Senior Associate, Staffing Strategist

Overview Chicago, United States; New York, United States 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. About Resource Management at WPP Media The Resource Management function connects talent to client demand across WPP Media, ensuring the right people are deployed to the right opportunities at the right time. It plays a critical role in enabling internal mobility, improving utilisation, and supporting sustainable business growth. Responsibilities The Staffing Strategist plays a critical role within WPP Media, responsible for connecting internal talent to client demand and ensuring effective, timely, and sustainable staffing outcomes. Acting as a key partner within the Resource Management function, this role balances the needs of our people, clients, and the business to optimise workforce deployment while supporting employee development and long‑term organisational performance. Working closely with Capacity Planning Partners, Talent Acquisition, HR, and Client teams, the Staffing Strategist translates workforce demand into actionable staffing solutions. They are accountable for maintaining accurate people and skills data, understanding workforce capability, and proactively identifying opportunities to optimise utilisation, enable internal mobility, and reduce reliance on external hiring. This role requires a strong understanding of people, skills, and career aspirations, combined with a strategic, data‑driven mindset. The Staffing Strategist plays a vital role in improving workforce visibility, enabling an internal‑first fulfilment model, and contributing to a more connected, agile, and efficient organisation. Staffing Strategists operate across key capabilities including Client Leadership, Media Management & Delivery (MMD), Data, Technology & Analytics, Growth & Marketing, Operations, Finance, and People. They partner closely with Capacity Planning to align available talent with validated demand, supporting a transparent, scalable, and future‑ready resourcing model across WPP Media. Qualifications & Skills Experience in resource management, workforce planning, talent management, or HR‑related roles, ideally within a complex or matrixed organisation Strong understanding of people management principles, employee development, and end‑to‑end talent lifecycle processes Proven ability to build and maintain effective relationships across multiple stakeholder groups, including HR, Talent Acquisition, Client teams, and Resource Management Strong data capability, with experience maintaining, analysing, and interpreting workforce and staffing data to inform decisions Ability to balance people, client, and commercial priorities when making staffing and deployment recommendations Experience working across multiple staffing channels, including internal mobility, external hiring, and contracting models Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to manage expectations and provide clear, confident guidance High attention to detail, particularly in relation to data accuracy, tracking, and reporting Ability to operate with autonomy, proactively identifying risks, opportunities, and solutions to staffing challenges 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 believing in and Championing Growth and Development for every individual. This commitment allows WPP Media employees to leverage the extensive global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, build meaningful professional connections, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising. We Create an Open environment built on trust and respect, where everyone feels they belong and has opportunities to progress. Our inclusive culture is fostered through employee resource groups and frequent in‑office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects this commitment and includes competitive medical coverage, group retirement plans, vision and dental insurance, generous 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 protected characteristics. We believe the best work happens when we’re together , fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection in an 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. #J-18808-Ljbffr