Strategy Lead

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.

Are you curious about human behavior, and always looking for inspiration for a collection of sources beyond the norm? Do you wish to challenge the status quo, and bring strategies to life in exceptional ways? Wavemaker UK is looking for a curious and provocative strategy partner to join our department. Wavemaker UK are experiencing exceptional growth, offering interesting brand challenges for strategists to take on, and bring our ethos of Positive Provocation to all the unrivalled work that passes through our doors.

We believe that there is no better time to be a strategist than today, and no better place to develop and grow in strategy than in Wavemaker. Media evolves, content shifts, and technology advances faster than ever before. From experience, we know that brands need solid plans and well-thought-out strategies that will grow their business amidst these changes. We also believe that you want to be part of these transformations, through your keen eye for details, your passion for creative work, and your desire to be involved in the story of growing brands.
 
In this role, you will drive strategic thinking across:

• Client Work: Own the comms strategy development for your client briefs, which includes identifying audiences, growth opportunities, building the cultural context, understanding the brand position amongst competitors, all to develop a differentiating comms strategy and media behaviour. Key role is the challenge conventional thinking, and ensure we are answering the right problem, and that the business challenge is the one we should be answering. A strategy lead should be able to run workshops, brainstorms, liaise with creative agencies, PR agencies and any other agencies involved, as well as drive collaboration across teams to ensure your strategy comes to life.
• Pitches: Own and develop the comms strategy for the pitch brief, building a robust understanding of the audience, working with audience science to build any bespoke research (i.e. focus groups of otherwise), and ensuring the strategy comes through in activation and any big ideas.
• Thought leadership: Write thought leadership for the agency, attend conferences and talks, and network within the industry to have a finger on the pulse.
• Agency: Coach and mentor junior agency members who have a strategic nous. Make the work better though optimising ways we respond to briefs, the way we plan, the way we brainstorm ideas, etc. As well as encourage a culture of discussion and debate about the industry and culture at large. Bringing outside inspiration in.
• Awards: Surface the award winning work on your clients, and spearhead the storytelling for each entry, chasing after the results to make the entry as strong as possible.
• Team: Be engaged and involved in team meetings and initiatives, including participating in debates, brainstorms, and inspiration outings. Lean in and help on accounts needing resource during team absences or during client clashes.

• Storytelling & Persuasion - The ability to develop a compelling narrative and use multiple storytelling techniques to sell in a strategy, idea, media argument, etc, whether from scratch, or taking the existing components from teams and building a compelling and exciting red thread end to end.
• Marketing & Media Industry Theory and Thinking- the  ‘Science: having knowledge and understanding of the  core Media and broader Marketing principles as well as the key literature and thinking that guides the best practices in Media and Comms
• Creativity - The Art: The ability to weave creativity into every aspect - whether it's thinking differently about a problem, bringing new combinations of data, insight or even media formats together, and pushing the boundaries of the thinking and the ideas to take brands to a new place
• Critical Thinking: The objective analysis and evaluation of a business, media or human challenge in order to identify insights and form a point of view

​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 note that while our philosophy is the same across WPP, benefits may vary by office/country. 

Please note this is a UK based role and requires individuals to have the right to work in this location 

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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