Performance Planning Manager in London

Company Description

Who We Are in the UK? Spark Foundry, the Acceleration Agency. We help brands to identify, learn and respond to opportunities faster than the competition. Every client has an area of their business they need to accelerate, from short-term goals to long-term transformation. We’ve proven our approach during the most difficult year on record. Now we’re using it to provide a launchpad for their future. Come be an accelerator with us.

How we accelerate:

• Planning: an approach that works in practice rather than theory, arming planners with the ability to create cutting edge campaigns
• Intelligence: a suite of tools that give definitive answers to big questions, and uncovers actionable insights about real people
• Trading: a model built on flexibility and trusted relationships, underpinned with bold guarantees
• Relationships: a culture of asking challenging questions to better understand the brief – we are not a ‘yes’ agency
• People: a strong history of recruiting talent from diverse backgrounds and accelerating their careers

Our Commitment: We are diverse through our experience, people and the clients we look after - and we celebrate that diversity. Our people hold us accountable to our beliefs and via regular surveys and our grass roots D&I team, The Collective, and internal next generation board, Firestarters, we hold regular events and work continually towards generating ideas, initiatives and educating our people to ensure we are a diverse and inclusive agency. As part of our dedication to create an inclusive and diverse workforce, Spark Foundry is committed to equal access to opportunity for people without regard to race, age, sex, disability, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion.

Overview: We are hiring a Performance Planning Manager to join a collaborative and high-impact team supporting a leading financial services client. This is an exciting opportunity to sit at the heart of performance strategy - bridging brand and activation to drive measurable growth. You’ll play a key role in shaping how multi-channel activity delivers against business objectives, working closely with planning and activation specialists across a connected agency ecosystem. If you enjoy turning insight into action and influencing outcomes across multiple channels, this role offers real scope to make an impact.

Responsibilities:

• Lead performance planning across paid media channels, ensuring activity aligns to clear business objectives
• Translate briefs into actionable, well-structured media plans with defined budgets and channel allocations
• Partner closely with planning and activation teams to connect brand strategy with performance delivery
• Shape and contribute to a “growth engine” approach, evaluating activity holistically to improve outcomes
• Apply knowledge across social, PPC, and programmatic channels to optimise planning decisions
• Build clear, engaging client-facing presentations that explain channel strategy, investment, and expected impact
• Manage client communication confidently, setting expectations and navigating changing priorities with clarity

Qualifications:

• Experience in financial services or another performance-led sector such as retail, travel, or telecoms
• Strong understanding of performance marketing channels and how they contribute to overall media effectiveness
• Ability to interpret briefs and translate them into structured, insight-led plans
• Confidence in explaining channel choices, formats, and platform differences to stakeholders
• Excellent communication and organisational skills, with a proactive and solutions-focused approach
• Comfortable working in dynamic environments with evolving priorities and deadlines
• A mindset focused on continuous learning, problem-solving, and improving performance outcomes

Additional Information: Spark Foundry offers a wide range of benefits to support our employees. Full details are shared when you join, but highlights include core benefits such as Pension, Life Assurance, and Private Medical cover, alongside enhanced policies like Reflection Days and Shared Parental Leave. You’ll also have access to a range of additional initiatives, including: Publicis Groupe works primarily from the office or our clients' office four days per week. Spark Foundry is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, disability, age, citizenship, relationship status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic. We are committed to providing a fair, accessible, and inclusive recruitment process. If you have any access needs - for example, related to disability, neurodivergence, or a health condition - please let us know. We’ll work with you to ensure the process works for you. Sharing this information will never impact your application. Guided by our values, we listen with empathy, uplift each other, take responsibility, and embrace change - building a culture where everyone feels seen, respected, and genuinely included.