Director, Activation

WPP Media Limited; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Medical and retirement plans

Vision and dental insurance

Generous paid time off

Mental health days

Job summary

WPP Media Limited seeks an experienced Director, Activation to lead digital activation across key client businesses. You will direct Paid Social and Programmatic campaigns while ensuring flawless execution and strong cross-functional alignment.

The ideal candidate brings 6+ years in digital media activation, proven people management, and deep expertise in channel strategies. A hybrid work model, competitive benefits, and international collaboration are offered.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of digital media activation experience in an agency or brand environment.
• Advanced expertise in Paid Social and performance strategies.
• Solid knowledge of programmatic buying and DSP mechanics.
• Experience leading direct reports and collaborating with cross-functional teams.
• Excellent communication skills for senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Direct end-to-end strategy, setup, and optimization of Paid Social and Programmatic campaigns.
• Lead a Social Manager and a Programmatic Manager, coordinating with global offshore support teams.
• Establish robust QA processes, pacing protocols, and standardized workflows to ensure execution excellence.
• Collaborate with Planning and Performance leads to align on strategic briefs and deliverables.
• Translate complex campaign data into strategic insights for clients and manage expectations.
• Pilot emerging platforms and formats as client media plans evolve.

Skills

Digital media activation

Paid Social

Programmatic

Team management

Stakeholder communication

Tools

DV360

Job description

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 ourpioneeringagentic 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.

The Media Activation team is responsible for providing thoughtful, high-impact recommendations across digital channels, maintaining platform partnerships, and executing media buys with precision.

We are seeking an experienced Director, Activation to lead digital activation across key client business. In this role, you will lead the channel activation strategy with a primary emphasis on Paid Social and a foundational focus on Programmatic, ensuring flawless operational execution and strong cross‑functional alignment.

The ideal candidate brings extensive digital media expertise, a structured approach to workflow management, and proven experience managing media teams, client relationships, and inter‑departmental collaboration.

What You’ll Do

• Activation Leadership: Direct the end-to-end strategy, setup, and optimization of Paid Social (core focus) and Programmatic campaigns, driving performance against lower-funnel KPIs including app acquisition and conversions.
• Team Management & Resourcing: Lead and mentor a team consisting of a Social Manager and a Programmatic Manager, while coordinating deliverables with global offshore support teams. Actively manage team capacity, timelines, and resource allocation.
• Operational Process & Structure: Establish robust QA processes, pacing protocols, and standardized operational workflows to ensure consistency and execution excellence.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Planning and Performance leads to align on strategic briefs, balance deliverables, and maintain clear operational boundaries across departments.
• Client Stewardship: Serve as the senior activation lead in client interactions, translating complex technical campaign data into strategic insights and managing expectations effectively.
• Platform Innovation: Evaluate and pilot emerging digital ad platforms and formats (including conversational AI and new discovery ad channels) as client media plans evolve.

What We’re Looking For

• Experience: 6+ years of digital media activation experience within an agency or brand environment, including proven experience managing direct reports.
• Paid Social Acumen: Advanced expertise in Paid Social platforms and performance strategies; hands‑on experience with mobile app performance and conversion‑driven campaigns is an asset.
• Programmatic Working Knowledge: Solid foundational understanding of programmatic buying, DSP mechanics, and data targeting strategies.
• Resource & Scope Management: Demonstrated ability to manage project scope, balance bandwidth, and negotiate timelines with cross‑functional partners and external stakeholders.
• Organizational Skills: Proven track record of managing multi‑channel workflows and implementing structured processes in fast‑paced environments.
• Stakeholder Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to articulate media rationale clearly to both technical teams and senior clients.
• Channel Agility: Willingness to adapt to and test emerging media formats; traditional paid search experience is not required.

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. 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. Our benefits include competitive medical, group retirement plans, vision, and dental insurance, significant paid time off, partner discounts, and employee mental health awareness days.

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer. We have adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week.

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While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

The base salary for this position at the time of this posting may range between the values at the bottom of this posting. Individual compensation varies based on job‑related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications.

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$100,000 - $110,000 CAD

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