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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead exciting projects for top beauty brands and drive growth.
- Company: Join Ogilvy, a global leader in creative excellence with 75 years of impactful ideas.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working hours, generous leave, and wellness perks.
- Why this job: Be part of a culture that champions creativity, inclusivity, and social impact.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership experience and strong client relationship skills required.
- Other info: Ogilvy values diversity and offers equal opportunities for all applicants.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 ÂŁ per year.
Influence Business DirectorDepartment: PR & Influence
Location: London
Contract type: Fixed-Term (12 months)
Full Time/Part time: Full Time
Reporting into: Managing Partner / Client Partner
The RoleAs the Influence Business Director, you are the senior leader accountable for the commercial health, strategic direction, and operational excellence of the entire Influence department. You will transition from leading a portfolio of accounts to steering the practice itself, shaping its vision, and driving its growth.
You will hold full P&L responsibility, lead major new business acquisitions, and cultivate a culture of innovation and excellence. This role requires a visionary leader who can build a bestâinâclass team, establish industryâleading standards, and ensure the Influence practice is a critical driver of growth and creativity for the wider agency. You will be the ultimate authority on Influence, representing the department at the agency leadership level.
This pivotal role places you at the heart of our operations for The CocaâCola Company, one of the world\âs most iconic and dynamic brands. As a key leader within WPP Open X, our bespoke, fully integrated agency solution dedicated exclusively to CocaâCola, you will be responsible for orchestrating the entire lifecycle of influencer marketing initiatives across their vast global and European markets.
Your remit will span from the initial spark of ideation â identifying nascent trends and innovative opportunities that drive cultural relevance â through the meticulous development of cuttingâedge strategies tailored to diverse market nuances and brand objectives. You will lead the charge on defining compelling creative narratives and content frameworks, ensuring brand consistency and breakthrough engagement. Subsequently, you will oversee flawless execution, transforming strategy into impactful activations across various platforms and geographies.
Finally, your accountability extends to rigorous reporting and performance analysis, where you\âll leverage advanced measurement techniques to demonstrate tangible business impact and continually optimize for superior ROI. This role demands a holistic leader capable of driving innovation, navigating complex client relationships, and delivering measurable results within a dynamic, multiâmarket agency environment.
Key Responsibilities
Practice Leadership & Vision: Define and execute the strategic vision for the Influence department, setting its longâterm goals, growth targets, and market positioning.
Commercial & P&L Ownership: Hold full P&L responsibility for the Influence practice, overseeing revenue forecasting, resource management, and profitability to ensure sustainable business growth.
New Business & Growth: Act as the senior lead on all major new business pitches for Influence. Proactively identify and convert significant new revenue opportunities to expand the agency\âs client base.
Operational Excellence: Design and implement departmental best practices, operational frameworks, and quality control standards to ensure efficiency and worldâclass delivery across all accounts.
Talent & Culture Leadership: Lead the department\âs talent strategy, including senior recruitment, retention, and career mapping. Foster an inclusive, highâperformance culture that attracts and develops the industry\âs best talent.
CâSuite Counsel & Escalation: Serve as the final point of escalation for the most critical client and operational challenges, providing decisive leadership and strategic counsel to protect the agency\âs interests.
Innovation & Thought Leadership: Champion innovation within the practice, positioning Ogilvy as a definitive thought leader in the influence marketing landscape through publications, industry events, and strategic initiatives.
Key Leadership Competencies
Communication & Collaboration: Defines and communicates the overarching vision for the Influence practice. Develops communication strategies that align the department with agency leadership and fosters a culture of open dialogue and mentorship for senior leaders.
Organisation & Resource Management: Architects the department\âs operational structure to support profitability and growth. Oversees P&L, leads resource forecasting, and ensures the practice is structured to handle complex, largeâscale business needs.
Responsibility & Accountability: Holds ultimate accountability for the entire department\âs commercial and creative performance. Empowers directors to lead their teams while maintaining transparent, highâlevel communication with executive leadership on business progress and challenges.
Problem Solving & Decision Making: Acts as the final point of authority on the most critical business issues. Makes highâstakes decisions that protect the agency\âs commercial interests and mentors directors in strategic problemâsolving.
Growth & Development: Champions and funds a departmental learning culture. Defines the longâterm talent strategy, creates career pathways for all levels, and builds a bestâinâclass team through senior hiring and mentorship.
Ogilvy Values & Behaviours: Acts as the ultimate custodian of the agency\âs values within the department. Embeds these values into the practice\âs core processes, from recruitment and client management to performance recognition.
