At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead affiliate marketing strategies and inspire a high-performing team to drive growth.
- Company: Join WPP Media, a leader in innovative media solutions with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, 25 days holiday, enhanced pension, and wellness perks.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with opportunities for networking and professional development.
- Why this job: Make an impact in the digital marketing landscape while developing your career.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in digital marketing with expertise in affiliate and partnership marketing.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
Responsibilities
- Performance: Act as the senior client contact for affiliate marketing and partnership activity, delivering strategy, planning, activation, and reporting. Drive best practice in affiliate planning, publisher recruitment, partnership management, and performance optimisation. Lead the development of client roadmaps, ensuring innovation, testing and growth opportunities are consistently identified. Deliver post-campaign analysis, reporting actionable insights and driving incremental value. Surface and promote the best work internally and externally, ensuring regular creation of case studies and award entries.
- People: Lead, inspire and develop a team of affiliate and partnership specialists, setting SMART objectives and career development plans. Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation and accountability within the team. Play an active role in recruitment and onboarding of new talent as required. Act as a mentor and role model, promoting Mindshare’s values of Energy, Empathy and Impact.
- Process: Define and improve ways of working across planning, activation, reporting and financial management. Support the design, delivery and scaling of processes, automation and best practices across the affiliate team. Ensure finance processes (forecasting, reporting, reconciliations) are strictly adhered to. Partner closely with WPP Media colleagues to align on shared processes and integration opportunities.
- Product: Lead the affiliate product and innovation agenda, surfacing new publisher opportunities, tech solutions and industry trends. Ensure an integrated approach across affiliate, lead generation and wider digital and offline channels. Drive thought leadership on incrementality, attribution and partner value. Build strong partnerships with affiliate networks, technology providers and emerging publishers.
- Profitability: Take ownership of soft P&L for your client portfolio, delivering against revenue targets and profitability goals. Identify and grow incremental opportunities through upselling, cross-selling and new service development. Contribute to new business efforts, including pitches, creds and prospecting. Build commercially focused annual business plans, supported by accurate pipeline management.
Ideal Candidate
You are a proven digital leader with deep expertise in affiliate and partnership marketing, combined with a strong understanding of the broader performance media landscape. You will have a track record of building client trust, driving commercial growth and leading high-performing teams. You bring an entrepreneurial mindset, a collaborative approach and the ability to operate comfortably at both strategic and tactical levels. You are confident working with senior stakeholders, managing complex multi-market accounts and inspiring your team to deliver excellence.
Essential Skills and Experience
- 8+ years’ experience in digital marketing with significant expertise in Affiliate & Prospect Generation.
- Strong reputation within the affiliate industry, with established network and publisher relationships.
- Experience leading strategy and activation for global premium brands.
- Proven track record in managing and inspiring teams of 10–20+ members.
- Expertise in affiliate tech platforms (e.g. Awin, Rakuten, Partnerize, Impact) and understanding of the wider affiliate tech ecosystem.
- Strong commercial skills with experience managing P&L, driving incremental growth and delivering new revenue streams.
- Excellent stakeholder management and presentation skills, with the gravitas to present confidently at senior client level.
- Experience in measurement, attribution and proving incrementality of affiliate channels.
- Deep knowledge of publisher models including loyalty, content commerce, CSS, CLO, retail media, influencer and brand-to-brand partnerships.
- High level of numeracy and analytical ability, with experience using Google Analytics and data visualisation tools (e.g. PowerBi, SimilarWeb Pro, Wrike).
Desirable
- Experience integrating affiliate with wider digital and offline channels.
- Familiarity with tools such as Brand Verity, TrafficGuard, Uniqodo and SimilarWeb Pro.
- Experience designing cross-channel frameworks, particularly for e-commerce and performance-driven brands.
- Strong understanding of cookies, tracking and evolving measurement solutions.
Personal Performance Measures
- Feedback from clients, client leadership teams and digital team.
- Strong relationships with other departments.
- Regular involvement in New Business, internal projects and new revenue streams such as added-value services and growth solutions.
- Year-on-year revenue growth and increase client profitability through commercially focused plans, automation and innovations.
