Media Operations, VP (Parental Leave 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.

The UK is the largest market within the WPP Media EMEA region, with over 4,500 people employed within the WPP Media ecosystem. Marquee UK key clients include Amazon, UK Government, BT, Tesco, Coca Cola, Bayer, Dell, Unilever, M&S, Ford, Nestle, Mazda, Danone and Colgate. We have a bold ambition: to make WPP Media UK the undisputed leader in our industry.

We are evolving our business operating model, our ways of working and placing data, technology and AI at the heart of everything we do for our people and our clients.

ONE WPP – Vision '30

Join us in shaping the future of our industry with Vision '30 – our ambitious strategy to lead in the AI era. We are revolutionizing our business to unlock limitless growth opportunities for our clients and ourselves, built on four core priorities:

• Collaboration: Foster unprecedented levels of data collaboration across WPP and partners through WPP Open, turning every channel into a smarter opportunity.
• Data & Technology: Leverage our AI-powered Open Intelligence solution, connecting vast data to uncover unique insights, deliver predictive performance and superior brand experiences through our globally consistent DPAM process.
• Innovation: Drive true innovation by generating intelligence from trillions of privacy-by-default data points, focusing on the 'why' behind customer behaviour to create unparalleled competitive advantages.
• People: Developing future-ready talent involves evolving our focus from traditional media planning to strategic business outcomes, advanced technology and real-time measurable results, as AI increasingly automates media investment by 2030.

We empower ambitious experts to deliver extraordinary work by challenging ordinary thinking. If you are passionate about an AI-driven future, thrive in a collaborative and data-centric environment, and are driven to deliver unparalleled growth, we invite you to be part of our transformative journey.

WPP Media is a single client centric company with a portfolio of go to market brands. Wavemaker, EssenceMediacom, Mindshare and T&P are our agency teams, these house multiple local and global clients. In addition, we have a number of client specific brands built to service specific clients. These include OpenDoor (Amazon), MFG (Google), OpenMind (Nestle), OpenConnect (BT/EE) and Media Futures Group (Google). All of these teams are supported by consistent capabilities, enterprise level tools and systems and our market leading OPEN platform.

Operational Excellence by Design

Our ambition is simple: make operational excellence the default, not the exception. We are building a culture where strong governance, clear accountability, and consistent ways of working enable teams to deliver high-quality, error-free outcomes at scale—every time. This isn’t about bureaucracy. It’s about protecting quality, reducing risk, and giving our people the clarity and confidence to do their best work. Governance will be embedded into workflows, supported by the right tools, and owned across both onshore and GOC teams.

Operations exist to drive growth, protect delivery, and enable scale—making it a critical strategic lever for the business, not just a support function.

Role Summary and Impact

The Vice President (VP), Practice Operations is a senior leadership role within Media Management & Delivery (MM&D), responsible for driving operational excellence and transformation across a defined portfolio of clients. Reporting to the SVP, you will translate strategy into action—embedding consistent, scalable, high-performance ways of working across client teams. You will lead the delivery of operational transformation, improving quality, efficiency, and performance while unlocking greater value for clients and the business. You will act as a senior partner to both client and agency stakeholders, driving the adoption of new capabilities, delivery models, and technologies. This role is central to embedding our Operational Excellence by Design vision—ensuring governance, accountability, and consistency are built into how we operate, not added as an afterthought.

Capability Description

The Practices function is MM&D’s centre of craft excellence, responsible for elevating media capability across the organisation. These specialists define future‑focused media standards and create the strategic roadmaps that guide our teams. By developing new methodologies, strengthening market partnerships, and uniting experts into specialist communities, they set and advance industry benchmarks. They equip Delivery teams with forward‑looking plans, best‑in‑class tools, and the strategic vision that drives innovative investment approaches and impactful Joint Business Plans. As a core catalyst within MM&D, the Practices team ensures we stay at the forefront of the industry and provides a destination for specialists seeking to deepen their expertise.

Operating Model & Leadership Structure

Operations are designed to combine accountability for delivery with ownership of transformation across the business. Each VP of Operations operates across two core dimensions:

• Hub Accountability: Owning day-to-day operational delivery for a defined client or business area, including stakeholder relationships, performance, and outcomes.
• Strategic Pillar Ownership: Leading a cross-business priority that drives transformation, standardisation, and continuous improvement at scale.

This dual-role model ensures operational leaders are not only accountable for delivering excellence today, but also play a central role in shaping and evolving Operations across MM&D.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic & Commercial Growth: Implement and manage practice value propositions and go-to-market strategies for the assigned client portfolio, ensuring alignment with the overall MM&D strategy. Drive collaboration between Practices and Delivery teams to ensure seamless, high-quality service and outcomes for your clients. Manage the adoption of the GOC/offshoring model within your client teams, ensuring effective execution and maximising the value of global talent.
• Operational Excellence & Transformation: Execute the operational and transformational plans set by the SVP within your client portfolio, driving efficiency and quality improvements. Implement and oversee established frameworks for operational maturity, quality, goal setting (OKRs), and performance tracking (KPIs) for your accounts. Manage process excellence initiatives, including compliance, auditing, and client onboarding, for your portfolio.
• Craft & Capability Development: Work closely with Practice leads to ensure the adoption of craft excellence and pioneering methods within your client delivery teams. Champion the use of innovative plans, tools, and strategic vision provided by the Practices function to drive superior client results.
• Technology & Innovation: Drive the adoption of key technologies and operational tools within your teams and client accounts. Act as a champion for WPP's Open infrastructure, identifying use cases and supporting the cultural change required for effective implementation. Surface operational challenges and opportunities for process improvement and automation within your portfolio.
• Leadership & People Management: Manage and mentor a team of operational professionals, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement. Drive cross-functional initiatives through effective project management and collaboration, ensuring focus and proactive problem-solving.
• Client & Stakeholder Influence: Act as a key operational contact and trusted advisor for senior stakeholders on your client portfolio. Partner with agency and client leads to drive the adoption of new operational capabilities and ways of working. Ensure all operational efforts are focused on delivering exceptional client outcomes and satisfaction.

Skills and Experience

• Team Leadership: Proven experience (typically 8+ years) in media operations, with a strong track record of managing, motivating, and developing high-performing teams.
• Operational & Commercial Acumen: Strong understanding of how to implement value propositions and identify commercial opportunities within a client portfolio. Experience with operational forecasting and resource management.
• Project & Change Management: Proven ability to manage large-scale projects, process improvements, and transformation initiatives from planning through to execution.
• Craft & Domain Expertise: Broad understanding across multiple media practices (e.g., Search, Social, Programmatic) and how to apply operational best practices to drive performance.
• Client & Stakeholder Management: Demonstrated success in building strong relationships with senior client stakeholders and internal partners, acting as a trusted operational advisor.
• Collaboration & Influence: A highly collaborative leader adept at working within a matrixed organization, able to drive results through partnership and clear communication.
• Problem-Solving: A creative and analytical problem-solver who can connect strategic goals with detailed execution plans and measurable outcomes.

Measures of Success

Within 6 Months: You will have developed a deep understanding of your assigned client portfolio's operational challenges and opportunities. You will have established strong relationships with key client and internal stakeholders and begun implementing initial improvements based on the MM&D operational roadmap.

Within 12 Months: You will have demonstrated measurable improvements in operational efficiency, quality, and compliance across your client portfolio. You will receive positive feedback from clients and internal teams on the impact of your operational leadership. You will be successfully managing your team to deliver against their OKRs and contributing to a culture of excellence.

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.