Account Director - Planning & Strategy (Hiring Immediately)

About WPP Media

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 .

2074 - Account Director - Planning & Strategy

About the role:

The planning team are the guardians of creating industry leading, unrivalled work at WPP. We are central conduits to all specialists, striving to push boundaries and have a positive impact on consumers and brand.

We are looking for a Planning Account Director for our prestigious automotive client account for the UK. This role is central to translating our client's modern luxury vision into actionable media plans that drive desire and deliver exceptional results. The Planning Account Director will be responsible for transforming the strategic frameworks, uncovering deep consumer insights and leveraging the full capabilities of WPP Open to create hyper-personalised, immersive brand experiences that connect with high-value audiences at every touchpoint. This individual will be a strategic partner to the client and internal WPP teams, ensuring all media efforts are aligned with our client’s brand objectives and business goals. The planning account director will work closely with the strategy, planning and activation teams to ensure the transition of the strategic approach to planning and activations.

WPP handles the media planning and buying for some of the world's smartest advertisers. Supported by keen consumer insight, analysis and experience, we are the largest media planning and buying network in the world. This team will be at the forefront of WPP agency integration model working alongside creative, production and underpinned by data and technology in WPP Open.

In this role, you will:

Media planning craft:

• Develop an advanced understanding of media channels, channel ecosystems and planning best practices.
• Start to translate strategic approach into planning practices for specific client briefs and pitches.
• Have an advanced understanding of WPP’s Purchase Journey thinking and planning philosophy across all client work. Including being an expert in a broad set of internal tools, as well as external tools to build a deep understanding of the consumer, the client’s business and its specific opportunities.
• Have an expert overview of the media market landscape, trends and start to build media owner relationships.

Campaign management & effective communication:

• Oversee campaign management, ensuring quality control and output is of the highest standard.
• Develop a skilled understand of commercial practises and of the wider agency.
• Build and maintain client and agency relationships at a mid-senior level, to ensure a comprehensive understanding of stakeholders and client business.

Comms planning and storytelling:

• Own planning presentations including defining the inputs needed and working with the wider teams to compile work and meet deadlines.
• Lead brainstorm and idea creation for campaigns
• Start to independently problem solve, including integrating and questioning data and insights and find solutions based on knowledge and experience.

Core skills:

Practice Area Knowledge –Skilled

• Develops breadth and depth of industry understanding. Becomes confident using tools, technology, techniques and systems and is able to train others.
• Comfortable presenting both direct from platform (OS, Architect etc) and developing a story from data but delivered outside of platform (Telmar etc).
• Can confidently answer client questions and liaise with internal teams on best solutions to use.

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