UK New Business Director

This job is with WPP Production, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community.

About WPP Production: We are WPP Production - the unified global production company that brings together all of WPP's content producers, studios and craft experts into one connected organisation. We combine world-class human craft with next generation technology to originate, design, and deliver multi-channel content systems at scale. Built for borderless collaboration and powered by deep craft expertise, we are the production engine designed for today's always on, AI driven marketing world.

About WPP: WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth.

A Hybrid working model: 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.

The role: The New Business Director plays a pivotal role in shaping and driving growth for WPP Production, defining how we win high-value, complex opportunities and shaping the strategic direction of our UK growth function. You will lead the strategic direction and narrative for priority new business opportunities, designing integrated solutions and clear go-to-market propositions. You will ensure that every response (whether formal RFP or informal approach) is clearly positioned, commercially compelling and aligned to client needs. You will be accountable for the quality and consistency of our narrative and strategic output across all UK pitches, setting the standard for how we articulate our value.

Key areas of responsibility:

• Define and lead the strategic direction for priority, high-value opportunities, ensuring a clear and differentiated approach to winning.
• Accountable for the narrative quality and strategic standard across all pitches, setting the benchmark for how we articulate our value.
• Design end-to-end client solutions and commercial models, including operating models, pricing approach and value proposition.
• Lead the development of go-to-market propositions, continuously evolving how WPP Production positions itself in market.
• Work with the Global Chief Growth Officer to define and drive the global growth strategy for WPP Production, identifying priority markets, opportunity types and areas of focus.
• Define and influence where we focus our growth efforts, ensuring time and resource are prioritised on the highest value opportunities.
• Analyse pipeline, performance and market trends to identify where growth is coming from — and where it should come from next.
• Partner with senior leadership to shape growth priorities, targets and investment decisions.
• Drive improved conversion, efficiency and revenue impact across the new business pipeline through stronger strategic positioning and approach.
• Build and scale a repeatable growth engine, embedding frameworks, playbooks, tools and best practice that enable teams globally to win consistently without central dependency.
• Act as a “pitch doctor”, stepping into critical opportunities to strengthen narrative, structure and overall response quality.
• Present and represent WPP Production in senior client meetings & pitch meetings.
• Drive cross-WPP integration, ensuring seamless collaboration across Media, Creative and Production.
• Identify and embed new ways of working, improving how we approach, structure and deliver pitches.
• Lead on innovation in growth, including exploring the use of AI and new technologies to enhance team capability and efficiency.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior stakeholders across WPP and key client organisations.
• Develop and scale team capability, through coaching, mentoring and training.

What good looks like:

• Significant experience in new business, client leadership, growth or strategy roles within a creative, production or agency environment.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, with a proven ability to define how complex opportunities are approached and won.
• Outstanding writing and storytelling ability, with experience leading narrative development for high-value, multi-disciplinary pitches.
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience designing and influencing commercial models, pricing strategies and value propositions.
• Able to use and apply AI tools to the new business process.
• Proven experience leading large, complex and high-value pitch processes, often involving multiple stakeholders and disciplines.
• Confident and credible communicator, with experience presenting to senior clients and influencing at leadership level.
• Comfortable operating at pace and under pressure, managing multiple high-stakes opportunities simultaneously.
• Strong understanding of integrated marketing ecosystems, including the intersection of media, creative and production.
• Able to influence and align senior stakeholders, often with competing priorities, to a single direction.
• Experience shaping or evolving go-to-market propositions and strategic positioning.
• Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-paced environments, bringing structure and clarity to complex challenges.
• A proactive and solutions-driven mindset, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Experience developing and mentoring team members, with a focus on building capability and scaling impact.
• Curious and forward-thinking, with an interest in innovation, AI and the future of content and production.

Why work here: At WPP Production, you’ll help shape the future of content production at a truly global scale. We bring together world-class talent, cutting-edge studios, and advanced technology to solve some of the most complex creative and production challenges in the industry. You’ll work in a collaborative, borderless environment where craft excellence is valued, innovation is encouraged, and AI and next-generation tools are used to amplify not replace human creativity. With access to diverse projects, global career opportunities, and the backing of WPP’s unmatched network, this is a place where you can grow your skills, make real impact, and create work that performs for every audience, across every channel, at every moment.

Inclusion and Impact: WPP 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.