Associate Director - Brand, Sports & Entertainment - Burson

Who we are: Burson, part of WPP, is the global communications leader built to create value for clients through reputation. With highly specialized teams, industry-leading technologies and breakthrough creative, we help brands and businesses redefine reputation as a competitive advantage so they can lead today and into the future. When you work at Burson, you are part of a global community of lifelong learners who thrive at the edge of innovation.

The Brand, Sport and Entertainment team is home to some of the world's best loved sport and entertainment brands including Activision Blizzard, Spotify, adidas, Gillette, Bose and many more. It is made up of sector specialists who live and breathe culture, sports, gaming, music and film. We're building a vibrant and diverse team, that delivers incredible work for amazing brands at the forefront of culture.

ABOUT THE ROLE: As an Associate Director, you will be a dynamic and commercially astute thinker, creating strategic and innovative solutions for client challenges that yield exceptional results. You will offer insightful and effective counsel to clients, manage expectations, proactively address issues, and ensure seamless execution of all client deliverables. This role is a rare opportunity to work on a career-defining set of clients that would turn the head of anyone passionate about entertainment.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

• Client Advisory & Relationship Management: Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to clients, deepening relationships and guiding them to achieve their key business and communication objectives.
• Strategic Narrative & Campaign Strategy: Exhibit strong strategic thinking to craft compelling narratives and multi-channel content strategies that drive value and generate new revenue streams for clients.
• Ideation & Innovation: Lead and facilitate creative brainstorming sessions internally and externally, pitching and selling innovative concepts and campaigns to client partners.
• Delivery & Stakeholder Alignment: Collaborate with key internal and external stakeholders to drive client activity, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and consistently exceed expectations.
• Sector Growth & New Business: Identify new business opportunities within your sector, contributing to sector plans and taking a leading role in pitch development from ideation through conversion.
• Financial & Resource Oversight: Take ownership of accurate client forecasting, resource allocation, budget management, and over-servicing levels to ensure profitability.
• People Leadership & Mentorship: Inspire, coach, and manage direct reports-implementing SMART career performance plans, supporting junior line managers, and fostering a collaborative, growth-focused culture.
• DE&I & AI Innovation: Champion Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as an active ally, while staying at the forefront of AI tools and role-based applications in alignment with agency guidelines.

EXPERIENCE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO YOUR SUCCESS: Incredible client service skills, able to stay across multiple workstreams and stakeholders while adding value consistently with your counsel and leadership, based on credibility and reliability. A passion for, and professional understanding of, the entertainment industry and culture including gaming, music, film, the streaming economy and more. The ability to lead teams - including account teams and specialists - to outstanding creative plans, built on audience insights, cultural understanding, and expertise in what makes for great fame-making brand activity in 2025. Commercial acumen and financial rigour, able to create and keep track of complex budgets and monitor service levels. A natural leader able to keep teams motivated and delivering to highest standards during busy campaign periods, feeling a sense of responsibility for your teams' development and able to spot and deliver training and coaching needs.

You belong at Burson: Our vision is for Burson to be the leading 'academy company' for creative communications professionals and emerging leaders. We provide a dynamic environment where ambitious colleagues come to elevate their skills, expand their networks, and ultimately, produce the best solutions for today's leading brands. Our commitment to your growth is reflected in our robust benefits and people programs, which include professional development opportunities, mentorship programs with industry leaders, a vibrant and inclusive company culture fostering collaboration and innovation and packages designed to reward and retain top talent. We invest in our people because we believe their success is our success.

At Burson, we're an agency of learn-it-alls. We recognize that the things we do best, creativity and communications, require a level of nuanced understanding. That's why it's imperative for us to hire extraordinarily talented people of all backgrounds and identities. Without that we can't do the essential work of inspiring bold ideas, fostering constructive dialogue, cultivating meaningful experiences, and driving innovation and creativity for our partners. Your unique point of view-your talent-is what makes you a #BursonPerson, and it's how we deliver exceptional results for our clients, together.

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we've adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.