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- Tasks: Lead strategic media planning for Ford UK, ensuring impactful campaigns and budget management.
- Company: Join WPP Media, a creative powerhouse transforming futures through innovative media solutions.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, flexible work options, and a vibrant company culture with plenty of perks.
- Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team driving growth and creativity in the automotive industry.
- Qualifications: Senior-level experience in media planning, strong communication skills, and a passion for innovation required.
- Other info: This is a 6-month fixed-term contract with a hybrid working model.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
Business Director, Connections Planning – 6 month FTC
2 months ago Be among the first 25 applicants
About WPP Media
WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities. For more information, visit wpp.com.
About WPP Media
WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities. For more information, visit wpp.com.
WPP Media is WPP’s global media collective. In a world where media is everywhere and in everything, we bring the best platform, people, and partners together to create limitless opportunities for growth. For more information, visit wppmedia.com
About Mindshare: A Leading WPP Media Brand
Mindshare delivers Good Growth for its clients. As “Growth Architects, we drive growth that benefits all stakeholders — better for people, planet, and business — by using media with intention. This approach creates more meaningful connections with consumers, increases consumer trust in the brand, and delivers better outcomes for all stakeholders.
Role Summary and Impact
We are recruiting for a Business Director for a 6 month Fixed Term Contract, who is an exceptional and driven media planner, to join our Connections Planning team.
You will be working on the Ford account in the UK – the biggest auto advertiser and one of the biggest accounts at Mindshare. We work in a unique ‘full service’ model meaning that the media teams collaborate closely with creative and account management teams within the Ford agency structure (primarily working with VMLYR).
Therefore we foster a fully integrated team approach across media, creative and client, working together across the 3 team locations – 2 days (Mon-Tue) at Ford’s Dunton office (a short taxi from Shenfield on the Elizabeth Line- Travel costs are covered), 1 day (Wed) at VML Sea Containers House and 1 day (Thu) at Mindshare Rose Court.
Core Responsibilities
In this senior Planning role, your primary responsibilities include directing and overseeing the creation and execution of integrated media strategies that deliver outstanding business results for Ford UK. You will lead strategic planning, annual budgeting, and work with the ‘Live Planner’ to maintain ongoing campaign performance, with a particular focus on channel choice and consumer/category insight.
Strategic Leadership:
- Lead the development of strategic planning and annual media strategy – developing strong audience insights and using category understanding to inform campaign approaches and execution.
- Guide client teams during briefings making sure we have clear and actionable briefs.
Relationship Management:
- Maintain strong partnerships across Ford UK, VMLYR, Channel teams, central agency teams, and other cross-agency partners.
- Act as primary strategic liaison with VML teams for responsive inputs, creative assets, and delivery management.
- Ensure consistent, transparent communication across all campaign developments and changes.
Team Leadership:
- Direct and mentor the Connections Planning team, managing workloads, fostering professional growth, and ensuring the timely delivery of quality outputs.
- Oversee weekly status reporting, maintaining clear accountability for campaign outcomes.
Campaign and Budget Management:
- Own the strategic management and adaptive allocation of annual and campaign-specific budgets.
- Identify potential campaign risks and proactively manage mitigation strategies to safeguard performance.
- Ensure campaigns deliver effectively against set KPIs, adapting strategies in real-time as needed.
Innovation and Collaboration:
- Collaborate closely with central strategy teams to integrate local initiatives with broader strategies.
- Continuously explore and introduce innovative media solutions to enhance campaign effectiveness.
- Champion digital innovation and emerging media platforms to maintain Ford UK's competitive advantage.
Skills And Experience
At WPP Media, we believe in the power of our culture and our people. It’s what elevates us to deliver exceptional experiences for both our clients and each other. In this role it will be 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.
- Proven senior level experience in strategic media planning, ideally within automotive or comparable industries.
- Demonstratable ability to simplify and decipher complex client requests, clearly visualising strategic solutions, and guiding teams towards actionable approaches
- Extensive experience managing complex budgets, strategic planning, and team leadership.
- Expert-level knowledge of audience research, insights, and planning tools (e.g., TGI, Touchpoints), with awareness of supplementary media owner tools and data sources.
- Skilled in designing sophisticated measurement frameworks, demonstrating clear and actionable insights.
- Exceptional communication and relationship management skills, confidently presenting strategic recommendations to senior clients.
- Passionate about driving strategic innovation, demonstrating flexibility, proactivity, and a challenger mindset.
- Highly organized, with strong foresight and forward planning abilities, managing priorities proactively, anticipating client and team needs, and consistently delivering against deadlines.
- Committed to team development, collaborative work styles, and continuous personal growth.
Life at WPP Media & Benefits
Our passion for shaping the next era of media includes investing in our employees to help them do their best work, and we’re just as committed to employee growth as we are to responsible media investment. WPP Media employees can tap into the global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, grow their networks, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising. We have a variety of employee resource groups and host frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our benefits include 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 particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.
We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. 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 this is a UK based role and requires individuals to have the right to work in this location
Please read our Privacy Notice ( 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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Director
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Business Development and Sales
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Market Research, Advertising Services, and Online Audio and Video Media
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Business Director, Connections Planning - 6 month FTC (London) employer: GroupM
Contact Detail:
GroupM Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Director, Connections Planning - 6 month FTC (London)
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with WPP Media and Mindshare's core values. Understanding their commitment to creativity, collaboration, and community will help you align your approach during interviews and discussions.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of WPP Media or Mindshare. Engaging with them can provide valuable insights into the company culture and expectations, which can be beneficial when discussing your fit for the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Stay updated on the latest trends in media planning, especially within the automotive sector. Being able to discuss recent developments or innovative strategies during your interview will demonstrate your passion and expertise.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to showcase your leadership skills and experience in managing complex budgets. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully led teams and navigated challenges in previous roles, as this is crucial for the Business Director position.
We think you need these skills to ace Business Director, Connections Planning - 6 month FTC (London)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in strategic media planning, particularly within the automotive sector. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to lead teams and manage complex budgets.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for media planning and how your skills align with WPP Media's values. Mention your experience with audience insights and strategic innovation, and explain why you are excited about working on the Ford account.
Showcase Leadership Skills: Emphasise your leadership experience in your application. Provide examples of how you've directed teams, managed workloads, and fostered professional growth in previous roles.
Highlight Communication Abilities: Demonstrate your exceptional communication skills by detailing experiences where you successfully presented strategic recommendations to senior clients or maintained strong partnerships across teams. This is crucial for the role at WPP Media.
How to prepare for a job interview at GroupM
✨Understand the Role and Company
Before your interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the role of Business Director in Connections Planning and how it fits within WPP Media. Familiarise yourself with their values and recent projects, especially those related to Ford, to demonstrate your genuine interest.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Thinking
Prepare to discuss your experience in strategic media planning, particularly in the automotive sector. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've developed and executed successful media strategies that align with business goals.
✨Highlight Relationship Management Skills
Since this role involves maintaining strong partnerships, be prepared to talk about your experience in relationship management. Share examples of how you've successfully collaborated with clients and cross-agency teams to achieve campaign objectives.
✨Demonstrate Leadership and Team Development
As a senior role, you'll need to show your ability to lead and mentor a team. Discuss your leadership style and provide examples of how you've fostered professional growth within your teams while ensuring timely delivery of quality outputs.
