g., UID2.0, LiveRamp). What are their pros and cons?
  • Next quarter: Attend industry webinars or conferences focused on identity and the future of measurement.
  • Month 4-6: Work with our analytics team to understand how we currently approach cross-device attribution and what challenges we face.
  • Ongoing: Keep up-to-date with privacy regulations and how they impact identity solutions.

Quick win: When you're looking at campaign reports, start thinking about how many different devices a single user might have seen your ad on. How would you connect those dots?

10Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly reading industry publications like AdExchanger, ExchangeWire, and Campaign to stay on top of the latest CTV trends and news.
  • Attending webinars and virtual events hosted by DSPs, measurement vendors, and industry bodies (e.g., IAB, WARC).
  • Participating in online forums or communities for programmatic media buyers to share knowledge and troubleshoot common issues.
  • Taking advanced courses on data analytics or visualisation to deepen your ability to extract insights from campaign data.
  • Experimenting with new features or beta programmes offered by our ad tech partners to gain hands-on experience.

11How the AI economy is changing work like this

Before we ask anything of you, here's what we can already say about AI and work of this kind:

A broad read on this kind of work, not an analysis of this job on its own. Roles that share a pattern get the same answer here.

Fading: AI does more of this

AI is starting to handle the repetitive data crunching, freeing you from manual report generation.

→
Rising: worth more because of AI

Your ability to weave a compelling narrative from complex data becomes increasingly valuable.

The new skill this role is being asked for: Advanced Data Storytelling

As data becomes more complex and comes from more sources, simply presenting numbers isn't enough. People need a clear, compelling narrative that explains what happened, why it matters, and what we should do next. Being able to weave that story from disparate data points will make your insights far more impactful.

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

Your PlanIllustration

Built for Connected TV Specialist

5 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Managing Marketing and Digital CommunicationsPearson Education Ltd · covers 1 of 2 standardsLevel 4
  2. Social Media MarketingOCN London · covers 1 of 2 standardsLevel 4
  3. Using Digital Channels, Platforms and Social Networks to Deliver Marketing Communications - AdvertisingAIM Qualifications · covers 1 of 2 standardsLevel 4
  4. Planning Channel and Platform UsePearson Education Ltd · covers 1 of 2 standardsLevel 4
  5. Develop a media plan for advertising products/servicesCity and Guilds of London Institute · covers 1 of 2 standardsLevel 3
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

Advanced Data Storytelling

As data becomes more complex and comes from more sources, simply presenting numbers isn't enough. People need a clear, compelling narrative that explains what happened, why it matters, and what we should do next. Being able to weave that story from disparate data points will make your insights far more impactful.

  • Narrative Structure
  • Visualisation Best Practices
  • Audience Empathy
  • Actionable Insights

Privacy-First Measurement Approaches

With the deprecation of third-party cookies and increasing privacy regulations, traditional measurement and attribution methods are breaking down. We need to get smart about privacy-safe ways to measure campaign effectiveness, using things like clean rooms and aggregated data. If you don't understand this, you won't be able to prove the value of your campaigns.

  • Data Clean Rooms
  • Aggregated Measurement
  • First-Party Data Strategies
  • Consent Management Platforms (CMPs)

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Programmatic Bidding & Optimisation
  • Audience Architecture & Data Application
  • Inventory Curation & Supply Path Optimisation (SPO)
  • Cross-Screen Measurement & Incrementality
  • Video Ad Serving & Technical Standards

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Associate CTV Specialist / Junior Programmatic Trader

    1-2 years

    Skills to master

    • Basic campaign setup, daily pacing checks, fundamental reporting, creative trafficking, and understanding core CTV metrics.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently hitting daily pacing targets with minimal errors.
    • Independently troubleshooting basic ad serving or tracking issues.
    • Proactively identifying minor optimisation opportunities.
    • Clear and accurate communication of campaign status.
  2. 2

    Digital Media Planner/Buyer (Generalist)

    2-3 years

    Skills to master

    • Broad understanding of digital media channels (search, social, display), experience with media planning tools, and a desire to specialise in programmatic CTV execution.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Demonstrated interest and self-study in programmatic and CTV.
    • Strong analytical skills from managing other digital channels.
    • Ability to translate media plans into executable campaign strategies.
    • Eagerness to dive deep into the technical aspects of ad delivery.
  3. 3

    Ad Operations Specialist

    2-4 years

    Skills to master

    • Deep expertise in ad serving, tag management, troubleshooting technical issues, and ensuring campaign delivery across various platforms. This role would transition into more strategic optimisation.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Expertise in ad server platforms (e.g., CM360).
    • Proven track record of resolving complex ad delivery issues.
    • Strong understanding of creative specifications and technical requirements.
    • Desire to move from 'making ads run' to 'making ads perform'.

