Global Business Director 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

Spark Foundry International is looking for an experienced Global Planning Business Director to play a senior strategic role on one of the world’s most influential technology platforms, spanning multiple brands and international markets. This is a high-profile global account, operating across regions and business units, with close collaboration between international, local market and US teams. The role suits someone who is confident operating at scale, comfortable with senior stakeholders, and able to balance global consistency with local nuance.

The role

As Global Planning Business Director, you’ll sit at the heart of the international planning team, responsible for shaping media strategy across markets, leading senior client relationships, and ensuring clear, joined-up delivery across a complex global ecosystem. You’ll work closely with a Global Client Partner and lead a core team in London, while influencing a much wider network of market teams worldwide. This is a hands-on strategic role — not just oversight — requiring strong judgement, clarity of thinking, and the ability to move seamlessly between strategy, operations and commercial conversations.

What you’ll be doing:

• Leading global, multi-market media strategy across brand and performance activity.
• Acting as a senior client partner, building trusted relationships with global and regional stakeholders.
• Translating global objectives into clear, actionable frameworks for local markets.
• Ensuring high standards of planning output, storytelling and strategic rigour.
• Working closely with specialist teams across digital, data, investment and technology.
• Managing team workflow, priorities and delivery across a large, international account.
• Supporting commercial stewardship of the account, including forecasting and contractual governance.
• Identifying opportunities for innovation, test-and-learn activity and incremental growth.

About you

• Extensive experience in media planning and strategy, with strong global account exposure.
• Proven experience leading complex, multi-market clients.
• Deep understanding of digital ecosystems and full-funnel media planning.
• Confident communicator who can influence senior stakeholders and bring clarity to complexity.
• Commercially astute, with experience managing large scopes and agency financials.
• A calm, credible leader who can manage up, down and across diverse teams.
• Curious about culture, technology and how media drives real business impact.

Why Spark Foundry

Spark Foundry combines the energy of a challenger agency with the scale and capability of Publicis Groupe. You’ll work alongside senior talent across markets, have access to world-class tools and specialists, and be trusted to lead at a genuinely global level. We offer flexible working, strong benefits, and a culture that values clear thinking, collaboration and accountability — without unnecessary ego.

Additional Information

• WORK YOUR WORLD: opportunity to work anywhere in the world, where there is a Publicis office, for up to 6 weeks a year.
• REFLECTION DAYS: Two additional days of paid leave to step away from your usual day-to-day work and create time to focus on your well-being and self-care.
• HELP@HAND BENEFITS: 24/7 helpline to support you on a personal and professional level. Access to remote GPs, mental health support and CBT. Wellbeing content and lifestyle coaching.
• FAMILY FRIENDLY POLICIES: We provide 26 weeks of full pay for the following family milestones: Maternity, Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental Leave.
• FLEXIBLE WORKING, BANK HOLIDAY SWAP & BIRTHDAY DAY OFF: You are entitled to an additional day off for your birthday, from your first day of employment.
• GREAT LOCAL DISCOUNTS: This includes membership discounts with Soho Friends, local restaurants and retailers in Westfield White City and Television Centre.

Full details of our benefits will be shared when you join us! Publicis Groupe operates a hybrid working pattern with full time employees being office-based three days during the working week. We are supportive of all candidates and are committed to providing a fair assessment process. If you have any circumstances (such as neurodiversity, physical or mental impairments or a medical condition) that may affect your assessment, please inform your Talent Acquisition Partner. We will discuss possible adjustments to ensure fairness. Rest assured, disclosing this information will not impact your treatment in our process. Please make sure you check out the Publicis Career Page which showcases our Inclusive Benefits and our EAG’s (Employee Action Groups).