Digital Planning Manager 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.

For more information, visit wppmedia.com.

Role Summary and Impact

We are searching for a talented, enthusiastic, and creative individual to join our OpenDoor team as Digital Planning Manager, MGM Theatrical. This is a full-time position based in London.

This role sits within the central digital and biddable hub for MGM — a team built to lead innovation, platform governance, and scalable digital campaign delivery across global markets. The hub works closely with central data and tech teams, local activation teams, and media partners to drive adoption of shared standards, ensure cross-market consistency, and continuously improve performance at scale.

This is an exciting time to join the account. MGM's theatrical slate is one of the most ambitious in the industry, and this team is primarily tasked with leading central trailer and content breaks and pan-regional partnerships — delivering media-first opportunities and genuinely unique campaigns that make movies matter to audiences worldwide.

The Digital Planning Manager is a genuinely multifaceted role. You will be a trusted, client-facing member of the team with regular direct contact, while also managing key media partner relationships from briefing through to post-campaign reporting. You will oversee the Digital Planning Executive, support the Digital Lead in delivering strategy and recommendations, and take ownership of campaign workstreams from start to finish. You will know your campaigns inside out and take real pride in the standard of your delivery. This role reports into the Digital Lead.

Responsibilities

• Client Relationships & Communication: Become a trusted day-to-day client contact, developing a genuine understanding of MGM's business and maintaining regular contact through weekly calls, campaign updates, and campaign performance reviews. Contribute to client-facing outputs including campaign strategies, reporting, and digital planning recommendations — delivering clear, value-added insights. Anticipate client needs and escalate risks or issues to the Digital Lead early.
• Media Partner Management: Build and lead strong relationships with key media partners from briefing through to post-campaign reporting. Stay close to platform developments and innovation opportunities, bringing relevant recommendations to the team and clients. Support the Digital Lead in securing first-to-market opportunities, betas, and exclusive executions — and ensure markets benefit from global partnerships and added value. Identify and bring forward media-first opportunities and innovative pan-regional partner executions unique to the entertainment and theatrical space.
• Strategy, Ideation & Planning: Develop and deliver digital strategy and ideation that brings the MGM brief to life — thinking creatively across biddable channels, pan-regional partnerships, and central trailer and content breaks. Contribute recommendations on channel mix, pacing, and budget allocation, and play an active role in trailer planning across the full theatrical release cycle. Support KPI forecasting and measurement frameworks, and develop fluency in OpenDoor planning tools to train others on their use.
• Campaign Management, Taxonomy & Delivery: Manage campaign workstreams end-to-end — from planning and trafficking through to QA, finance, reporting, and post-campaign analysis. Own and maintain campaign taxonomy standards including naming conventions, campaign structures, and tagging hierarchies across all markets and platforms. Ensure all campaigns are booked, reconciled, and delivered to the highest standard of accuracy within required deadlines. Act as an escalation point for activation teams and local markets, troubleshooting issues with speed and precision.
• Local Market Coordination: Support the Digital Lead in coordinating with local markets — ensuring global frameworks are correctly applied and adapted where genuine local nuance requires it. Help facilitate market updates and ensure local teams can access the full value of global digital deals, partner relationships, and added value opportunities.
• Reporting & Performance: Manage the reporting process with analytics teams, ensuring campaign performance reviews are delivered accurately and on time. Deliver reporting outputs that go beyond the numbers — providing actionable recommendations and contributing to post-campaign learnings.
• People Management & Team Development: Act as direct line manager to the Digital Planning Executive — managing their workload, supporting their development, and reinforcing high standards of accuracy and craft. Manage upwards as well as downwards — keeping the Digital Lead informed and escalating appropriately.

Skills and Experience

• Experience in digital media, with a strong level of expertise in digital activations and working with media partners on multi-market campaigns.
• Genuinely passionate about entertainment, movies, and the theatrical space — you understand what makes this category unique and bring that energy to your work.
• Proven experience managing campaigns end-to-end, with a track record of accurate, high-quality delivery across paid social, programmatic, video, and/or display.
• Strong project management skills with experience managing multiple workstreams simultaneously without letting standards slip.
• Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail.
• A creative thinker who enjoys ideation and can translate a client brief into genuinely exciting digital recommendations.
• Proven people management and leadership qualities — comfortable being a direct line manager and developing junior talent.
• Trusted and confident in a client-facing capacity — able to build relationships and manage expectations with professionalism.
• Proactive, logical, and practical approach — knows when to act independently and when to escalate.
• Ability to manage upwards as well as downwards.

BONUS POINTS

• Experience working on theatrical, entertainment, or release-driven marketing campaigns.
• Familiarity with Amazon Ads, AVOD ecosystems, or studio-aligned digital activation models.
• Awareness of Amazon DSP (ADSP) and its application within entertainment and theatrical marketing.
• Exposure to WPP Open or similar global operating platforms.
• Experience with platform partnerships, beta testing, or innovation pipelines.

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 that while our philosophy is the same across WPP, benefits may vary by office/country. Please note this is a UK based role and requires individuals to have the right to work in this location.