Starter Programme: Entry-level Media Executive

The Starter Programme: Entry-level Advertising/Media Agency Training Scheme

Our entry level training programme is part of Bicycle London’s Academy aptly named The Pedal to Success. The Starter Programme is 12 months long, enabling people who are new to advertising to learn different disciplines, understand how all teams work together, and discover the role that’s best for them.

At the end of the 12 month period, entry level recruits will move into a defined team, depending on their burgeoning skillset and our business needs.

We do however, champion ‘T-shaped’ skills at Bicycle and encourage our people to continue pursuing varied disciplines throughout their time with us whilst they develop their specialism.

- Starter Programme Media Executives will spend 3 months in 4 of the following teams:

- Social: Learn the basics of planning, activating and reporting on ad and influencer campaigns across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and more.

- Audio Visual (AV): Build knowledge of running campaigns on TV, radio and VOD. Get to know the best way to deploy our clients’ budgets on the likes of Netflix, Kiss and ITV.

- Programmatic: Master the data-driven tech used to buy video, audio and banner ads across the open web, using platforms like DV360 and The Trade Desk.

- Paid Search & Retail Media: Acquire skills in Google Ads, Amazon Ads and other ecommerce platforms to maximise incremental sales for our clients.

- Strategy & insights: Pull back the curtain on how brand roadmaps are built and learn the process used to shape communication ecosystems. Effectiveness starts here.

- Studios: Learn what it takes to achieve the perfect creative brief, coordinate a shoot, and run a commercially effective creative account

Throughout the year, recruits will also learn account management and analytics skills, for example:

- End-to-end account and campaign coordination, collating multi-channel plans, turning clients’ goals into reality.
- Social content and influencer management.
- Audience & competitor research tools such as Brandwatch, AdIntel and Bicycle Connect
- Navigating analytics tools like GA4 and Appsflyer
- How to use reporting dashboards and apply critical thinking to find valuable insights
- Finance billing systems
- Building client relationships and project management
- Attending strategic and creative brainstorms
- Using AI to enhance productivity and navigate data

This is a brilliant opportunity for a newcomer to advertising, who enjoys plenty of variety and can work alongside senior colleagues from day one. Bicycle welcomes feedback and suggestions from employees of all teams and all levels - everyone has a valuable voice at the table, and opportunities to make their ideas a reality. Whilst this role is focused on the media planning & buying side of advertising, recruits will also gain exposure to our Studio unit, which develops creative concepts, writes ads and produces assets.



Key details

Start date: Tuesday 8th September.

Location: This role is based in our London office (in Clerkenwell, close to Farringdon and Angel), 3 days a week. If you're currently not living in a commutable location (i.e. you plan to move) we need confirmation that you will be moving prior to starting with us.

You must be at least 18 years old from the start date.



Recruitment Process:

The Application

To apply, please submit both your CV and a cover letter. To help us get to know you, please structure your cover letter into the following four sections:

- About You: A brief introduction to who you are.

- Why This Role: What draws you to this position and our team?

- Your Understanding of Us: Your take on what we do as an agency.

- Industry Insight: Tell us about a recent marketing campaign that caught your eye, and explain why you found it effective or interesting.

Keep it Human! 🤖 We’re looking for unique perspectives, personal flair, and genuine passion—things AI just can't replicate. Please write this cover letter yourself. If we want to read generic, AI-generated copy, we’ll write the prompt ourselves! Show us your voice, your quirks, and your actual thinking.

We encourage applicants to think outside the box when it comes to demonstrating your aptitude for this entry level role: you’ll have limited “formal” experience, however please show us your transferable skills.

Deadline: 12th July

Apply early to avoid disappoint - Don't miss out! We love seeing your applications, but if we're flooded with great candidates, we might close the role early. Get yours in today!



The Process

If you're successful, we'll take you through a 3-stage process:

1. Online Maths and attention-to-detail tests (through our online partner platform, Synap)

2. Initial phone call with the team.

3. Assessment day on Wednesday 29th July (approx 5 hours) at our office with shortlisted candidates, to consist of:

- Interview about your background, aptitude and interest in Bicycle

- A prepared 5min presentation on a topic you’re interested in

- Tests for critical thinking, teamwork and organisation skills

- Values interview with Mark Pavlika (our Chief People & Purpose Officer) and Val Perticucci (our Peloton Success Manager) to see if we're a good cultural fit for you

- Lunch and networking with other Bicycle employees and fellow applicants


If travel costs to London are a barrier, please let us know. We will subsidise the cost for applicants travelling from outside of London Zone 6.



