WPP Media | Media Planning Director, Japan

Media Futures Group (MFG) is a bespoke agency solution for Google. As a global team powered by WPP Media, we deliver strategic, creative, and data-driven media to drive brand and business outcomes. In Japan, our Strategy & Planning division helps Google navigate a complex and rapidly evolving media landscape using AI, creative technology, local partnerships, and innovative solutions.

The Media Planning team is accountable for the strategic direction, organization, and delivery of digital marketing activities for our clients. The team owns the day-to-day client relationship, ensuring flawless delivery against client objectives across all campaigns.

The Media Planning Director (PA Lead) leads a team, pod, or market and is responsible for the planning, execution, and optimization of a portfolio of media campaigns. This role ensures budgets are deployed effectively against campaign objectives, leveraging the full range of available inventory through tactical planning and ongoing, cross-channel optimization.

The Director has end-to-end ownership of the tactical media plan and its execution, translating the brand’s overall media strategy into action while adapting to evolving market conditions and opportunities. The role requires strong communication and project management skills, deep knowledge of the media landscape, and effective use of media research. As the senior lead, the Director sets the standard for account management by maintaining a clear focus on client objectives and best practices.

• Own and actively manage senior client relationships, serving as the primary day-to-day point of contact and escalation for VP- and executive-level stakeholders
• Set clear client expectations for each campaign and ensure they are consistently met, proactively identifying risks, issues, and opportunities throughout the campaign lifecycle
• Maintain overall client satisfaction during and beyond campaign delivery, addressing challenges in a timely manner and driving solutions in partnership with internal teams
• Oversee all deliverables produced by the pod or market, either directly or through delegation, ensuring work meets briefs, quality standards, and client expectations prior to delivery
• Take direct responsibility for the performance of assigned media budgets, ensuring investments deliver against intended brand and direct response outcomes
• Clearly articulate the rationale behind media investment decisions and demonstrate performance versus expected outcomes through reporting, analysis, and client communication
• Lead the quality and effectiveness of Planning Milestone Meetings, including strategic and tactical presentations and post-campaign analysis, particularly for priority campaigns
• Manage the commercial health of account(s), including staffing, scope, financials, and ongoing capacity planning, in close partnership with senior management
• Coordinate project management support across the campaign lifecycle to ensure on-time delivery, cross-discipline alignment, and early identification of potential risks
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with leads across disciplines and regions, facilitating collaboration, communication, and global knowledge sharing
• Drive continuous improvement of processes and workflows to increase efficiency, elevate work quality, and improve both client and team satisfaction
• Develop strategic relationships with key agency partners and act as a senior point of escalation for complex or sensitive issues
• Contribute to thought leadership through POVs, published articles, press engagement, and industry participation, supporting external recognition and awards submissions
• Line-manage and coach media planning team members, providing clear direction, timely and actionable feedback, and support for career growth and development

• 8–10+ years of professional experience, with 5–7 years in digital media or advertising
• Strong written and verbal communication skills across all platforms, with the ability to engage clients and internal stakeholders effectively
• Deep knowledge of digital marketing and media, with hands-on experience planning, executing, and optimizing brand and direct response campaigns
• Ability to forecast campaign outcomes, manage media spend, and evaluate performance against objectives
• Experience using media research and measurement tools such as Comscore, GWI, TGI, and YouGov
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, with strong attention to detail, QA rigor, and the ability to manage multiple campaigns and deadlines
• Proven problem-solving skills, with the ability to think creatively and develop practical, data-informed solutions
• Strong client relationship management skills and the ability to work independently while collaborating effectively in a team environment
• Demonstrated leadership capability, with the ability to motivate, guide, and support team members in a positive and constructive manner
• Strong business acumen, quantitative reasoning, and strategic thinking skills
• Native-level Japanese (ideally with media/advertising terminology) and business-level English proficiency - TOEIC 800 or above