Senior Associate Director, Client leadership

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.

1990 - Senior Associate Director, Client Leadership

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

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 and Impact

This is a pivotal opportunity for a Senior Associate Director - Brand Planning to join a high-performing team, driving brand strategy and planning excellence for adidas, one of the world's most iconic and innovative brands.

Sitting within the central adidas EU Brand Planning team, you will collaborate closely with account leadership, the adidas MP, Media Solutions Lead, and the Strategy Director to ensure strategic alignment and sustained client success. You will lead long-term projects aimed at significantly improving campaign and account performance through media innovation, enhanced team collaboration, workflow efficiency, and insightful strategic development. A key part of your role will be to incorporate these learnings and innovations into the Europe Guidance for Brand campaigns and beyond.

Your responsibilities will include managing and developing Account Managers and junior team members, fostering their growth and expertise. You will maintain high-level oversight of campaign activity across Europe, ensuring strict alignment with adidas Europe's overarching brand strategy across 19 local countries. Passionate about Sports, Music, Streetwear, and brand planning principles, you will bring a deep understanding of brand measurement and adeptly interpret MMM insights to drive strategic recommendations. This role involves building close client relationships and offers the opportunity for occasional travel to adidas's Amsterdam offices. You will be instrumental in leading a high-performing team and ensuring consistent strategic excellence.

Skills and Experience

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.

We are looking for a visionary and highly accomplished strategic leader with 8+ years of progressive experience in a media agency or strategic consultancy, ready to take on a significant brand planning leadership role. The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• A profound strategic understanding of brand planning principles, media innovation, and the cultural landscapes of Sports, Music, and Streetwear, relevant to an iconic brand like adidas.

• Proven leadership and project management capabilities, with experience leading long-term initiatives, enhancing team collaboration, and optimizing workflows to deliver superior brand campaign performance.

• Demonstrated experience in managing and developing junior team members, fostering a high-performing and collaborative team environment.

• Exceptional stakeholder management and client relationship skills, with the ability to effectively support 19 local European countries and build strong, trusted partnerships with senior clients. Occasional travel to client offices, such as adidas Amsterdam, will be embraced.

• Adeptness in brand measurement and interpreting MMM (Mixed-Media Model) insights, translating complex data into actionable brand strategy and campaign guidance.

• Advanced communication, presentation, and influencing skills, capable of articulating complex brand strategies with clarity and conviction to diverse audiences.

• Expert technical proficiency in relevant strategic planning tools, brand measurement platforms, and advanced analytics for driving brand success.

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.

Please note this is a UK based role and requires individuals to have the right to work in this location

Please read our Privacy Notice (https://www.wppmedia.com/pages/privacy-policy) for more information on how we process the information you provide.

#LI-Promoted

Please read our Privacy Notice for more information on how we process the information you provide.