Operations Director, MGM Theatrical in London

About WPP Media

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Role Summary & Impact

The Operations Director is the central steward of workflow, governance, and delivery excellence for MGM International's media operations. This role ensures that the global model defined by OpenDoor is embedded, adopted, and scaled across regions, translating global guidance into clear operating practices that local teams can reliably execute. Operating from the London hub, the Operations Director manages campaign coordination across all participating markets, ensuring clarity of expectations, accuracy of deliverables, and predictability of execution across a slate where multiple releases overlap. The role oversees the full operational lifecycle, from intake and briefing through planning workflows, cross‐functional handoffs, activation readiness, QA, pacing, and post‐launch closeout.

In addition to title‐level delivery, the Operations Director partners closely with OpenDoor operational leadership (globally and regionally) to scale existing operational programs, enforce governance standards, strengthen ways of working, and support necessary change management across teams and markets. This includes implementing shared processes, ensuring compliance with established frameworks, and helping teams adopt the tools, templates, systems, and operating disciplines required for a unified global model. The role serves as the connective tissue across London hub teams, regional markets, activation hubs, shared services, and the wider OpenDoor organization, ensuring frictionless coordination, alignment, and operational consistency at scale.

Workflow Governance & Operating Model Stewardship

• Establish, document, and maintain end‐to‐end operational frameworks that govern international campaign delivery.
• Codify and scale the operating model defined by OpenDoor leadership; ensure consistent adoption across regions and teams.
• Define SLAs, roles and responsibilities, decision rights, and escalation paths that underpin predictable delivery.
• Maintain pacing calendars, workbacks, SOPs, and operational checklists for all titles across the slate.
• Partner with OpenDoor operational leaders to implement programs, reinforce governance, and build cross‐regional alignment.
• Ensure WPP Open workflows, templates, and operating standards are adopted and consistently applied across regional and hub teams.
• Partner with OpenDoor operational leadership to evolve workflows within WPP Open and related tooling environments.

Regional Coordination & Multi‐Market Support

• Serve as the central coordination point between the London hub and all international markets.
• Ensure markets receive clear expectations, deliverables, templates, and timelines in advance of campaign phases.
• Track progress across territories, identify risks early, and coordinate resolution with the relevant teams.
• Facilitate structured communication and information flow across markets, ensuring alignment throughout the campaign lifecycle.
• Ensure regional teams are equipped and supported to deliver consistently and on time.

Cross‐Functional Integration

• Coordinate planning, strategy, activation, insights, analytics, finance, and creative partners to ensure unified execution.
• Ensure cross‐team handoffs (planning → activation → QA → measurement) are timely, accurate, and complete.
• Maintain clarity around deliverables, sequencing, and operational expectations across disciplines.
• Support adoption of shared operational tools, documentation standards, and structured workflows across teams.
• Enable smooth collaboration during peak moments such as trailer releases, launch weeks, and concurrent title operations.
• Coordinate the integration of operational processes into WPP Open, ensuring teams use aligned workflows, templates, and tracking structures.

Quality Assurance & Delivery Discipline

• Oversee QA processes across trafficking, tagging, localization, asset delivery, and campaign readiness checks.
• Ensure markets adhere to standardized processes, file naming protocols, taxonomies, templates, and documentation requirements.
• Partner with activation teams to monitor pacing, flighting, budget usage, and ongoing operational accuracy.
• Maintain rigorous documentation and version control to reduce rework and ensure operational hygiene.

Tooling, Systems & Knowledge Management

• Oversee governance and adoption of OpenDoor's project management platforms, workflow tools, and shared documentation systems.
• Lead implementation and ongoing optimization of WPP Open workflows, ensuring teams follow standardized processes, taxonomies, and documentation protocols.
• Maintain an up‐to‐date repository of templates, operating guidelines, workbacks, and process documentation accessible to all markets and hub teams.
• Ensure proper usage, version control, and documentation accuracy across WPP Open and all operational systems.
• Deliver onboarding, training, and refresher sessions for hub and regional teams to strengthen tool literacy and workflow consistency.
• Identify opportunities to streamline workflows, improve tooling efficiency, or enhance operational visibility; partner with OpenDoor operational leadership on enhancements or new feature adoption.
• Ensure operational tools provide clear visibility into status, risks, pacing, and deliverables across markets and titles.

Governance, Compliance & Change Management

• Ensure teams comply with established operating standards, governance frameworks, and workflow requirements.
• Partner with OpenDoor operational leadership to roll out new processes and ensure consistent adoption across markets.
• Lead structured change management efforts when new tools, workflows, or governance practices are introduced.
• Serve as the operational voice in identifying where teams require clearer direction, adjustments to operating models, or additional enablement.
• Reinforce and monitor adherence to WPP Open workflows, ensuring compliance across markets and teams.
• Support rollouts of new tooling, workflow updates, and system enhancements, ensuring teams are ready and trained.

Leadership of the Operations Function

• Lead and develop the MGM Theatrical Operations team within the London hub, setting clear expectations around communication, rigor, and accountability.
• Partner with the International Client Lead and Planning Director to manage capacity, workload balance, and operational resourcing.
• Foster a culture grounded in clarity, trust, consistency, and continuous improvement.
• Reinforce OpenDoor's values across all operational interactions and touchpoints.

Skills & 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.

Significant operations, PMO, workflow governance, or program management experience within media, entertainment, or global agency environments. Demonstrated ability to coordinate complex, multi‐market workflows with overlapping timelines and stakeholders. Clear, structured communicator who excels at simplifying complexity and driving alignment. Experience implementing and scaling operating models, workflows, or governance frameworks. High attention to detail and comfort working within fast‐paced, deadline‐driven environments. Strong stakeholder management capabilities, with the ability to influence diverse markets and teams.

Bonus Points

• Experience in theatrical marketing, distribution, or entertainment‐driven campaign environments.
• Familiarity with Amazon's narrative‐first communication style and leadership principles.
• Prior work with global operational toolsets, workflow systems, or shared data environments.
• Exposure to cross‐regional coordination in matrixed organizations.

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.

EEO Statement

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.

Legal Notice

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