Head of Activation Planning

Who We Are

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. In addition, VML’s specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world’s largest and most awarded health agencies. VML’s global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.

About WPP

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. For more information, visit WPP.com.

This role is to lead Activation Planning on a highly regulated client on a global scale for WPP.

Specific remit:

This role exists to translate approved Brand strategy and campaigns into executable consumer journeys; detailed channel planning; messaging content and guidelines for key end market execution.

The remit covers marketing through opinion leaders, paid-owned-earned media, social media, owned digital and physical retail, 1-2-1, traditional retail, experiential channels and sponsorship partners (F1 & Tomorrowland) as well as stand-alone consumer events.

The role forms the bridge between global brand planning and regional execution.

The role involves a close working relationship with our Hub offices in Prague and Bucharest.

Typical deliverable:

On receipt of the material for a new brand campaign, this role begins identifying the necessary strategic pathway to land that campaign to meet a specific set of objectives. This requires use of provided insights, deep understanding of the brand position and challenges, and an ability to plan across all channels across multiple international markets. The output of this planning is a combination of messages per retail and media channel and the sequencing plan for channel deployment and consumer engagement across the campaign.

Experience required:

Omni-channel campaign planning.

This covers all consumer engagement and sales channels equally - from traditional off-line retail through to new digital channels, emerging social media and utilising opinions leaders/ influencers. Experience of messaging matrix development per channel and launch phasing is essential.

Our clients sell over 80% of their volume via traditional channels yet almost all consumer awareness comes from new digital media hence the candidate must be comfortable planning for both in any campaign.

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.

VML is a WPP agency (NYSE: WPP). For more information, please visit  www.vml.com, and follow along on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

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