Director, Planning

About WPP Media

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. With exceptional talent, trusted data and intelligence, and world‑class partnerships – all united by our pioneering agentic marketing platform, WPP Open – we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity, and deliver transformational growth. WPP Media is WPP's AI‑driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data, and partnerships to deliver creative personalisation at scale. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, clients see exactly where, how, and why their media investment is working.

Role Summary And Impact

Following a highly competitive pitch in Q4 2025, Reckitt consolidated its European media business with WPP. This was a major, high‑profile win for WPP, and we are looking for a Planning Director to join the Reckitt central strategy and planning team at WPP Media. This team will act as the guardians of effective, industry‑leading strategic planning for Reckitt’s portfolio of brands across four categories: Self Care, Intimate Wellness, Germ Protection, and Household. We will be working closely with Reckitt’s central media, comms and strategy teams to look forward, push boundaries, deliver inspiration and have a positive impact on consumers and brands.

Strategic Planning Craft

• Develop an advanced understanding of comms ecosystems and habitats, and planning best practices.
• Create central, multi‑market planning recommendations with clear implications and direction for regional and market‑specific media planning.
• Build expertise in a broad set of relevant internal tools and agents, as well as external tools, to develop a deep understanding of the consumer, the client’s business, and specific growth opportunities within.
• Getting hands on with tools, agents and data, to provide analysis and insight which supports and informs central strategy development.
• Have a strong, clear and informed POV of the media landscape and marketplace, including relevant trends for Reckitt’s audiences and categories, with implications for planning and activation.
• Working closely with central category strategy leads, to translate central strategic recommendations into tangible, actionable and specific media guidance to markets.

Comms Planning and Storytelling

• Own planning presentations including defining the inputs needed, and work with the wider team across multiple disciplines to develop empirical, evidence‑based planning recommendations.
• Problem‑solve both independently and collaboratively, demonstrating intellectual curiosity to interrogate and understand data in order to unlock valuable insights.
• Demonstrate how strategic planning direction can be translated into tangible media and comms ideas and channel‑level activations.

Collaboration and Effective Communication

• Partner with Reckitt internal comms strategy team, to deliver rigorous, data‑led planning guidance.
• Work closely with key Reckitt stakeholders in multiple disciplines, and external partners to get central planning buy‑in, and to shape/inform creative asset development and requirements.
• Work hand‑in‑hand with WPP Media central client leads to provide oversight and governance of local market planning responses.
• Challenge (in a positive manner) and ‘stick with the fight’ to ensure that planning recommendations are delivered as designed, with effectiveness and business impact paramount.
• Demonstrate flexibility and agility to work positively and productively with different people in different roles/disciplines/organisations.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships; become a valued and valuable member of the Reckitt client/agency team!

Skills And Experience

• Practice Area Knowledge – Advanced: Develops breadth and depth of industry understanding.
• Problem Solving – Skilled: Uses critical questioning and maintains a broad perspective when analyzing information.
• Stakeholder Relationships – Skilled: Has an expert knowledge of client and agency structures.
• Effective Communication – Advanced: Leads the delivery of relevant and accurate information to drive maximum impact.
• Compelling Storytelling – Skilled: Applies big picture thinking in work and proactively leverages an understanding of the organization and key industry trends.
• Idea Creation – Advanced: Lead new projects/activities that can create ideas to deliver effective solutions to clients' business objectives.
• Comms Planning – Advanced: Applies knowledge of client, audience, channel, market and category to effectively deliver compelling multi‑media plans.

Life At WPP Media & Benefits

Our passion for shaping the next era of media includes investing in our employees to help them do their best work, and we’re just as committed to employee growth as we are to responsible media investment. WPP Media employees can tap into the global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, grow their networks, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising. We have a variety of employee resource groups and host frequent in‑office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our benefits include competitive medical, group retirement plans, vision, and dental insurance, significant paid time off, preferential partner discounts, and employee mental health awareness days.

Equal Opportunity Employer

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. 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.

Working Arrangement

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.

UK Based Role

Please note this is a UK based role and requires individuals to have the right to work in this location.