12How people get here · where they go next

Came from
Associate CTV Specialist / Junior Programmatic Trader
1-2 years
You honed your skills in basic campaign setup and daily pacing checks, laying the groundwork for more complex responsibilities.
You are here
Connected TV Specialist
Mid-Level (2-5 years)
This isn't just about buying ads; it's about making sure our brand shows up on the right screens, at the right time, to the right people. You'll be the one actually setting up, running, and optimising our Connected TV (CTV) campaigns, translating strategy into real-world performance. Think of it as being the pilot of our CTV advertising efforts, making sure we hit our targets and don't crash the budget. You'll work closely with the wider marketing team to get our messages out there effectively.
Goes to
Senior Connected TV Specialist
2-3 years in the CTV Specialist role
This role involves shaping future campaign strategies with data-backed recommendations and mentoring junior team members.

The long view:Your journey here as a Connected TV Specialist is just the beginning. We're committed to providing clear pathways for growth, whether you aspire to lead a team, become a deep technical expert, or shape the strategic direction of our marketing efforts. Your development is our investment in the future.

Pay & demand

Pay and demand for this role will appear here, each figure traced to a named authoritative source (e.g. the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, under the Open Government Licence). We don’t show numbers we can’t attribute.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Connected TV Specialist is actually changing. In about two minutes, the free confidence check asks where you stand on each of the ten. That's the whole check, and it's what makes the plan yours rather than generic.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

13The team that's yours

No two people are taught the same way. This is one-to-one, not one-to-many.

Zavmo is a hyper-personalised AI learning platform. Twelve virtual tutors, each with a different way of teaching, and one orchestration agent that picks the right one for the moment. So every single lesson is shaped around you, your role, and the way you learn. Not a course everyone sits through. A conversation built for you, and no one else.

The Navigator
The Navigator
Big-picture guide
Your Navigator helps you see how privacy-safe strategies are reshaping the future of CTV advertising.
The Coach
The Coach
Real practice
Your Coach sets up scenarios where you practice presenting campaign insights to non-technical audiences, offering feedback on clarity and impact.
The Explorer
The Explorer
Safe to try
Your Explorer encourages you to experiment with new bidding strategies, providing a safe space to learn from unexpected outcomes.

…and nine more, matched to you after your first chat. Meet all twelve

Start free and meet yours

14What it feels like

A conversation, not a course

Because your tutor knows your role, your projects and your last session, learning sounds like this. And it's different for every single person:

Managing Marketing and Digital CommunicationsLevel 4

Applied to your work in Connected TV Specialist

This unit aims to provide learners with the ability to plan, design, and coordinate the implementation of a marketing campaign using multimedia platforms. Learners will also be able to optimise campaign content, assess data, analyse research findings, and derive insights to target key audiences effectively.

The CoachLast time, we discussed how to present your campaign results effectively. Let's review the narrative you crafted for your latest report.

YouSure, I tried to focus on the key insights this time.

The CoachGreat! Now, let's refine it further by considering how you can tailor the story for different stakeholders, like the Brand Manager versus the Finance Director.

How the thinking builds
  1. Remember
  2. Understand
  3. Apply
  4. Analyse
  5. Evaluate
  6. Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

One to one, not one to many

No two people run this the same way

A course is written once and handed to everyone. This is assembled around you, and keeps changing as it learns you. Five things it reads, and what each one changes.

