Client Lead in Manchester

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. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, clients see exactly where, how, and why their media investment is working.

Role Summary and Impact

Wavemaker positively provokes growth for clients by reshaping consumer decision-making and experiences through media, content, and technology. Our name is both our mission and our method. We do our best work for brave brands and people who relish being challenged to go further and faster, together.

In this role, you will:

• Lead the client for the output from the agency, both in terms of RTB and BAU activity.
• Understand all the elements of a client’s business and how we can support their growth.
• Have a full knowledge of the overall plan and be there to support the internal teams and client as they require in its delivery.
• Ensure teams collaborate and always champion unrivalled work for our clients.
• Have strong commercial knowledge and ensure all financial interactions with the client (PO’s etc.) are smooth and accurate.
• Stretch yourself beyond the safe and be a part of agency growth through new business.

More specifically:

• Drive vision collaboration and alignment.
• Be the active voice of the client in the agency, working with all specialists in the matrix to ensure the team deliver against the brief and with the agreed scope of work.
• Always be looking to make our latest delivery better than the last, challenging the norm and the same – through collaborating across the agency and being aware of latest developments within Wavemaker and the client’s category.
• Spot and convert opportunities.
• Have a full understanding of the SOW for every client and understand how Wavemaker can add value through the engagement of specialist services.
• Understand the core client KPIs and always look for opportunities for Wavemaker to support and deliver against them.

Commercial and operational excellence:

• Have full knowledge of all deliverables within a SOW and profitability of the client within this.
• Have full oversight of all financial elements of the client relationship and work quickly to resolve problems – seeking support as required to resolve quickly and accurately.
• A strong working relationship with the agency’s commercial team and an appreciation of financial data sensitivity.
• Full control and responsibility for accurate forecasting - meeting all internal deadlines.

Contribute to New Business

• Be an active participant in new business pitches, stretching yourself outside your comfort zone.
• Take responsibility for smaller scale pitches and use your experience to help develop appropriate operating models.

Skills and Experience

In summary, the core skills required include:

• Client Leadership experience: You will understand how an agency operates, its positioning and product offerings and how it works with clients, alongside an understanding of how your client’s business, or category, operates.
• Problem solving: You will have an ability to solve problems, sometimes tackling them proactively before they become an issue, creating a feedback loop to ensure no further issues in the future.
• You will know how to harvest insight from data that can be beneficial to a client’s business.
• Building and maintaining stakeholder relationships: You will be a trusted adviser for senior marketeers within client organisations, understand how and when to engage core specialisms across Wavemaker, collaborate more widely with partner agencies and industry partners, whilst taking responsibility for your client’s overall experience during their time at Wavemaker.
• Effective communication: You will have an ability to deliver information and opinions succinctly to garner support, considering, and being sympathetic, to the views of those around you, adapting your communication style accordingly.

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.

While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.