Media Buyer
Plans, negotiates and purchases advertising space across media channels — TV, radio, print, digital and outdoor. In Kenya's growing advertising market, media buyers ensure brands reach target audiences efficiently within budget.
- AI exposure
- 69 of 100, high exposure
- Hiring trend
- Stable
- Hiring rate
- 25%
The role
What the work is, what it pays, and what it costs you.
At a glance
- Remote friendly
- Yes
- Freelance potential
- Medium
- Time to senior
- 7 years
A day in the role
Develops a media plan for a Safaricom campaign — allocating budget across TV, radio and digital. Negotiates TV spot rates with Citizen TV and NTV. Manages a KES 5M digital ad buy on Facebook and Google. Analyses campaign performance — reviewing reach, frequency and ROI. Monitors programmatic ad delivery — adjusting targeting and budget. Prepares a media plan presentation for a client. Reviews post-campaign analytics and prepares a performance report.
What it pays
Kenyan market, per month- Entry
- KES 40,000-80,000
- Mid
- KES 90,000-200,000
- Senior
- KES 230,000-500,000
Exposure
How much of this a machine can already do, and how that was worked out.
Where this rating sits
1,516 rated careersRated above 90% of the 1,516 careers in the catalogue, which averages 43. Inside media & communication the mean is 67, across 108 careers.
Named task by task
Already automated
- AI-powered media planning and audience targeting optimisation
- Automated digital ad buying (programmatic advertising)
- AI-assisted media cost forecasting and ROI prediction
- Generating media plan reports and performance analytics
Still human
- Planning media buys — developing media plans that reach target audiences within budget across channels
- Negotiating media rates — negotiating with TV stations, radio stations, publishers, digital platforms for best rates
- Purchasing advertising space — booking TV spots, radio spots, print ads, billboards, digital ads
- Managing digital media buying — programmatic advertising, Facebook/Google ads, TikTok ads, YouTube ads
- Analysing audience data — understanding audience demographics, reach, frequency, media consumption habits
- Managing budgets — allocating ad spend across channels, tracking spend, optimising ROI
- Monitoring campaign performance — tracking ad delivery, reach, engagement, conversions
- Managing media relationships — building relationships with media houses, getting preferential rates and placements
Task counts
- Displacing
- Programmatic advertising automates much of digital media buying — but strategic planning, negotiation and cross-channel optimisation remain human.
- Augmenting
- AI planning and analytics significantly improve efficiency.
Sources
Behind the rating- Kenya advertising spend data
- Media buying agency operations
- Programmatic advertising trends in Kenya
Getting in
The routes into the role and what each one asks for.
What to study
8 courses- Diploma in Church MusicKsh 54,000a year
- Certificate in Clerical OperationsKsh 67,189a year
- Certificate in Computerized Secretarial StudiesKsh 67,189a year
- Certificate in Marketing ManagementKsh 67,189a year
- Certificate in Office AdministrationKsh 67,189a year
- Diploma in Analytical BiologyKsh 67,189a year
- Diploma in Highway EngineeringKsh 67,189a year
- Diploma in MarketingKsh 67,189a year
How people get in
BA/BSc Marketing/Media + media buying experience
5-7 yearsVery high cost
BA/BSc Marketing, Communications or Media plus experience at media buying agency
Who hires
- Scangroup (WPP Media)
- Ogilvy Kenya
- Starcom Media
- Zenith Media Kenya
- Brands Direct Kenya
Common misconceptions
Media buyers just buy ad space
Media buying involves strategic planning, audience analysis, rate negotiation, performance optimisation and ROI management — a complex marketing function.
What happens next
How the role changes from here, and where it leads.
Growth outlook
- Net demand change
- +5%
- Over
- 2026-2028
- Drivers
- Digital advertising growth,Programmatic advertising demand,New brands entering Kenya
- Headwinds
- Programmatic automation reducing manual buying,AI media planning tools,Clients buying digital ads directly
What to learn
- Programmatic advertising platforms (Google DV360, The Trade Desk)
- AI-powered media planning and optimisation
- Digital analytics and attribution modelling
- Cross-channel media measurement
Related careers
Kenyan market notes
Media buying is a specialised advertising function in Kenya. Key context: Kenya's advertising spend is estimated at KES 20-30 billion annually — across TV (largest share — Citizen TV, NTV, KTN command premium rates), radio (numerous stations — diverse audiences), digital (fastest growing — Facebook, Google, TikTok), outdoor (billboards — major cities), and print (declining but still relevant for certain demographics). Key media buying agencies: Scangroup/WPP (largest — includes media buying), Starcom Media, Zenith Media Kenya, Brands Direct, media departments within full-service agencies. Key clients: Safaricom (largest ad spender), EABL, banks, telcos, FMCG, government. Key challenges: AI and programmatic advertising automating digital media buying, need for data analysis skills, tight margins on media buying commissions, and clients increasingly buying digital ads directly. Salary: entry KES 40,000-80,000 (media buyer), mid KES 90,000-200,000 (senior media buyer or media planner), senior KES 230,000-500,000+ (media director). Digital media buyers with programmatic expertise are in high demand.
Further reading
This role is rated 69 out of 100 today. Save it and the app keeps that number, then tells you by how much it has moved when the record is next reviewed.