Essential Skills & Experience:

- A proven interest in the advertising, digital or creative industries - this could be an internship, job, education or self-taught skills
- Highly numerate and commercially minded
- Analytical - able to translate research and raw data into useful, clear recommendations
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent attention to detail
- A solution-focused problem solver, able to adapt in unexpected situations
- Good general knowledge - you pay attention to current affairs and cultural trends
- A collaborative team player, able to effectively delegate to peers and seniors
- Exceptionally well-organised, a strong multi-tasker
- You enjoy building relationships with people from all walks of life
- Always proactive, inquisitive and positive



Ideal additional skills and attributes:

- Strong Excel / Google Sheet skills
- Some experience using ad or analytics platforms such as Google Ads or Meta
- An eye for design - perhaps you have some basic skills in software like Adobe or Canva
- Demonstrable experience of project management
- A basic understanding of advertising principles and media metrics
- Some background in a customer service role
- Experience using a financial/billing system
- Experience writing complex AI prompts and scripts



Diversity:

Our success relies on the diverse perspectives of our workforce, and as such, we encourage candidates from all underrepresented communities to apply to work at Bicycle London, either speculatively or for open vacancies they are suitable for.

We strive for everyone to feel like they belong by removing any potential discrimination in the way that candidates and our employees are treated, including:

- people with disabilities (visible and non-visible).
- people of different sexual orientations.
- transgendered and transsexual people.
- people of different races.
- people on the grounds of their sex.
- those of faith and of no faith.
- in relation to their age.
- in relation to their social class or medical condition.
- women who are pregnant, or have recently given birth.

At Bicycle we invest in neurodiversity training for our HR team and hiring managers, and understand how some applicants may thrive better in the interview process with certain adjustments. Please inform the hiring team if you require support prior to or during your interview and we will endeavour to support you to ensure you have every possible chance of success.

On successful completion of probationary period

- Opt-in Private Healthcare
- Death in Service at 4 x times salary
- Auto Enrolment Pension Scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Discretionary annual performance-based bonus scheme

Time off

- 26 days holiday
- 3 extra days off between the Christmas period (27th December – 2nd January) however, you’re expected to be on standby in the unlikely event that your clients require assistance.
- Annual 2-week overseas working allowance.
- To reward service, after two years’ you will accrue one extra day’s holiday up
to a maximum of 30 days.
- Additional 2 days off for volunteering

Culture

- Monthly Massages and Manicures
- Monthly Culture Days to learn about and celebrate our cultural differences
- Socials organised by our Social Committee.
- Dog friendly office
- Subsidised 5 a side football
- Weekly mindfulness sessions on Tuesdays

Development

- Healthy training budget to support your personal development
- Opportunity to obtain certifications with partners like Meta and the IPA
- Lunch and Learn Sessions

Other

- Financial incentive for introducing successful new business leads
- Annual away day
- Cycle to Work scheme (of course)
- Electric Vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
- £1k bonus for introducing a successful new recruit
- Access to Mental Health First Aiders

Since our inception in 2021, we’re extremely proud to have built a team of 60 - and growing. We have the pleasure of working with 18 clients ranging from heritage brands such as Papa Johns, Krispy Kreme, Moju, and Movember.

From the outset we believed that our industry had become beset with silos and legacy driven behaviour and have purposely evolved the agency to operate across brand and performance media, creative strategy and creative production - all of which are delivered under our proposition of ‘the power of And’.

Now beginning our sixth year of operations, we are continuing to grow and are proud to have been awarded B-Corp and London Living Wage status, and shortlisted for The Drum’s Best Places to Work. We have also been accredited with the People First Promise badge and CPD Platinum by the IPA. We were named one of Campaign’s 2025 Agencies To Watch. We also received an excellent score of 8/9 in Campaign’s 2025 School Reports, which ranks agencies based on their growth, income, client wins, diversity credentials and quality of work.

Culture is our prize possession, and it has evolved from start-up to scale up, with a team of the best diverse talent in the industry. We are built on one strategic imperative “to consistently provide our people with the best environment to do the best work of their lives”. This principle is underpinned by our three organisational values, Drive, Balance, and Freedom, which are disseminated throughout to encourage every single employee to bring their true selves to work.

We pursue difference! Our team comes from all walks of life and giving them that sense of belonging - in a safe working environment - genuinely enables us to collectively deliver the best work we can.

Learning and development are critical to our success, and we believe this is best achieved by collaborating in our Clerkenwell office at least 3 times a week.