  1. Your actual work Every lesson is taught against a live piece of your own work, not a worked example from a textbook.
  2. What you already know The first conversation finds your starting point, so you skip what you can already do and spend the time on what you cannot.
  3. The conditions you learn under Not a learning-styles quiz. The evidence does not support those. The dimensions the research does back, read once and used to shape the plan.
  4. How far you got last time It picks up mid-thought. The tutor knows what you said, what you struggled with, and what it asked you to try.
  5. Which tutor suits the moment Twelve of them, each for a different kind of thinking. The one who walks you through a first idea is not the one who stress-tests it.

See how you learn, free. Eight questions, no sign-up. A directional taster; the diagnostic inside Zavmo goes deeper and keeps adapting.

DemonstrateIllustration

Evidenced on your work in Connected TV Specialist

You do not finish by watching something. You finish by showing it on the work you already do, against the measures this job is judged on.

  • Campaign Pacing AccuracyHow closely your daily/weekly spend matches the planned budget.If a campaign needs to spend £1,000 today, you'll aim for £950-£1,050. Getting it right means we don't underspend or overspend our precious budget.Achieve daily/weekly budget pacing within +/- 5% of plan.
  • Campaign Launch Error RateThe percentage of campaigns launched with technical errors (e.g., incorrect tags, wrong creative, audience issues).Out of 10 campaigns launched in a month, you'd aim for zero or one minor error. This means campaigns go live smoothly and don't need urgent fixes.Maintain a launch error rate of less than 2%.
  • Reporting Timeliness & AccuracyEnsuring all standard performance reports are delivered on schedule and without data discrepancies.Your weekly performance report for the Brand Manager is always in their inbox by Monday morning, and the numbers match what's in the DSP.Deliver 100% of standard performance reports on time and with <1% data discrepancy.
  • Video Completion Rate (VCR)The percentage of viewers who watch an entire video ad.If the VCR for a particular campaign drops below 70%, you'll have already spotted it and started making optimisations to improve it.Improve or maintain VCR above 75% for 30-second spots.
These are this job's own measures, with its own targets. Nothing is marked evidenced, because nobody has started this yet. Yours would fill in from the work you bring.
The Coach· your tutor
The CoachLast time, we discussed how to present your campaign results effectively. Let's review the narrative you crafted for your latest report.
YouSure, I tried to focus on the key insights this time.
The CoachGreat! Now, let's refine it further by considering how you can tailor the story for different stakeholders, like the Brand Manager versus the Finance Director.

It knows your role, your work, your last session. That's what one-to-one really means. No two people are ever taught the same way.

Your passport

This isn't a certificate you file away. It's a passport to the life you're designing.

Every credit you earn and every fluency you build adds up: evidence where it counts, carried with you. Zavmo keeps the map: where you are, where you're heading, and the next step, at your pace, around your life. From Connected TV Specialist to Senior Connected TV Specialist, and whatever you decide comes after.

Level 3 · in progressAI Fluency→ Senior Connected TV Specialist→ your design
A year from now

A year from now, you confidently lead CTV campaigns, your insights shaping strategic decisions and inspiring your peers.

See Your Progress GrowIllustration
Connected TV Specialist
  • Programmatic Bidding & Optimisation
  • Audience Architecture & Data Application
  • Inventory Curation & Supply Path Optimisation (SPO)
  • Cross-Screen Measurement & Incrementality
  • Video Ad Serving & Technical Standards
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

15The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Connected TV Specialist is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Senior Connected TV Specialist

    2-3 years in the CTV Specialist role

    Level 3 (Senior)

    • Designing and interpreting incremental lift studies.
    • Architecting complex audience segments using multiple data sources.
    • Leading Private Marketplace (PMP) and Programmatic Guaranteed (PG) deal negotiations.
    • Advanced troubleshooting across the entire ad tech stack.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, a lot of your day is spent on repetitive tasks, digging through data, and trying to make sense of conflicting reports. What if you could offload some of that to AI? We're not talking about replacing you; we're talking about giving you superpowers.

Imagine a world where the tedious bits of CTV campaign management – the constant pacing checks, the manual report writing, even predicting creative performance – are handled by smart AI tools. You'd have more time for the truly interesting stuff: strategy, creative thinking, and uncovering those 'aha!' moments that really move the needle. Here's how AI is already changing the game for Connected TV Specialists.

