Role Summary

We are searching for a talented and enthusiastic individual to join our OpenDoor team as an Implementational Planning Director. This is a full-time position based in London. The role will report to the Implementational Planning Lead and will manage a matrixed team of digital planners, channel planning and offshore teams. This role plays a crucial part in supporting WPP's mission to deliver consistency, delivery excellence and best in class service for Amazon in every country across its diverse businesses, including XCM, Prime Video, and RMI.

The Implementational Planning team creates an effective link between the Strategy & Planning teams and Activation, data and tech teams. The team ensures comprehensive briefs are developed in collaboration with the strategy and comms teams and that channel specialists meet clients’ expectations by achieving campaign KPIs timely and through embedding operational excellence. They also develop and support the delivery of tasks such as reporting output, offer insights and recommendations across strategic planning and agency pitches.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Synthesis: Lead one of the lines of business within XCM, supporting and organizing the digital teams to deliver on the planning, activation, data application and optimization of campaigns.
• Develop deep understanding of Social, Programmatic, OLV, Pan-regional IO buying, Partnerships and Content to inform digital decisions across opportunities.
• Manage both local market campaigns and multi-market campaigns; ability to switch between the two is critical.
• Collaborate with planning and strategy teams to translate block plans by media type and flighting from communication planning systems and optimize the digital media mix.
• Integrate digital plans with offline media (e.g., align TV spots and digital upweights) and create geo-based digital campaigns to support out-of-home placements; align online and offline messaging.
• Own media plans for all digital components, including budgets, tracking, and performance against goals across digital elements.
• Lead IO-based pan-regional buying/partnerships with multi-market vendors when required (briefing, management of briefs and delivery of partners).
• Unify disparate information and insights from all biddable channels in the context of client objectives.
• Support development of integrated experience strategies across biddable & digital touchpoints; identify opportunities for proprietary solutions growth.
• Guide clients and stakeholders on selection and application of systems, tools and platforms for successful implementation.
• Provide a consistent POV to clients on digital investment decisions and optimization areas.
• Outline advanced data analytics/measurement frameworks to shape holistic measurement of performance media strategy and activation.
• Advise stakeholders by navigating critical business changes.
• Lead development, presentation, and delivery of top-quality cross-channel planning work for larger campaigns.
• Plan against client outcomes, quantifying objectives and impact of communications across biddable areas with practice leads.
• Manage campaign budgets and daily spend levels, bid strategies and monitor performance; implement course corrections when needed.
• Scrutinize performance planning budgets to ensure proper allocations and that WPP Open and Amazon goals are protected and driven.
• Proactively identify opportunities to improve campaigns and advise client/agency teams accordingly.
• Develop advanced understanding of media channels and planning best practices.
• Translate strategy into planning practices for client briefs; oversee campaign management and ensure high-quality output.
• Lead pan-regional IO and partnerships-based buying for multi-market campaigns with managers and executives.

Collaboration & Leadership

• Work in a complex, matrixed environment, influence stakeholders and lead cross-functional teams toward media goals.
• Own knowledge of all WPP Open deliverables and campaign KPIs for Amazon; share across teams as needed.
• Partner with regional and local market leadership on behalf of Amazon.
• Ensure knowledge sharing and proactive communication to enable repeatable activation excellence.
• Monitor adherence to client and WPP Open excellence standards; develop action plans to address gaps.
• Build and maintain client and agency relationships at mid-senior level to understand stakeholders and business needs.

Skills and Experience

At WPP Media, we value our culture and people. In this role it is critical to embrace WPP & WPP Media’s shared core values:

• Be Extraordinary by Leading Collectively to Inspire transformational Creativity.
• Create an Open environment by Balancing People and Client Experiences by Cultivating Trust.
• Lead Optimistically by Championing Growth and Development to Mobilize the Enterprise.

• Can confidently answer client questions and liaise with internal teams on best solutions; strong knowledge of all digital channels, technology and data to support activation.
• Uses critical questioning and maintains a broad perspective when analyzing information to understand its impact on activation.
• Has knowledge of the entertainment and subscription industry to inform strategies and plans.
• Delivers relevant and accurate information to drive maximum impact.
• Communicates to influence and educate across levels of seniority; manages multi-market activation teams.
• Multi-market activation experience and entertainment category experience; thrives in a fast-paced environment with a partnership focus.

Bonus Points

• Applies big-picture thinking and understands industry trends.
• Translates strategy learnings to create effective digital activation with clear measurement.
• Applies best practices to campaign management and serves as escalation point for issues.
• Provides actionable insights during mid- and post-campaign reports for in-flight optimizations.
• Supports workload management and prioritization within the team.

Life at WPP Media & Benefits

We invest in our employees with competitive benefits, including medical, retirement plans, vision, dental, paid time off, partner discounts, and mental health days. We are an equal opportunity employer and promote a culture of respect and belonging. We support a hybrid approach with in-office work around four days a week; accommodations can be discussed during the interview process. This is a UK-based role and requires the right to work in that location.

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