Global Head of Next Gen Platforms & Activation

dentsu; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global media firm is searching for a Head of Next Generation Video to lead its international business operations. This role, requiring 15-20 years of experience, involves developing innovative video strategies and partnerships. Key responsibilities include enhancing video capabilities, driving thought leadership in the industry, and managing relationships with high-level stakeholders. The ideal candidate will have strong commercial acumen and the ability to ensure successful activation and growth of video offerings. A competitive compensation package and flexible working schedule are offered.

Benefits

Private health & dental insurance

Corporate discounts

29 days of annual leave

Access to LinkedIn learning

Qualifications

• Ability to work at the highest level with credibility and influence up to CMO level.
• Strategic thinker capable of delivering both big picture and detailed plans.
• Proven leadership skills with a focus on digital transformation projects.

Responsibilities

• Develop and collaborate with international markets on video narrative.
• Build and foster a community of local video leads for innovation.
• Drive thought leadership that boosts company reputation around video.

Skills

Excellent understanding of digital marketing & media strategy with expert knowledge of video

Strong Leadership across multiple stakeholders

Excellent ability to story-tell and simplify digital complexity

Proven ability to effectively communicate strategic ideas

Connections with core video partners, platforms & technology

Education

Director level experience (c. 15-20 years)

Job description

This role will be responsible for defining leading and scaling Next Generation video across the international business of dentsu Media and will report into the Head of Commercial Solutions with a dotted line into the Chief Performance Officer.

Job Description

Amplifi is dentsu’s media investment and innovation platform supporting our agencies and clients with the tools and expertise to drive smarter media decisions. We work closely with publishers, media companies and tech partners to evolve how we engage with the supply side of the industry.

Role Purpose

The Global Head of Next Gen Platforms & Activation role will be responsible for defining leading and scaling Next Generation video across the international business of dentsu Media and will report into the Head of Commercial Solutions with a dotted line into the Chief Performance Officer.

This role will be part of Amplifi, which is the supply‑side platform for dentsu focusing on partnerships, commercial innovation and the media investment for dentsu’s clients. This will enable the role to benefit from the consolidated investment management teams including the digital hub infrastructure solutions and sales enablement media trading media partnerships teams and much more.

We’re looking for someone to build out and future‑proof our video proposition to clients. Video media continues to disrupt and deliver innovation at a fast pace. We are seeking a candidate who can understand the adtech ecosystems, video supply networks and client expectations to deliver the optimal technical solution, business commercial success and client success.

The candidate will have c. 15-20 years of professional experience within the media and advertising industry with market‑leading knowledge of the connected TV and video planning, buying solutions, operations and commercialisation processes within the industry and more broadly.

This role will be very hands‑on. The candidate must have excellent knowledge of the adtech infrastructure and a commercial understanding of different supply networks.

Internal and external focus will be required with investment supply and demand side engagement. Key stakeholder management will be applied to all elements of the role. A requirement to travel internationally to local market teams (as appropriate) will be necessary to achieve success in this role.

Key Responsibilities

Proposition

• Develop and collaborate with international markets on the Next Generation video narrative: a future‑focussed strategy that accelerates dentsu’s video capabilities.
• The strategy should enable dentsu to win with clients while delivering commercial success.
• Build and foster a community of local video leads to develop and share the latest iterations, driving a culture of innovation, inspiration, consistency & continual improvement and to drive uptake of new solutions.
• Develop deep partnerships with global partnership & commercial teams, global digital & planning leads, major local markets to continually develop and improve the Next Gen narrative across video.
• Promote our video capabilities and strategy within our partners.
• Review existing video partnerships and work with our partnership and commercial teams to accelerate our strategy.
• Work with partners to scale a market‑leading video planning and/or activation tool with existing or new partners.
• Work with wider Global Next Gen Leadership team, Partnership Team, Partners, Activation Hubs, Local Digital teams to develop a programme of Innovation & Incubation for video.
• Regularly review and optimise every aspect of our Next Generation Video offering, identifying gaps and opportunities and collaborating on solutions.

