Head of Influence & Social

Burson Group; Greater London; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Professional development opportunities

Mentorship programs

Job summary

Burson, part of WPP, seeks a senior leader to establish and lead the UK Influence & Social Centre of Excellence, driving the Total Influence strategy across the UK and EMEA. You will shape the operating model, oversee high-impact pitches, and elevate creative output for major clients.

Reporting to the UK CEO with a matrix to the EMEA Head of Influence & Social, you will collaborate with sector leads to deliver growth and innovation while expanding Burson’s influence across platforms and partners.

Qualifications

• Proven senior leadership in an influence and social role within a major agency or enterprise, with a track record of driving revenue growth and breakthrough creative work.
• Deep expertise in influencer marketing strategy, platform dynamics (TikTok, Meta, CreatorIQ), cultural trends, and UK regulatory compliance.
• Strong commercial mindset with a history of leading high-priority new business pitches and expanding organic accounts.
• Demonstrated capability building and inspiring high-performing teams, scalable operating models, and accountable workflows.
• Strategic platform and tech savvy, including hands-on experience integrating AI tools, creator platforms, CRM strategies, and modernised measurement frameworks.
• Exceptional cross-practice collaboration with multidisciplinary teams and C-suite stakeholders.
• Strong executive presence and client advisory skills to guide clients through complex social transformation.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead the UK Influence & Social Centre of Excellence - the EMEA hub - defining the operating model, plan, and team structure to drive 3-year growth.
• Lead high-priority new business pitches and organic growth across UK practices and EMEA markets, establishing Burson's Total Influence proposition.
• Drive agency elevation and thought leadership, curating social and influencer campaigns, assets, and credentials to showcase excellence.
• Implement the Total Influence operating model across the UK, tracking adoption and refining cross-practice delivery workflows.
• Upskill teams on cultural trends, influencer strategies, and AI capabilities using Burson and WPP Open tools.
• Manage strategic relationships with platforms (TikTok, Meta) and tech partners (CreatorIQ) to stay ahead of developments.
• Collaborate with sector leads to tailor Total Influence offers for client growth across practices.
• Transform influencer measurement and strategy with Insights & Intelligence and horizon scanning to capture whitespace.

Job description

Burson, part of WPP, is the global communications leader built to create value for clients through reputation. With highly specialized teams, industry-leading technologies and breakthrough creative, we help brands and businesses redefine reputation as a competitive advantage so they can lead today and into the future. When you work at Burson, you are part of a global community of lifelong learners who thrive at the edge of innovation.

WPP (LSE/NYSE: WPP) is the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. We unitecutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counselin 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 is an exceptional opportunity for a senior industry leader and growth driver to build and lead Burson's UK Influence & Social Centre of Excellence - the central hub for our EMEA region and one of three global hubs alongside the US and Singapore. Sitting on the UK Strategic Leadership Group, you will execute our regional and global strategy to realise ambitious commercial growth over the next three years.

In this role, you will hold P&L accountability for the capability, shape our go-to-market Total Influence proposition across all practices, advise senior clients, and lead high-profile integrated pitches. Working within a multi-disciplinary ecosystem (creative, strategy, data, and intelligence), you will put in place the operating model, toolsets, and measurement frameworks that enable the UK market to deliver client work disruptively, consistently, compliantly, and at scale.

Reporting to the UK CEO with a matrix link to the EMEA Head of Influence & Social, you will partner closely with practice leaders and WPP network counterparts across three core pillars:

• Commercialise & Grow (establishing the UK Centre of Excellence, high-priority new business, thought leadership, award-winning creative output)
• Enable & Operationalise (total Influence model rollout, practice upskilling, platform partnerships, AI & tech stack integration)
• Transform & Innovate (WPP network integration, sector-tailored offers, modernised measurement, market horizon scanning)

What you'll do:

• Build and lead the UK Influence & Social Centre of Excellence - our EMEA hub - developing the operational plan, strategy, and team structure to drive 3-year growth ambitions.
• Lead high-priority new business pitches and organic growth opportunities across UK practices and EMEA markets, establishing Burson's Total Influence proposition in the market.
• Drive agency elevation and thought leadership, curating best-in-class social and influencer campaigns, marketing assets, and credentials to showcase industry-leading creative output.
• Implement the Total Influence operating model across the UK, capturing feedback, tracking adoption, and continuously refining cross-practice delivery workflows.
• Upskill practice teams on cultural trends, influencer strategies, and AI capabilities, leveraging both Burson's proprietary AI suite and WPP Open tools.
• Manage strategic relationships with key social platforms (TikTok, Meta) and core tech stack partners (CreatorIQ) to keep Burson ahead of emerging feature developments.
• Collaborate with sector leads (Healthcare, Corporate, Brand, Tech, Sports) to create tailored Total Influence offers that unlock growth across all client practices.
• Transform influencer measurement and strategy in partnership with Insights & Intelligence, leveraging WPP network opportunities and horizon scanning to capture unique whitespace.

Experience that contributes to success:

• Proven senior leadership in an influence and social role within a major agency or enterprise, with a track record of driving significant revenue growth and breakthrough creative work.
• Deep expertise in influencer marketing strategy, platform dynamics (TikTok, Meta, CreatorIQ), cultural trends, and UK regulatory compliance.
• Strong commercial mindset with a history of leading and winning high-priority new business pitches, expanding organic accounts, and articulating commercial value to clients.
• Demonstrated capability building and inspiring high-performing teams, establishing scalable operating models, clear workflows, and a culture of accountability.
• Strategic platform & tech savvy, including hands-on experience integrating AI tools, creator platforms, CRM strategies, and modernised measurement frameworks.
• Exceptional cross-practice collaboration, with experience partnering across multidisciplinary teams (creative, strategy, data) and C-suite stakeholders.
• Strong executive presence and client advisory skills, with the ability to build trusted C-suite relationships and guide clients through complex social transformation.
• Network & stakeholder management experience within large agency networks (e.g., WPP), leveraging cross-border opportunities and regional hub dynamics.

#LI-SF2

You belong at Burson:

Our vision is for Burson to be the leading 'academy company' for creative communications professionals and emerging leaders. We provide a dynamic environment where ambitious colleagues come to elevate their skills, expand their networks, and ultimately, produce the best solutions for today's leading brands. Our commitment to your growth is reflected in our robust benefits and people programs, which include professional development opportunities, mentorship programs with industry leaders, a vibrant and inclusive company culture fostering collaboration and innovation and packages designed to reward and retain top talent. We invest in our people because we believe their success is our success.

At Burson, we're an agency of learn-it-alls. We recognize that the things we do best, creativity and communications, require a level of nuanced understanding. That's why it's imperative for us to hire extraordinarily talented people of all backgrounds and identities. Without that we can't do the essential work of inspiring bold ideas, fostering constructive dialogue, cultivating meaningful experiences, and driving innovation and creativity for our partners. Your unique point of view-your talent is what makes you a #BursonPerson, and it's how we deliver exceptional results for our clients, together.

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.