Director, Planning

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 ourpioneeringagentic 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.

For more information, visit wppmedia. com.

3048 - Director, Planning, UK

Role Summary and Impact

Essence Mediacom, part of WPP, is a new breed of media agency.

Grounded in analytics & insights and powered by data & technology, we believe in the power of media and creative to drive breakthroughs for the world’s best brands.

We help clients understand the modern marketing paradox and discover the breakthroughs brands need to win with their consumers.

We are designed for the new communications economy — built on data & technology, built for people & algorithms, built around diverse schools of thought, built to test & learn at scale, and, crucially, built to evolve.

The Role

In this role you will work across the EE/BT consumer account, focusing on EE’s brand activity across a variety of products including Mobile, Broadband, TV and Gaming, as well as Masterbrand.

Position/Title: Business Director - Brand

We’re looking for a highly experienced, smart planner who loves both new ideas and the craft.

EE/BT is one of the biggest advertisers in the UK, so our benchmark is not work that’s merely good enough - it has to be great.

Practice Summary

As planners we’re the conductors of the orchestra that is paid [and beyond] media.

We work collaboratively with Strategy and Activation to ensure our approach is fully integrated across POES.

We search for insight and intelligence so that we can build innovative media plans, owning the process and incorporating cross-channel budget allocation, in-flight cross-channel optimisation, reporting and post-campaign analysis.

We are our clients’ key contacts for a unified view across all aspects of their campaigns.

Position Summary

The Business Director will oversee media campaigns with support from more junior planners and assist the Client Lead in ensuring our work is delivered to the highest quality.

They will be responsible for elevating our agency's strategic planning function through a robust, data-first approach.

This role is key to integrating advanced analytical capabilities with creative strategic development, ensuring our recommendations are always evidence-based and ahead of the curve.

They will demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the overall media landscape and available research, using these to inform and communicate planning recommendations.

The Business Director has oversight and responsibility for the day-to-day management of media plans, working to fulfill the client’s media strategy in the context of changing market conditions.

They are responsible for ensuring investment is optimal to deliver campaign objectives, via effective planning.

Our clients

We work across the EE/BT group.

Although their public faces are very different, the two brands are managed very closely together.

They’re one of the nation’s biggest spenders, and some of our most-loved brands.

They are genuinely important to the nation with their creation and management of the UK’s connectivity networks, and we reflect that importance with how we try to help consumers and give them useful solutions in a modern world.

Our team

Team Connect is a very big team that is 100% allocated to EE, BT and Plusnet.

A successful candidate can expect to work on multiple aspects of these brands.

This includes broadband, mobile, TV, as well as Masterbrand.

This role is purely Brand focused but will involve close collaboration with Performance planners.

Skills and Experience

Essential Functions/Responsibilities

• Maintain fantastic relationships with key clients in media and marketing teams.
• Ensure the delivery of high-quality response presentations, actionable weekly reporting, insightful post campaign analyses and clear briefs to Activation.
• Deliver clear and compelling rationale to support media investment recommendations and to evidence campaign performance versus expected outcomes.
• Spearhead the integration of data analytics and insights into the core of our strategic planning processes, ensuring data is used proactively and upfront in all client engagements and internal initiatives.
• Accelerate AI adoption and transformation across the team, ensuring we are regularly sharing work and that clients see the tangible benefits of WPP Open.
• Take a lead role in developing and presenting best-in-class Strategic Response to Briefs (RTBs).
• Support ADs in delivering Media Detail RTBs and in briefing Activation teams.
• Work closely with the Head of Strategy & Planning on wider cross-portfolio strategic workstreams.
• Oversee and quality assure all deliverables produced by junior team members.
• Work with Activation and Analytics in the delivery and measurement of plans.
• Take responsibility for the performance of assigned media budgets against intended outcomes.
• Be a point of escalation for team issues (within and outside the team).
• Contribute to internal thought leadership and team process/workflow enhancement, to increase work quality and efficiency.
• Line-manage 3 direct reports (AD, AM, SAE), supporting their career development and driving job satisfaction.
• Competencies (specific knowledge, skills and abilities)
• Advanced knowledge of media landscape, media metric calculations and measurement techniques.
• Thorough understanding of industry standard media research tools (Com Score, Touchpoints, TGI, You Gov).
• Demonstrable expertise in understanding, interpreting, and applying various data sources (e. g., market research, digital analytics, social listening, econometrics, CRM data, first-party data).
• Deep understanding of current market trends, consumer behaviour, and the evolving media landscape.
• Superb client relationship and management skills.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex data and insights into clear, compelling narratives for diverse audiences. (internal teams, clients, senior leadership).
• Highly collaborative, comfortable working cross-functionally with data, analytics, research, and creative teams.
• Proven track record of leading, inspiring, and upskilling more junior planners, fostering a culture of curiosity and continuous learning.
• Excellent organisational skills, close attention to detail and ability to quality-control work.
• Forecast expected outcomes of brand and performance campaigns and manage investment accordingly.
• Basic spreadsheet capabilities (VLOOKUP, Pivot Table) are a must.
• Superior presentation design skills, in slides or document format.
• Ability to adhere to deadlines and project manage multiple campaigns.
• Development and maintenance of productive relationships with media owner partners.
• Proven problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Ability to work independently and to collaborate in a team environment.
• Skilled in quantitative reasoning.
• Management Responsibility
• Motivate a team, leading by example while coaching juniors - cultivating a dynamic and inquisitive culture where hypothesis-driven thinking is central to problem-solving.
• Provide timely and actionable feedback to aid in team development and improvement.
• Monitor and support satisfaction across the team, identifying and implementing ways to maintain or increase satisfaction.
• Foster strong working relationships across the team to facilitate flawless execution of plans.
• Communicate effectively across all levels of the team, understanding when to elevate issues to leadership.
• Calculate the workload implication of new campaigns and feed into resource management.
• Provide awareness and recognition for jobs well done.
• Required Education and Experience
• At least six to eight years of experience in a pure planning role.
• Demonstrable interest and expertise in planning craft.
• Data literate with demonstrable expertise in understanding, interpreting, and applying various data sources.
• Mastery of planning/insight tools such as e Telmar, TGI, You Gov, WARC, etc.
• Strong experience and interest in dedicated planning tools.
• Interest and knowledge of Planning and Media trends and issues.
• Proven experience in media at Senior Manager level.
• Life at WPP Media & Benefits

Our passion for shaping the next era of media is powered by our commitment to Be Extraordinary, investing in our employees to inspire transformational creativity.

We also Lead Optimistically, firmly believingin and Championing Growth and Developmentfor every individual.

This commitment allows WPP Media employees toleveragethe extensive global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, build vital professional connections, and learn at thecutting edgeof marketing and advertising.

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.

We Create an Open environmentbuilt 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 eventsshowcasingteam 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.

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

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

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