Thought Leadership

• Work with our brand strategy leads to develop thought leadership that boosts dentsu’s reputation in the industry around video.
• Drive research and thought leadership on video forward within the network and externally.
• Work with Marketing to input into the global digital thought leadership agenda, taking charge of agenda setting, content curation and dissemination for content concerning video.
• Engage in external presentations to articulate a distinct perspective on major digital matters, fostering a clear understanding of our position as a network.

New Business & Clients

• Work with Global Pitch Client & Digital / Performance Leads to tailor the Next Gen Video narrative to each of our major pitches.
• Support global & EMEA digital pitches and ensure that the correct activation teams are proposed and deployed on the pitch and Next Gen is articulated to maximum effect.
• Act as the Video Lead on Global and EMEA pitches, partnering Global Digital / Performance Lead and leading local market channel teams throughout the pitch process.

Talent & Training

• Identify digital talent, retain and recruit to ensure our position as a market‑leading digital‑first holding company in media is maintained.
• Provide a clear and exciting career growth path for our performance talent and create an environment for connected innovative thinking.
• Curation of a global training programme to develop craft skills globally in association with the Chief Strategy and Consultation Officer as part of Project K (Karafuto).

What you bring

• Excellent understanding of (digital) marketing & media strategy with expert knowledge of video.
• Ability to work at the highest level with credibility and influence up to and above CMO level.
• Strong Leadership across multiple stakeholders, ability to manage within a matrix structure.
• A strategic thinker that delivers, sees the big picture but can articulate the all‑important detail.
• Excellent ability to story‑tell and simplify digital complexity to help influence stakeholders.
• Proven ability to effectively communicate strategic & innovative ideas with clarity and simplicity.
• Connections with core video partners, platforms & technology.
• An ability to see and demonstrate the future landscape of digital video.
• Knowledge of CXM and Creative and how they can work seamlessly with media.
• Experience delivering digital transformation projects.
• Ability to write & present strategic documents and cases to diverse audiences.
• Able to translate strategic goals into operational and commercial opportunities.
• Ability to bring multiple parts of the business together to deliver exceptional solutions.
• Strong team management and communication skills.

Successful New Business experience

Comfortable working in a global organisation working closely with global & local markets.

Able to travel or communicate remotely depending on the task

Able to provide growth through commercial opportunities and turn them into reality.

Comfortable as a leader within the business and wider industry.

Strong numeracy, negotiation, problem‑solving and communication skills.

Proven leadership skills and ability to interact with people at all levels of an organization.

Fosters strong cross‑functional teamwork and results.

Able to influence and persuade at a senior level.

Strong presentation skills, written and oral communication.

A few of the benefits

You’ll have a great compensation package, private health & dental insurance, corporate discounts and career development through Dentsu University and free access to LinkedIn learning.

29 days of annual leave (25 days of regular holidays + birthdays off and 3 additional wellness days) pro rata.

• We also offer the opportunity to volunteer for up to 2 days per year and tend to close down the agency between Christmas and New Year’s.

You’ll have a hybrid working schedule with flexible start / end hours.

Inclusion and Diversity

At Dentsu we embrace diversity and inclusion, valuing the unique perspectives and contributions of every individual. We believe that diversity fuels creativity and innovation, benefiting our employees, partners and communities.

We welcome applications from all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status or any other protected characteristic.

Beyond recruitment we strive to create an environment where everyone feels respected, supported and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work.

We recognise the importance of work‑life balance and are open to discussing flexible working arrangements for all roles.

If you need reasonable adjustments due to a disability or medical condition during our recruitment process please contact us at quoting the reference number of the role that you are applying for. Your needs will be handled with respect and confidentiality to ensure an inclusive and accessible experience.

Location : London

Brand : Global Amplifi

Time Type : Full time

Contract Type : Permanent

Experience : Director level (c. 15‑20 years)

Vacancy : 1