Global Planning Manager

WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities. WPP Media is WPP’s global media collective. In a world where media is everywhere and in everything, we bring the best platform, people, and partners together to create limitless opportunities for growth. Wavemaker positively provokes growth for clients by reshaping consumer decision-making and experiences through media, content, and technology.

The planning team are the guardians of creating industry leading, unrivalled work at Wavemaker. We are central conduits to all specialists, striving to push boundaries and have a positive impact on consumers and brand. Wavemaker is looking for a Planning Manager to join our growing planning team, to create impactful cross channel campaigns and build your media planning skills.

In this role you will:

• Develop an in-depth understanding of media channels including where, when and how to use them based on the client brief.
• Have a skilled knowledge of Wavemaker and industry media planning tools and be able to train other team members.
• Have a skilled understanding of industry best practices and planning theory.
• Develop a fundamental knowledge of Wavemaker Purchase Journey thinking and Provocative Planning Philosophy.

Campaign management:

• Ownership of campaign activity including briefing teams, collating response, managing client’s deliverables, and ensuring accuracy across all workstreams.
• Work closely with the planning and activation teams to ensure the day-to-day account is run efficiently and effectively.
• Be able to bring in specialist teams where needed to work on briefs and client questions.
• Ensure financial management processes are always excellent and met in a timely manner.

Effective communication:

• Become a trusted main day-to-day contact for junior clients, learning their business and ways of working. Ensuring that all requests & queries are answered with accuracy and in a timely manner.
• Support in managing Planning Executives to ensure they are on track with daily tasks, mentor and challenge them with new projects to develop their career.
• Start to develop a proactive problem-solving mindset but know when to flag any issues or concerns with Planning Director.

Skills and Experience:

At WPP Media, we believe in the power of our culture and our people. It’s what elevates us to deliver exceptional experiences for both our clients and each other. In this role it will be critical to embrace WPP & WPP Media’s shared core values:

• Be Extraordinary by Leading Collectively to Inspire transformational Creativity.
• Create an Open environment by Balancing People and Client Experiences by Cultivating Trust.
• Lead Optimistically by Championing Growth and Development to Mobilize the Enterprise.

Practice Area Knowledge – Skilled:

• Demonstrates knowledge of the media landscape including future trends, best practice and challenges.
• Comfortable using (or briefing out) the various products, platforms and systems that comms planning use.
• Develops breadth and depth of industry understanding.
• Becomes confident using tools, technology, techniques and systems and is able to train others.

Problem Solving – Fundamental:

• Applies focused questioning and systematic research to understand the problem and wider impact.
• Translates business problems into solutions.
• Uses critical questioning and maintains a broad perspective when analysing information to gain a deeper understanding of the problem and wider impact.
• Quickly generates appropriate solutions informed by previous experience.

Stakeholder Relationships – Fundamental:

• Demonstrates knowledge of the agencies (or clients) organization structure and people, client relationships, business strategy, industry and challenges.
• Cultivates, nurtures and grows relationships with key clients, stakeholders and decision makers internally, externally and virtually.

Effective Communications – Skilled:

• Is able to lead dialogues between and with internal and external people (strategy, comms planning, channel planning and activation teams as well as clients and media partners).
• Uses simple, clear and human language wherever possible but can be technical when required.

Campaign Management – Skilled:

• Manages and takes ownership of several project/tasks accurately and thoroughly and with minimal error - without losing track of important details or deliverables.
• Delivers accurate reports with value-added insights and actionable findings to improve campaign performance.

Compelling Storytelling – Skilled:

• Be able to use knowledge of the media ecosystem, industry trends and clients' business pressure points to build a persuasive story and recommendation that acknowledges their preferred communication style.

Ideas Creation – Skilled:

• Generates or facilitates new ideas, methods, innovation or creative media solutions that can deliver growth.

Comms Planning – Skilled:

• Find solutions for client business problems using media.
• 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. 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.

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.

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