Associate 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 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.

About WPP Media


WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities. For more information, visit wpp.com.

WPP Media is WPP's global media collective. In a world where media is everywhere and in everything, we bring the best platform, people, and partners together to create limitless opportunities for growth. For more information, visit wppmedia.com.

At WPP Media, we believe in the power of our culture and our people. It's what elevates us to deliver exceptional experiences for both our clients and each other. In this role it will be critical to embrace WPP & WPP Media's shared core values:
• Be Extraordinary by Leading Collectively to Inspire transformational Creativity.
• Create an Open environment by Balancing People and Client Experiences by Cultivating Trust.
• Lead Optimistically by Championing Growth and Development to Mobilize the Enterprise.

About EssenceMediacom : A Leading WPP Media Brand

• EssenceMediacom 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.

Role Summary & Impact

• As an Associate Director of Planning, your primary objective is to supervise all implementation needs and communication with the client(s) and agency client/planning/other teams. You will liaise and coordinate with global marketing teams as understanding international marketing will be essential to your duties. In addition, you will oversee the client implementation team to ensure productivity, including managing staffing and workload issues at the client team level. You will provide strategic rigor to implement ideas and ensure integration of the work between creative and media. You will also be well versed in 360 media planning to effectively convey and manage the media deliverable within the agencies.

Skills and Experience

• Maintain day-to-day client contact and agency contact regarding their area of responsibility.
• Oversees the development of objectives and strategies, as well as the development of plans and presentations.
• Supervises the group in the interpretation of competitive and other research data.
• Trains and evaluates Supervisors, Managers and Associates on the team.
• Act as the liaison between internal teams as well as various partner vendors to ensure media performance.
• Maintain a deep understanding of business, target audiences and wider communications environment.
• Listen, identify, and articulate compelling drivers, barriers and channel relationship insights.
• Understand, embrace, and integrate client and creative agency research into plans.
• Package strategic frameworks, contextual frameworks and engagement ideas for clarity and client presentation.
• Assist in crafting compelling selling strategies.

• Bachelor's degree in advertising, marketing, business administration, and communications; OR equivalent professional work experience.
• 5-8 years of account planning or related media/communications planning experience, with a focus on team leadership and management.
• Experience and comfort facilitating ideation sessions.
• Excellent strategic thinking.
• Good client relationship skills, including experience interacting and presenting to senior-level clients.
• Experience working in and across multiple communications disciplines, including digital.
• Fully conversant with all major desktop research tools and qualitative research techniques.
• Excellent quantitative skills, including analytical abilities and math proficiency.
• Ability to work within and effectively manage a team, prioritizing and organizing multiple assignments for both self and team direct reports, where applicable.
• Demonstrate genuine curiosity and interest in our clients and their business.

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 particular 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.

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 around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP Media is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to, among others, individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans. If you need an accommodation because of a disability to search and apply for a career opportunity with WPP Media, please send an e-mail to GroupM Leave Administration at View email address on click.appcast.io or call View phone number on click.appcast.io and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

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The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package, go to for more details.

US Pay Range

$75,000-$180,000 USD

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