VP, Paid Search (Mat Cover) in London

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.

About Wavemaker:

Wavemaker positively provokes growth for clients by reshaping consumer decision-making and experiences through media, content, and technology. Our name is both our mission and our method. We do our best work for brave brands and people who relish being challenged to go further and faster, together.

About the role

The VP, Paid Search is responsible for leading the paid search team and delivering outstanding results for our clients. This role requires an expert-level understanding of paid search, as well as strong leadership and management skills. The ideal candidate will be able to build and maintain relationships with clients, our partners, as well as develop and execute winning paid search initiatives.

• Lead and nurture our thriving search community that is head and shoulders above the competition, consistently meeting the needs of our clients.
• Ensure the community have access to the very latest tools, training, and resources.
• Active member of the agency leadership team, shaping the future of our agency.
• Managing department resource levels.
• Identify talent gaps within the paid search team and work with HR to recruit top talent that aligns with the agency's values and objectives.
• Line management responsibilities for Business Directors and/or Senior Associate Directors.
• Ensure every team member has objectives, and these are reviewed regularly.
• Provide coaching, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth.

Develop, and maintain, our market-leading approach to paid search.

• Own the paid search product strategy and roadmap, collaborating with other channels to provide a holistic client experience.
• Work effectively with our media partners such as Google, Microsoft, and other emerging search engines and technologies.
• Cooperate with GroupM Nexus to elevate search standards, advance the paid search practice, shape the search agenda, and deliver Nexus project results.
• Ensure that clients receive gold standard product experience – strategically progressive, data tech led, and delivered in line with our product narrative.
• Cultivate strong relationships with clients, ensuring they receive exceptional operational output.
• Implement best practices across the department by identifying, implementing, and rolling out new or improved processes.
• Utilise automation and new technologies to enhance workflow systems.
• Developing the global hub; actively improving range of tasks they can cover, and overall utilisation of their time.
• Effectively integrate paid search into the wider agency.
• Maintain strong working relationships with cross-functional and central teams in the agency.
• Implement measures to mitigate potential risks and maintain a high standard of governance, data security, and privacy for clients.

Represent Wavemaker at industry events, conferences, and seminars to showcase thought leadership and enhance the agency's reputation in the paid search community.

• Work in partnership with our partners to ensure that we have an ever-evolving search POV.
• Submit and win award entries.
• Continue to be a leader within MM&D Performance.
• Work with other teams within Wavemaker, GroupM and WPP to ensure that paid search is integrated into our overall marketing strategy.
• The lynchpin between our partners and our clients, ensuring that they have the highest levels of support, access, and strategy.
• Champion a culture of innovation within the paid search team, encouraging experimentation and testing of new ideas.
• Work closely with the data and analytics team to develop sophisticated reporting and measurement frameworks, providing clients with actionable insights and performance updates.

Ensure that commercial objectives are fulfilled.

• Implement the highest level of finance processes to ensure zero write offs, overspends and finance queries.
• Identify new opportunities for growth in the paid search market.
• Develop new services and operating models.
• Lead our new business efforts for paid search, codifying processes to ensure success in pitch processes.

Measures for success in this role will include:

• Growth in product and feature adoption, scorecards, client satisfaction and commercial performance.
• Growth of income for the search department.
• Profitability of the paid search team.

Skills and Experience

We are looking for candidates who are self-starters, want to succeed and have a desire to push the boundaries. With a passion for Paid Search, successful candidates will have an analytical mindset coupled with creativity. It’s essential that you have:

• You are proactive; our mantra is all about ‘Positive Provocation’. We need people who have the confidence to question the status quo.
• You have immaculate attention to detail.
• Detailed knowledge of paid search, beyond just Google.
• The qualities to be a leader for a large team.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends, innovations, and developments in paid search and digital marketing.

Life at WPP Media & Benefits

Be Extraordinary, investing in our employees to inspire transformational creativity. We also Lead Optimistically, firmly believing in and Championing Growth and Development for every individual. This commitment allows WPP Media employees to leverage the extensive global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, build vital professional connections, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising.

We Create an Open environment built on trust and respect, where everyone feels they belong and has opportunities to progress. This inclusive culture is fostered through a variety of employee resource groups and frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects this commitment, including competitive medical, group retirement plans, vision, and dental insurance, significant paid time off, preferential partner discounts, and employee mental health awareness days.

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection in this open and supportive environment. 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.

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

While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.