Account Director, Planning

WPP Media; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Retirement plan

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

Paid time off

Partner discounts

Mental health days

Job summary

WPP Media in the UK is seeking an experienced Account Director to lead on UK accounts, including the Electoral Commission. You will guide day-to-day communications strategy, manage a talented team, and drive an integrated approach that delivers creative and media impact.

The role requires strong leadership, fast decision-making, and a track record of data-driven planning across brand and performance. You will present to senior clients and collaborate with cross-functional teams to maximise

Qualifications

• Champions and challenges teams to push for faster, more effective work.
• Fluent in connecting great creative ideas to measurable outcomes.
• Strong client management skills with gravitas for senior conversations.
• Proven ability to deliver integrated comms planning rooted in data and measurement.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day strategic output for accounts and briefs.
• Own account workflow across Creative, Media, Data teams.
• Act as senior client contact and deliver against commercial goals.
• Present work, ideas and results to clients, partners and internal teams.
• Collaborate with Strategy Directors to explore innovation opportunities.
• Oversee media activation and workflow with specialist teams.
• Ensure reporting delivers actionable insights for live optimisation.
• Maintain oversight of account financials (billing, reconciliations).
• Mentor and develop direct reports through regular 1-2-1s.

Skills

Brand and Performance

Self-starter / Curious

Client management

Data-driven planning

Job description

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 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.

For more information, visit wppmedia.com.

3226 – Account Director, Planning - UK

Role Summary and Impact

We are looking for an experienced and ambitious Account Director to lead on a number of UK accounts, including our exciting integrated new business win – Electoral Commission. You will be responsible for guiding the day-to-day communications strategy, managing a talented team, and driving an integrated approach that gets the most out of creative and media. We want an enthusiastic and passionate leader who thinks in terms of delivering behaviour change and outcomes and inspires their team to operate with speed and agility.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day strategic output for your accounts, owning the response to briefs and proactively identifying tactical, opportunities.
• Own the account workflow, ensuring our integrated teams (Creative, Media, Data) operate seamlessly and at pace.
• Act as a key senior client contact, building trust and partnership through exceptional service and delivering against commercial goals.
• Be comfortable and compelling when presenting work, ideas, and results to senior clients, agency partners, and internal teams.
• Work with the Client and Strategy Directors to explore opportunities for innovation.
• Oversee the implementation and delivery of all media activation, managing workflow through our specialist teams where necessary.
• Ensure all reporting delivers sharp, actionable insights that feed our live feedback loop—moving beyond post-campaign analysis to in-flight optimisation.
• Maintain full oversight of all financial aspects of the account (billings, reconciliations, finance queries).
• Live and breathe 'The Power of &', ensuring creative and media are never separate conversations.
• Coach, support, and develop your direct reports (Account Executive) through regular 1-2-1s and active mentorship.

Skills and Experience

You are someone who both champions and challenges – yourself, your team, and your clients – to push for faster, more effective work.

• You are fluent in both Brand and Performance, able to connect a great creative idea to a measurable outcome
• You are a self-starter who demonstrates immense curiosity, inspiring your team, fostering a willingness to learn and test new approaches.
• You possess strong client management skills and the gravitas to lead senior-level conversations.
• You have a proven track record of delivering strong, integrated comms planning that is rooted in data and measurement.

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 believingin and Championing Growth and Development for every individual. This commitment allows WPP Media employees toleveragethe extensive global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, build vital professional connections, and learn at thecutting edgeof marketing and advertising.

We Create an Open environment built on trust and respect, where everyone feels they belong and has opportunities to progress. This inclusive culture is fostered through a variety of employee resource groups and frequent in-office eventsshowcasingteam wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects this commitment, including 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 characteristics. We believe the best work happens whenwe'retogether, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection in this open and supportive environment.That’swhywe’veadopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If yourequireaccommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process. Please note that while our philosophy is the same across WPP, benefits may vary by office/country.

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.

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