VP, Motion

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.

2600 – VP, Motion 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.

Role Summary and Impact

The Vice President (VP) role at WPP Media is a strategic imperative executive leadership position within WPP. They are entrusted with driving continuous optimization and transformative innovation, effectively translating overarching corporate strategy into executable, high‑impact operational frameworks that guarantee superior performance and operational rigor. They will orchestrate teams and champion enterprise‑level initiatives, adeptly navigating complex strategic challenges. Ultimately, the VP's strategic foresight and decisive actions working with SVP’s and EVP’s are paramount to achieving critical functional objectives and accelerating business growth.

Capability Description

As VP, Commercial, you will be the driving force behind Motion Content Group's commercial expansion and strategic evolution. You will be responsible for adapting and extending our proven contra‑deal model into new, high‑growth media channels and markets. This role demands a blend of strategic foresight, exceptional commercial acumen, and the ability to forge powerful partnerships that deliver tangible client outcomes.

You will lead the charge across four interconnected pillars – Commercial Strategy, Stakeholder Management, Partnership Development, and Driving Fame for our Clients – each critical to achieving Motion's aggressive growth ambitions.

Key Responsibilities

• Commercial Strategy for Motion: Develop and execute a forward‑thinking commercial strategy that pivots and extends Motion's pioneering contra‑deal model into new and emerging media channels, beyond traditional broadcasters. Identify, evaluate, and prioritize high‑growth market opportunities, leading Motion's entry and establishment of a leading position in at least three immediate target markets. Define innovative commercial frameworks, deal structures, and financial models that ensure profitability and sustainable growth. Set clear commercial objectives and KPIs, actively managing and reporting on performance against strategic goals.
• Stakeholder Management & Internal Alignment: Cultivate and maintain exceptional relationships with key internal stakeholders across WPP, its agencies, and client teams to ensure seamless integration and unlock new client briefs and opportunities. Act as a central conduit, ensuring commercial initiatives are aligned with broader WPP strategies and client needs. Champion Motion's commercial value proposition internally, fostering collaboration and maximizing shared success.
• Partnership Development & Deal Flow: Lead the end‑to‑end process of identifying, evaluating, negotiating, and securing strategic partnerships with new media platforms, digital publishers, and emerging content distributors. Pioneer innovative contra‑deal structures tailored to the unique dynamics of new media channels. Generate a robust and continuous pipeline of new commercial opportunities, securing deal flow that directly fuels Motion's growth trajectory. Ensure all partnerships are structured to maximize value extraction for Motion and its clients.
• Driving Fame for our Clients: Ensure commercial strategies and partnerships directly contribute to enhancing "Fame" and success for Motion's clients. Collaborate closely with client‑facing teams to translate commercial opportunities into compelling client propositions and outcomes. Actively position Motion Content Group as the partner of choice for brands seeking innovative, high‑impact content solutions, thereby attracting the best new business opportunities.

Skills and Experience

• Progressive commercial leadership experience within the media, content, advertising, or entertainment industries, with a proven track record of driving significant revenue growth.
• Deep expertise in media rights, content financing, and alternative commercial models, ideally with direct experience in "contra‑deal" or similar value‑exchange frameworks.
• Demonstrated success in identifying, developing, and closing complex strategic partnerships with media platforms, broadcasters, or digital content distributors.
• Strong strategic thinking capability with a clear vision for adapting established models to new, evolving media landscapes.
• Exceptional negotiation and deal‑making skills, with a track record of securing advantageous terms and delivering mutually beneficial outcomes.
• Outstanding stakeholder management abilities with the capacity to influence and align diverse internal and external C‑suite stakeholders.
• Commercial acumen including P&L responsibility, financial modeling, and a strong understanding of value creation.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a proactive approach to identifying and capitalizing on new market opportunities.
• Strong leadership presence and communication skills, capable of articulating complex strategies and inspiring action across teams.
• Global perspective and experience navigating different market dynamics is highly desirable.

Measures of Success

Within 6 Months: Gain a comprehensive understanding of WPP Media and our broader business strategy, plus you will have started to think about incorporating Vision '30 into your strategic roadmap and key initiatives. Understand our business challenges and be able to articulate those beyond your scope (macro level, country level, departmental level). Your team will acknowledge clear direction and support plus initial client feedback should reflect proactive engagement. A key measurable is that you should have also initiated discussions and strategies to begin implementing significant improvements within your business area leveraging data/AI thinking, to align with AI‑era demands.

Within 12 Months: Champion WPP Media vision to be an undisputed industry leader, showcasing the impact of your strategy on business performance. You'll receive strong client testimonials demonstrating the impact of AI‑driven strategies and receive positive 360‑degree feedback on your leadership and strategic contributions to WPP Media and Vision '30. You will have clearly improved team morale and culture, reinforcing our identity as the global media collective and supported or achieved targeted revenue growth from existing clients and/or contributed to significant new business wins aligned with Vision '30 capabilities. Maintain high client scores and successful talent development in AI‑focused roles plus key contribution to external thought leadership.

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.

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to 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.

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