- Increase in revenue contribution from out-of-scope services and cross-selling.
- Quality of work delivered by you and your team, and performance against client objectives.
- Active contribution to the wider Mindshare Media Management & Delivery departments initiatives in London and in the EMEA region, as well as contribution and involvement within WPP Media and wider global team members.
Benefits and Life at WPP Media
Our passion for shaping the next era of media includes investing in our employees to help them do their best work. At Mindshare Worldwide, we offer a competitive salary package, 25 days holiday (rising to 30 with service), enhanced pension scheme, Bupa healthcare, a monthly wellbeing fund and early finishes on Fridays. Based in our London office, just minutes from London Bridge, employees enjoy a rooftop with 360° views of the city. We also offer an extensive training programme, supporting career growth at all levels, as well as regular in-office events and global networking opportunities through WPP Media. 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.
Equal Opportunity Statement
WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination. 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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Business Director - Affiliates employer: WPP Media Limited
At Mindshare Worldwide, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that champions collaboration, innovation, and personal growth. Located in the heart of London, our team enjoys a competitive salary, generous holiday allowance, and a range of benefits including enhanced healthcare and a monthly wellbeing fund. We are committed to nurturing talent through extensive training programmes and fostering a supportive environment where every employee can thrive and contribute to meaningful projects.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Director - Affiliates
✨Show Your Creative Side
In marketing communications, standing out is key. Get creative with your application! Consider designing a mini-campaign or pitch that highlights your skills and understanding of the brand. Tailor it for WPP Media Limited and show them what you can bring to the table.
✨Engage in Marketing Communities
Get involved in local or online marketing communications groups. Check out platforms like Meetup for events and workshops. Networking here can lead to hidden job openings and valuable insights into the industry trends—this is where we often discover what companies like WPP Media Limited are looking for.
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✨Attend Industry Events
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We think you need these skills to ace Business Director - Affiliates
Some tips for your application 🫡
Craft an Impactful Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Focus on your passion for marketing communications and how your previous experiences can benefit WPP Media Limited. Make sure to mention specific campaigns or projects you’ve worked on that showcase your creativity and strategic thinking.
Showcase Your Writing Skills:As you're diving into a marketing communications role, your writing ability is crucial. Include samples of your work, like blog posts, press releases, or social media campaigns in your application. This lets us see your style and how you engage with different audiences.
Tailor Your CV to Marketing:Your CV should highlight relevant marketing skills and experiences! Include specific tools or platforms you’ve used, like Google Analytics or social media management software. Mention any certifications or workshops related to marketing that you've completed – they can give you an edge!
Demonstrate Your Understanding of WPP Media Limited:Show us that you’ve done your homework! In your application, briefly mention what you admire about WPP Media Limited’s marketing approach or any recent campaigns that caught your attention. This can reveal your enthusiasm for the role and your genuine interest in joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at WPP Media Limited
✨Showcase Your Creative Campaigns
Get ready to flaunt your portfolio! Include examples of previous marketing campaigns you've worked on, especially those that showcase your creativity and strategy. Recruiters at WPP Media Limited will be keen to see how you conceptualise and execute campaigns, so highlight any measurable outcomes to back up your claims.
✨Know Your Digital Tools Inside Out
If you’re heading into a marketing-communications role, make sure you're comfortable discussing key digital marketing tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or Hootsuite. Expect some technical questions about how you've used these tools in the past, as they'll want to gauge your hands-on experience and how you analyse data to drive marketing decisions.
✨Be Ready for Scenario-Based Questions
At WPP Media Limited, they may throw some scenario-based questions your way, aimed at testing your problem-solving skills in real-life marketing situations. Think through potential challenges you’ve faced, how you navigated them, and be prepared to discuss your thought process and outcome.
✨Demonstrate Your Passion for Marketing
As you’re applying for a full-time position, show that you're not just looking for a job, but a career in marketing. Talk about the latest trends in marketing communications, your favourite campaigns, and why they inspire you. Your enthusiasm can really make you stand out and demonstrate that you’re committed to growing within the field.
