Account Director - Channels Strategy in London

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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.

Mindshare delivers Good Growth for its clients. As "Growth Architects," we drive growth that benefits all stakeholders — better for people, planet, and business — by using media with intention. This approach creates more meaningful connections with consumers, increases consumer trust in the brand, and delivers better outcomes for all stakeholders.

The Channels Strategy, Director will hold a key role in the development and ongoing management of the channel strategy function within Channel & Solutions. They will play an integral role in evangelising and developing our integrated business growth driving digital product. You will have responsibility for the integration of multiple elements of digital to create and own holistic strategies and frameworks that are deep rooted in driving business performance. As a Channel Strategist, you will be expected to identify and lead our approach to resolving client challenges via the use of digital media and services. You will be the point-person for the client's day to day agency interaction for digital and be responsible for promoting the most robust plan possible to drive client growth, whilst maximizing the abilities within the agency network and industry.

Whilst operating in a department and team-based structure, you will be expected to guide and develop digital knowledge across the team so to fully leverage their channel skills whilst also outlining the foundation of decisioning and strategy for your choices in digital. As a senior lead of digital in the agency the role will contribute to the creation and sharing of opinion pieces, products and solutions, development of training material etc.

The role will report directly into the Digital Channels, Business Director, and you will work closely with your peers including key members of our channel development and channels management delivery teams.

Role Responsibilities

• Be responsible for integrated strategy across all digital channels, paid and organic, and the integration of offline synergy planning with digital.
• Supporting performance and client growth from the Mindshare framework of thinking.
• Implement ways of working that enhance our digital practice, including forecasting, integrating audience strategy into digital, building for profit or LTV.
• Developing global digital strategies for big global clients, including a portfolio of brands.
• Immersing yourself in the client's business including knowing the client's products inside out and applying this knowledge to deliver innovative, ambitious client plans and service.
• Writing communications strategies, tailored to digital media which help clients to understand new opportunities in a simple but exciting way.

Agency Responsibilities

• Delivering client performance.
• Take ultimate responsibility for the output of your team, both clients facing and operational.
• Be the central client contact for your client portfolio, dealing at Director level and above with senior management within the client and agency organization.
• Apply best practice rigor to the delivery digital strategy and planning.
• Maintain a forward thinking and innovative approach in the development of digital.
• Attend all important internal and external client meetings; provide outstanding levels of client service in a proactive manner.
• Keep up to date with industry developments in order to offer POVs.
• Become an expert in all Digital services offered by Mindshare.
• Build a reputation as a trusted senior advisor for internal and external stakeholders.
• Play an active role in pitches, and other cross agency initiatives.
• Surfacing the best work within the team and promoting this internally and externally via case study submissions / award entries etc.
• Enter relevant industry awards and create POVs regarding industry developments.
• Contribute to key industry events and represent Mindshare externally.
• Regular development of opinion pieces related to Digital to be shared across the agency, build external and internal profile and act as a thought leader in the Programmatic space.
• Build and maintain relationships with Client Leads, offering strategic guidance (in line with BD vision) to help grow the business and strengthen the relationship.
• Work with HR/other channel leads to ensure the Channels & Solutions story is positioned correctly with recruiters.
• Develop the profile of Mindshare Channels & Solutions through training, presentations, and other communication.
• Support Senior leadership and line manager with regular updates on up-and-coming innovation, changes to industry landscape.

Inspiring our people

• Take responsibility for your team's development and career progression within the agency.
• Maintain a positive attitude towards all areas of our work and looking for opportunities and solutions from challenges.
• Establish a relationship with key senior clients, through QBRs/proactive projects.
• Regular maintenance of talent mapping and career path development plans for all direct reports.
• Regularly update the team alongside the BD on live initiatives, business performance, new business opportunities and any other relevant topics.
• Maintain a strong line of communication with all team members including the Digital Lead, senior leadership, etc.
• Work with BD and HR teams to develop and maintain training plans to plug any skills gaps around the team.
• Play an active role in the recruitment and interviewing process to build strong teams.

Driving our process

• Take the lead on one or more integration projects across the department, and supporting other projects.
• Develop and maintain on-boarding process for new starters.
• Ensure briefing, planning and finance processes are strictly adhered to by the team.

Developing our product

• Develop roadmaps for the Digital product, to differentiate and future proof our offering.
• Create a consistent, challenging, but exciting recruitment experience for candidates that allows us to find and secure the best talent in the market.
• Contribute and lead aspects of New Business, as well as upselling and cross-selling of services and capabilities to your client portfolio alongside your BD.
• Contribute to the New Business process by creating templates and resources usable in all pitches.

Ensuring our profitability

• Work with ADs to ensure client resource allocations are adhered to, reported, and flagged to BD.
• Support and deliver new business pitches when requested by leadership.
• Commercially driven and forward thinking in the expansion of business opportunities, entrepreneurial in mind-set and always looking to develop incremental or new services both centrally and locally via new opportunities and revenue streams.

The Ideal Candidate

As a director, you will have a proven track record in leading, and inspiring future thinking digital strategy and plans for various brands within a global/multi-market environment. Each proposal may be different and require different stakeholder engagement, therefore a wide understanding for the digital eco-system is paramount, as you'll need to dial into audience first thinking and delivery capabilities to drive growth your given client portfolio. You will be expected to demonstrate digital expertise that covers Search, Social and Programmatic practice whilst also engaging further to incorporate organic, content and creative impact and the role of deep insight and analytics to inform decisioning.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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