Planning Director

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. With exceptional talent, trusted data and intelligence, and world-class partnerships – all united by our pioneering agentic marketing platform, WPP Open – we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity, and deliver transformational growth. 

WPP Media is WPP's AI-driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data, and partnerships to deliver creative personalisation at scale. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, clients see exactly where, how, and why their media investment is working.

For more information, visit wppmedia.com.

Role Summary and Impact 

Wavemaker positively provokes growth for clients by reshaping consumer decision-making and experiences through media, content, and technology. Our name is both our mission and our method. We do our best work for brave brands and people who relish being challenged to go further and faster, together. 

We are looking for an experienced Comms Planning Director or ambitious Comms Planning Manager looking for their next step, to run the day-to-day communications planning and as such this role will provide a fantastic opportunity to shape an innovative and creative media strategy for a well-established brand and great client marketing team.  

We want an enthusiastic and passionate individual who will deliver smart, innovative, and effective comms planning solutions, focussed on the UK market.  The role requires an experienced media planner with an advanced knowledge of traditional and digital media planning and execution, in addition to exceptional communication and organisational skills.  

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead on planning RTBs, ensuring that they are best in class.  
• Leads on day-to-day account workflow, governance, and WoW with support from Client Director. 
• Be comfortable presenting work and ideas to both clients, external agency partners, and internally. 
• Own key relationships with brand leads, agency partners, media owners 
• Work with the Client Director & Client Lead to explore opportunities to drive revenue growth and innovation. 
• Oversees implementation and delivery of media activation. Manages workflow through activation teams. 
• Oversees campaign reporting, ensuring insight is clear and actionable. 
• Oversees campaign evaluation (PCAs) with support of Planning Manager / Planning Exec. 
• Oversight of financial aspects of account (billings, reconciliations, accruals, finance queries). 
• To foresee and pro-actively resolve planning issues with the team leadership. 
• Leads key media updates (landscape, trends, research, media owner updates). 
• Build a deep understanding of the brand’s vertical, competition and their business, to understand the challenges and opportunities they face. 
• Champions WPP services, and agency capabilities. 
• Supports integrated WoW across media & creative adopting ‘The Power of & ‘mindset. 
• Supports the use of agency tools and process across the team (e.g., &OS, &AI, MAP) 
• Coach, support, and develop the Planning Manager and Planning Executive, with regular 1-2-1’s.  
• Raise the profile of the account in the agency by producing, submitting, and publicly talking our work. 

Skills and Experience 

• You are someone who both champions and challenges – themselves, their team, and their clients. 
• Significant and relevant media planning experience, especially across ATL.  
• A self-starter who demonstrates curiosity and works well in a fast-paced environment. 
• High attention to detail with a drive to make sure the collective output is an excellent standard. 
• Strong client management skills to manage both junior and senior clients, with gravitas. 
• Proven track record of delivering strong comms planning outputs - with measurement at the forefront - to deliver against core objectives of a campaign. 
• Strong presentation skills – both in creating / guiding content, and delivery  
• An in-depth knowledge and application of core media tools 
• Experienced in running all aspects of a media plan – from initial brief to PCA. 
• You are a good listener and able to collaborate with a wide cross section of people. 
• You have a solid history of working across a range of projects, demonstrating your ability to be flexible and manage multiple workstreams at once. 
• You exude the behaviours of the agency – we challenge and champion each other and our clients, to be the very best we can be. 

Life at WPP Media & Benefits 

Our passion for shaping the next era of media is powered by our commitment to Be Extraordinary, investing in our employees to inspire transformational creativity. We also Lead Optimistically, firmly believing in and Championing Growth and Development for every individual. This commitment allows WPP Media employees to leverage the extensive global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, build vital professional connections, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising.  

We Create an Open environment built on trust and respect, where everyone feels they belong and has opportunities to progress. This inclusive culture is fostered through a variety of employee resource groups and frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects this commitment, including competitive medical, group retirement plans, vision, and dental insurance, significant paid time off, preferential partner discounts, and employee mental health awareness days.  

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection in this open and supportive environment. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.  

Please read our Privacy Notice (https://www.wppmedia.com/pages/privacy-policy) for more information on how we process the information you provide.  

While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.  

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