Automated Pacing & Budget Allocation

AI models can analyse real-time performance data to automatically shift budgets between campaigns, publishers, and even different creative versions. This ensures you're always maximising KPIs like Video Completion Rate (VCR) or Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) without you having to manually adjust things every hour. It's like having a co-pilot that never sleeps.

Predictive Audience Insights

Forget guessing who your next best customer is. AI can analyse our first-party data and market signals to identify and build high-value predictive audiences – think 'likely to subscribe' or 'high lifetime value' segments. These consistently outperform traditional demographic targeting, giving you a serious edge in finding the right people.

Creative Performance Forecasting

Before you even launch a new video ad, AI can analyse the creative assets against a massive database to predict how well they'll perform. It can forecast metrics like attention score and brand lift across different audience segments, helping you pick the winners before you spend a penny. No more expensive A/B tests just to find out a creative flops.

Automated Reporting Commentary

Picture this: AI generates natural language summaries for your performance dashboards. It automatically spots key trends, flags anomalies, and even gives you initial optimisation recommendations. This turns raw data into a client-ready narrative instantly, saving you hours of painstaking report writing every week. You just review and refine.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Connected TV Specialist?

Common routes in include Associate CTV Specialist / Junior Programmatic Trader (1-2 years), Digital Media Planner/Buyer (Generalist) (2-3 years) and Ad Operations Specialist (2-4 years). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Connected TV Specialist progress to?

This role can lead on to Senior Connected TV Specialist (2-3 years in the CTV Specialist role), depending on the skills you build.

What level is a Connected TV Specialist in the UK?

This role aligns to RQF Level 3 on the UK framework, a guide to the depth of qualification it maps to, not a hard entry bar.

What new skills matter most for a Connected TV Specialist?

Increasingly, Advanced Data Storytelling and Privacy-First Measurement Approaches. These are the areas where the higher-paid, future-proof work is heading.

The honest bit

You’ve started things before

Most of them were built for a room full of people who aren’t you. A cohort moves on whether or not your week allowed it, and by the third week the thing you’re behind on becomes the reason you stop opening it.

There’s no cohort here, and no timetable to fall behind. Before anything starts, Zavmo asks when you’re sharpest and how long you can realistically sit down for, then builds the sessions around those answers. A bad fortnight changes your pace. It doesn’t put you behind.

And you only pay once you start learning. Searching and planning are free, and you can cancel any time — so the cost of finding out is an afternoon, not a year.

What it costs

Less than one coaching session. Every month.

A single career-coaching hour costs more than a month of this, and it ends when the hour does. Zavmo doesn't. It's £70 a month, about £2.30 a day, for a companion that knows a Connected TV Specialist, works on the job you actually do, and keeps going at your pace rather than a timetable's.

  • Searching and planning stay free. You only pay when you start learning.
  • Your credits are yours. Regulated, and they don't vanish when a subscription ends.
  • Cancel any time and billing stops. No notice period, no minimum term.

Your path, personalised

You have the map. Walking it is the part we do together.

This route runs to 2 national skill standards. That is a real journey.

Zavmo shapes a learning experience as unique as you are. It fits how you learn, your pace and the work you already do. Every step stays benchmarked to recognised national standards. That’s the plan for becoming a Connected TV Specialist: personal to you, and it still counts. The first steps are free.

Independent research finds well-designed intelligent tutoring performs nearly as well as one-to-one human tutoring: VanLehn (2011), Educational Psychologist.

A private tutor in the UK averages £35–40 an hour . Zavmo is £70/month.

A real plan on learn.zavmo.ai: Ofqual-regulated units, credits, and a three-month run at your own pace.
Start free No commitment. See your first steps free.

16Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 3

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

Other roles in Marketing

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.

If you leave this industry

The skills you'll gain as a Connected TV Specialist are highly transferable across the digital advertising ecosystem. You could move into roles at Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs), ad server companies, media agencies, or even become an in-house expert for other large brands. The demand for programmatic and CTV expertise is only growing.

Not sure this is the right direction?

Work out what you actually want from work first, then come back and see which roles fit it. Takes about ten minutes.

This role profile is © 2026Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Build my plan, free Here's the first ten minutes: a 2-minute confidence check → your personalised roadmap → meet the tutors matched to you. No card, cancel any time. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.