VP (Motorsports) (12 month maternity cover)

We’re looking for a dynamic and experienced VP to sit within the leadership team of our Experiences team for a 12 month fixed term maternity cover contract. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to client activations that bring partnership objectives to life globally with a particular specialism around motorsports. You will be called upon as a subject matter expert and lead and represent this specialism across our agency network.

Key Skills We’re Looking For:

• Sponsorship Activation
• Hospitality
• Leadership
• Project Management
• People Management
• Operations and Process
• Event Delivery
• Strategic and Creative Thinking
• Rights Management
• Partnership Marketing
• Process Management

We’re Looking For Someone Who:

• Has 15+ years’ experience in a sponsorship activation role with agency or brand marketing experience.
• Is a strong people person and able to guide and lead a large team across our experiences specialism.
• Enjoys working and being part of a fast‑paced big team and is able to communicate requirements, ideas and expectations at all levels.
• Has multiple years of experience working in sports events, specifically motorsports.
• Can clearly present ideas, creative solutions and address challenges / obstacles head on.
• Has the ability and flexibility to work some weekends and travel internationally as necessary.
• Is a keen collaborator, able to work across multiple functions and obtain optimum output from teams.
• Is used to being the senior point of escalation for internal client teams, solving problems and advising on best strategies forward.
• Ability to travel internationally when required.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead an experiences focused team across our European network to implement and deliver on multiple client global activation plans across a multi‑motorsports calendar.
• Work with cross‑functional teams to establish best‑in‑class collaboration and identify efficiencies in delivering work across our client base.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior members of the team and less experienced account teams.
• Provide senior insights on motorsport industry trends and best practices, leveraging insights and industry knowledge to drive results internally, whilst continuously seeking opportunities for innovation and improvement.
• Nurture and develop best practice, driving efficiencies across the team, providing counsel and strategic insights and recommended ways of working.
• Provide oversight and direction of execution for the experiences team for best‑in‑class delivery.
• Working closely with the finance and legal leads to implement commercial processes that mitigate risk with both supplier and client contracting.
• Manage new and existing scoping conversations with clients, including proposals/costings, resource planning (internal), and ongoing tracking and reporting.
• Establishing and building key working relationships across the Octagon and Omnicom network.
• Build strong relationships with clients and rights holders at a senior level.
• Help shape, set and drive the agenda for the wider experiences group across the region as part of the department’s senior leadership team.
• Line management of multiple direct reports, providing day to day oversight, guidance and career development opportunities for the wider team.

Additional Qualifications:

• Solid Agency experience working in a similar role, ideally with experience in F1.
• High level Power Point Skills, Excel and Outlook and a confidence to present internally and externally.

Core Benefits:

• Fixed term contract – employed via our contingent worker provider
• Holiday – 25 days contractual leave per annum
• Pension – employer contribution 4.5%
• Statutory Sick Pay
• Statutory Maternity / Paternity Pay

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: Octagon is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Octagon is committed to building a culture where all employees are seen as equal, are respected and where all opinions are heard. We take pride in our inclusive hiring, as well as our diverse workforce and we welcome applications from all qualified candidates. Octagon is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law.