Skills for Your Growth to Client Partner
CâSuite Partnership & Business Acumen: Transition from a practice leader to a Câsuite strategic advisor. Develop a deep, holistic understanding of the client\âs entire business model, competitive landscape, and financial drivers to become an indispensable partner to their most senior leaders.
Integrated Solution Leadership: Evolve from leading a single capability to orchestrating the agency\âs full suite of services. Master the art of integrating diverse crafts from brand advertising and PR to consulting and data to solve the client\âs most complex business problems.
Enterprise Commercial Strategy: Shift focus from departmental P&L management to owning the entire client commercial relationship. Drive enterpriseâlevel growth by identifying strategic opportunities across the client\âs organization and negotiating largeâscale, multiâyear partnerships.
Relationship as the Core Product: Move from a role where the craft is the primary product to one where the strategic client relationship itself is the core deliverable. Your success will be measured by your ability to build unwavering trust and longâterm loyalty at the highest levels.
What You Will Need
Extensive and proven experience in a senior leadership role (e.g., Senior Influence Director or Business Director) within a topâtier agency.
Demonstrated track record of P&L ownership and delivering significant, yearâonâyear business growth.
Proven success in leading and winning multiâmillionâpound new business pitches.
Exceptional leadership skills with experience in shaping departmental culture and developing senior talent.
Strategic visionary with the ability to anticipate market trends and define a clear, forwardâlooking path for the business.
Outstanding commercial acumen and sophisticated negotiation skills.
How we help you Thrive
25 days annual leave + 1 Volunteer Day
Bupa Healthcare
Enhanced Maternity, Adoption and Shared Parental Leave
Flexible Working Model with core working hours: 10am â 4pm
A 1.5:1 Matching Pension Structure
Wellbeing and Health: Up to ÂŁ25.00 per month towards physical or online exercise class membership, Unmind membership, LifeWorks tool and annual eye tests.
Season Ticket Loan and Cycle to Work Scheme
Life Assurance
Equal Opportunity EmploymentOgilvy 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.
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Influence Business Director employer: Ogilvy
Contact Detail:
Ogilvy Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice đ¤Ť
We think this is how you could land Influence Business Director
â¨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Ogilvy's recent campaigns and projects, especially those related to beauty brands. Understanding their creative approach and the impact of their work will help you speak confidently about how you can contribute to their ongoing success.
â¨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former Ogilvy employees on platforms like LinkedIn. Engaging in conversations about their experiences can provide valuable insights into the company culture and expectations, which you can leverage during your discussions.
â¨Tip Number 3
Stay updated on industry trends, particularly in influencer marketing and PR. Being able to discuss current trends and how they relate to Ogilvy's work will demonstrate your proactive mindset and strategic thinking abilities.
â¨Tip Number 4
Prepare examples from your past experience that showcase your leadership skills and ability to drive growth on complex projects. Be ready to discuss how youâve built strong client relationships and navigated challenges, as these are key aspects of the Business Director role.
We think you need these skills to ace Influence Business Director
Some tips for your application đŤĄ
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience and skills that align with the Business Director role. Focus on your leadership experience, strategic thinking, and ability to drive growth in complex projects.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for the cultural sector and your understanding of Ogilvy's mission. Use specific examples from your past experiences to demonstrate how you can contribute to their goals.
Showcase Relationship-Building Skills: In your application, emphasise your exceptional relationship-building skills. Provide examples of how you've developed trusted partnerships with clients and stakeholders in previous roles.
Highlight Problem-Solving Abilities: Demonstrate your strong problem-solving skills by including examples of challenges you've faced in past projects and how you successfully navigated them. This will show your proactive and forward-thinking approach.
How to prepare for a job interview at Ogilvy
â¨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Business Director, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to lead and inspire teams. Prepare examples of past experiences where you've successfully managed complex projects and motivated your team to achieve exceptional results.
â¨Understand the Brand and Its Values
Familiarise yourself with Ogilvy's history, values, and recent campaigns. Being able to discuss how your vision aligns with their mission of Borderless Creativity will show your genuine interest in the role and the company.
â¨Prepare for Strategic Discussions
Expect to discuss strategic insights and solutions during your interview. Think about potential opportunities and risks in the industry, and be ready to share your thoughts on how you would approach these challenges.
â¨Demonstrate Relationship-Building Skills
Ogilvy values strong client relationships. Be prepared to talk about how you've built and maintained trusted partnerships in previous roles, and how you plan to do the same in this position.
