EMEA Sales & Consulting Lead, Strategic Partnerships (Kyndryl & Gradial)

VML, part of WPP, is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave™ Reports as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement & Optimization.

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.

WPP Enterprise Solutions is significantly expanding its strategic global alliances with Kyndryl and Gradial. We're looking for a dynamic, quota‑carrying Sales & Consulting Lead to own WPP revenue generation across both partner ecosystems in EMEA — identifying, developing, and closing enterprise opportunities through joint go‑to‑market pursuits. This is a unique hybrid role: part sales leader, part consultative expert, operating across two distinct but complementary strategic alliances. You will work directly with clients, WPP account leadership, and both partner organisations to translate complex client needs into integrated WPP–Kyndryl and WPP–Gradial solutions. Your success will be measured by driving significant WPP revenue through these partnerships, creating compelling client success stories, and expanding our joint footprint across EMEA.

This is not a back‑office alliance management role. You will be actively engaged with clients and partners, defining the future of digital transformation and agentic content supply chains — and you will own your numbers.

What You’ll Do

• Client Engagement & Solution Development (40%)
  • Lead complex, consultative sales pursuits across WPP's CX, AI, data, technology, and content transformation services — from initial qualification through to contract close.
  • Facilitate executive briefings and collaborative workshops with existing and prospective clients and partner leadership to co‑create solutions and build alignment.
  • Navigate complex procurement processes within large enterprise organisations, positioning value for both marketing and IT stakeholders.
  • Guide clients through discovery, problem definition, and solution design, drawing on a blend of sales and consulting expertise.
• For Kyndryl
  • Articulate the unique value of WPP's front‑end creativity and experience design, seamlessly integrated with Kyndryl's back‑end mission‑critical infrastructure, managed services, and AI transformation capabilities.
  • Develop and present WPP–Kyndryl joint solutions that demonstrate how enhanced customer experiences are underpinned by robust and secure IT foundations.
  • Leverage Kyndryl's platforms and frameworks to strengthen WPP's solution delivery and GTM efforts.
• For Gradial
  • Articulate the value of WPP's content strategy, design, and implementation capabilities integrated with Gradial's AI‑driven content operations platform to establish agentic‑first content supply chains.
  • Position WPP's technology implementation expertise across major content platforms alongside Gradial's platform to enable adaptive, intelligent, and scalable content systems.
  • Develop and present WPP–Gradial joint solutions that accelerate time‑to‑market with speed, efficiency, and quality in content creation, delivery, and optimisation.
• Partner Coordination (35%)
  • Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with Kyndryl and Gradial regional leadership, sales and consulting teams, platform and vertical leads, and account owners across EMEA.
  • Identify, develop, and qualify WPP billable opportunities within each partner's existing and prospective client base.
  • Participate in joint account planning sessions to proactively identify transformation needs and position integrated solutions.
  • Co‑ordinate on opportunity registration, certification tracking, deal support, and joint value articulation for integrated offerings.
  • Represent WPP at partner events, industry forums, and joint customer engagements, actively championing each partnership's distinct value.
• For Kyndryl
  • Focus on where WPP's experience transformation services complement Kyndryl's infrastructure management, AI, and data offerings.
• For Gradial
  • Focus on where WPP's content strategy, operations, automation, and technology implementation services complement Gradial's AI‑driven content operations platform.
  • Support WPP's development of IP and a centre of excellence around Gradial platform solutions to differentiate WPP's offerings for agentic content supply chains.
• Internal Orchestration & GTM (25%)
  • Collaborate with WPP account teams and capability leads to identify and qualify Kyndryl‑ and Gradial‑relevant opportunities across existing client relationships and new logos.
  • Orchestrate WPP solution designers, architects, strategists, and pre‑sales resources to develop compelling joint proposals and Statements of Work.
  • Partner with WPP delivery leadership to ensure a seamless handover from sold work to successful project execution.
  • Actively contribute to WPP–Kyndryl and WPP–Gradial global alliance strategies, EMEA GTM planning, and internal enablement programmes, ensuring WPP teams have a thorough understanding of each partner's unique value proposition.
  • Maintain accurate pipeline and forecast data in WPP systems, tracking Kyndryl‑influenced and Gradial‑influenced revenue and partnership KPIs separately.

How We’ll Measure Success

• WPP billable revenue closed against annual quota (delineated for Kyndryl‑ and Gradial‑influenced revenue).
• Pipeline coverage for Kyndryl‑ and Gradial‑influenced opportunities.
• Win rate on qualified Kyndryl and Gradial opportunities.
• Depth of partner engagement — joint calls, account plans, QBRs, and solution development activity.
• Number of new WPP–Kyndryl and WPP–Gradial joint accounts initiated or expanded in EMEA.

What You’ll Bring

• 8–12+ years of enterprise sales and/or consulting experience, with significant experience selling complex technology services or solutions.
• Proven quota attainment in consultative sales environments (£/€3M+ annually).
• Experience selling across verticals including retail, financial services, automotive, utilities, and/or hospitality.
• Demonstrable ability to navigate and connect both IT and business stakeholder priorities (CMO, CIO, CEO).
• Strong executive presence, with polished presentation and communication skills suited to C‑suite engagement.
• Background in professional services, consulting, or systems integration with a strong emphasis on solution selling.
• Solid understanding of enterprise IT infrastructure, managed services, AI delivery, and how these underpin digital and customer experience transformation.
• Solid understanding of content supply chain, AI in marketing and content operations, CMS/DAM platforms, and content strategy and delivery transformation.

Nice to Have

• Prior experience within the Kyndryl ecosystem or with major IT infrastructure and managed services providers.
• Prior experience with Gradial or comparable AI‑driven content operations platforms.
• Existing relationships with Kyndryl regional leadership, consulting, or vertical teams in EMEA.
• Existing relationships within the Gradial partner network or relevant marketing operations technology providers.
• Experience positioning end‑to‑end transformation solutions that bridge front‑end experiences with back‑end systems.
• Experience within WPP or a holding company environment.
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or technical Master’s degree a plus.

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 an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process. WPP (VML) 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.