Implementation and Activation Associate Director

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. For more information, visit wppmedia.com . Role Overview IMPLEMENTATION & ACTIVATION The Implementation & Activation team is responsible for delivering best-in-class media planning and buying for our award-winning agency brands. The scope of the Implementation & Activation team covers all media channels and touchpoints, with a focus on delivering omnichannel media plans in each of our client patches and brands. Sitting centrally alongside our Implementation & Activation team is our Centre of Excellence, housing the Media Operations team and Craft Heads. With our collective industry expertise, we navigate the ever-changing media landscape efficiently and effectively, fuelling growth for the brands we work with. Our commitment to transparency and accountability drives best-in-class results consistently, leveraging our exceptional media relationships to keep our finger on the pulse of emerging opportunities. ROLE OUTLINE The Implementation & Activation Associate Director is an emerging leadership role, overseeing operational excellence and responsible for all day-to-day output that delivers effective campaigns, ensuring best-in-class consistent implementation, optimisation, and reporting. Working very closely with your Director, you will produce best-in-class solutions, offer unparalleled service and deliver against targets. The role involves the development and application of specialist technical skills, and effective team leadership. KEY RELATIONSHIPS Collaborating closely with internal teams Establishing strong relationships with relevant media, data, and technology partners Fostering deep trust and understanding with clients Contribute to great teamwork in your immediate team Responsibilities CLIENTS Cultivate strong, trusted relationships with clients at a mid to senior level Offer expert perspectives and POVs on recent market trends or developments, ensuring they're shared with key stakeholders regularly. Regularly meet with vendors and partners to drive your client's agenda, creating opportunities for your team members to get involved and engage. Maintain an in-depth understanding of client challenges, objectives & initiatives, and be able to clearly articulate these to your team and your media partners. Focus on building our outstanding client service reputation Robust understanding of the in-scope services of your clients and the process for completing work above and beyond Proactively recommend tactics and opportunities that resolve client challenges and objectives. PRODUCT Brings innovation and creativity to the table, leveraging market insights. When required, a strict adherence to activation commitments that have client contract association. Able to construct and present effective and future facing Implementation plans, that are grounded in strategic priorities and data-led optimisation recommendations. Maintain an in-depth knowledge of the media landscape, able to confidently articulate and train others on media principles and how each media touchpoint can fuel growth for clients. Collaborate closely with internal product teams including WPP Media proprietary product and service teams to ensure you can clearly articulate the benefits of their inclusion, with a focus on identifying growth opportunities that can transform outcomes. Seek to find, communicate and implement improvements in all aspects of the role. A pivotal role for client media audits, negotiations and billings forecasting, working hand in hand with your key stakeholders to deliver client KPI’s. PEOPLE Motivate and empower direct reports to achieve individual, team and organisational goals. Conduct fortnightly 1:1s, annual Career Conversations and Performance Reviews with direct reports. Liaise with the People Team to resolve any team disputes to ensure a safe and productive team environment. Continuously champion company values to build strong and trusted connections, solution-oriented perspectives and demonstrate that you genuinely care for collective team success. GROWTH & MARKETING Identify, collate and showcase examples of great work from within the team, both internally and externally. Build the agency’s reputation by contributing to entries for awards and competitions and by contributing to industry thought leadership. Actively contribute to new business development and pitching as needed. Required Capabilities You feel empowered to bring your authentic self to work, and contribute to great teamwork, knowing your individual ideas and thoughts will be welcome. Keen interest in our industry and excited to work with market leading partners & technologies. Inquisitive and demonstrates desire to understand and know more. Ability to prioritise tasks effectively, ensuring that the most important and urgent ones are identified and addressed first. Results driven with the ability to identify and clearly articulate what’s working and why. Problem solving mentality. Attention to detail. Clear communicator. MEASURING SUCCESS In 3 months: Established collaborative relationships with all key stakeholders. A strong understanding of and can clearly articulate the agency and group proposition, core processes and our way of working. Immersed yourself in the team with an understanding of the status of all active and upcoming campaigns. In 6 months: Demonstrated your ability to deliver on all aspects of the role in an efficient,