OOH Associate Director

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: 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.

Job Description

Associate Director – OOH Activation: We are hiring an Associate Director to join our Publicis OOH Activation team, an opportunity to shape outstanding Out of Home campaigns for a diverse portfolio of Spark clients. This is a hands-on, high-impact role where you’ll lead planning and buying, while building strong partnerships across teams and clients. You’ll play a key role in delivering creative, effective media solutions that make a real difference. If you enjoy combining strategic thinking with collaboration and innovation, this could be a great next step in your career.

Responsibilities: What you’ll be doing:

• Lead the planning and buying of OOH campaigns across a portfolio of client accounts, ensuring strong performance and delivery.
• Act as a trusted day-to-day contact for clients, providing clear guidance and strategic recommendations.
• Build collaborative relationships with Planning, Investment, Media Owners, and wider agency teams.
• Oversee campaign execution from briefing through to delivery, ensuring accuracy and quality at every stage.
• Support forecasting and budget management, identifying opportunities to optimise spend and drive growth.
• Manage and develop an Account Executive, providing guidance, feedback, and support for their progression.
• Contribute fresh ideas and perspectives to briefs, helping deliver innovative and effective OOH solutions.

Qualifications: Skills we’re looking for:

• Experience in OOH media planning and buying, with a strong understanding of campaign delivery.
• Excellent attention to detail, with a focus on accuracy and meeting deadlines.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to build relationships across multiple stakeholders.
• Confidence in managing client expectations and working with media owner partners.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach to challenges and opportunities.
• An interest in mentoring or supporting the development of others within a team.
• Enthusiasm for collaboration and delivering high-quality work in a dynamic environment.

Additional Information: Spark Foundry offers a wide range of benefits to support our employees. Core benefits include Pension, Life Assurance, and Private Medical cover, alongside enhanced policies such as Reflection Days and Shared Parental Leave. You’ll also have access to a range of additional initiatives.

Publicis Groupe works primarily from the office or our clients' office four days per week. We are 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.