Managing Director, Global WPP Network Growth

Wunderman Thompson (DBA VML); Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 125,000 - 295,000; Full time

Job summary

The WPP Enterprise Solutions division is seeking a Managing Director, Enterprise Growth to own a defined growth domain and drive live ES opportunities from hunt to pursuit. You’ll work across WPP Media, Creative, data and AI with senior client leaders and internal teams to shape strategies and accelerate growth.

Based in New York / East Coast US or Chicago, with London as a possible hub, the role requires 12–15+ years of enterprise growth or related leadership, and a proven ability to convert

Qualifications

• Typically 12-15+ years in enterprise growth, strategic account growth, consulting, technology transformation, or related leadership.
• Experience originating or shaping opportunities with measurable revenue potential.
• Strong understanding of how enterprise clients buy transformation, technology and data solutions.
• Background may include WPP operating companies or major agency networks.

Responsibilities

• Own a defined growth domain within Enterprise Growth and lead related opportunities.
• Hunt for live ES opportunities through relationships, client signals, and partner motions.
• Build trusted senior relationships with client leaders and ES capability owners.
• Triage demand by assessing fit, revenue potential, urgency, and activation requirements.
• Shape opportunity strategy with clear statements, POVs, and pursuit recommendations.
• Lead early-stage pursuit activities including workshops and executive conversations.
• Connect ES capabilities across CRM, commerce, CX, data, AI, platforms and managed services.
• Move opportunities forward with momentum until formal pursuit or expansion.
• Feed the growth system by identifying repeatable themes and playbooks.

Skills

Senior growth leader

Stakeholder management

Business development

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Who We Are

WPP Enterprise Solutions designs, builds, and operates the growth systems that competitive businesses rely on. In a world where Al is reshaping how companies drive growth, we lead clients in business transformation and marketing modernization, connecting strategy directly to execution. Our 12,000 experts in engineering and platforms, commerce, consulting, content transformation, CRM, and CX work within a unified global operating unit across 40+ markets. WPP Enterprise Solutions works alongside best-in-class partners including Adobe, AWS, Braze, Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Shopify, as well as innovators in AI, to deliver growth solutions tailored to the needs of our clients’ businesses. VML, part of WPP, supports WPP Enterprise Solutions by helping brands activate transformation through creativity and experience.

MANAGING DIRECTOR, ENTERPRISE GROWTH

Senior growth domain owner for WPP Network Growth, Growth Architecture and live ES opportunity creation.

Business area: WPP Enterprise Solutions - WPP Network Growth / Growth Architecture & Enterprise Sales

Level: Managing Director

Location: New York / East Coast US, Chicago or London preferred; other WPP hubs considered

Reporting line: Executive Director / Head of WPP Network Growth / Head of Growth Architecture & Enterprise Sales / relevant ES Growth leadership

Role type: Senior client-facing growth leadership; domain ownership, opportunity origination, triage and pursuit shaping

Role summary

The Managing Director, Enterprise Growth owns a defined enterprise growth domain and is responsible for hunting, triaging, shaping and progressing live ES opportunities. The role may align to WPP Media, WPP Creative, Global Client / Top Account Growth, WPP Open / Data / AI, Enterprise Growth Architecture, Commercial Architecture or Solution Architecture.

Role purpose

The Managing Director, Enterprise Growth is a senior commercial operator who can turn relationships, market signals and client needs into qualified ES opportunities. The role sits close to live client work and is expected to create momentum, not simply provide internal support.

This role is deliberately broad for posting purposes. Candidates may come from consulting, technology transformation, media transformation, agency growth, strategic account leadership, platform partnerships, enterprise sales, digital transformation or WPP operating companies. Final assignment will depend on candidate background and the growth priorities of the team.

Core responsibilities

• Own a growth domain: Lead a defined area of Enterprise Growth such as WPP Media, WPP Creative, GCL / Top Accounts, WPP Open / Data / AI, Enterprise Growth Architecture, Commercial Architecture or Solution Architecture.
• Hunt for live opportunities: Identify and pursue ES growth opportunities through WPP relationships, direct client signals, agency teams, GCLs, platform opportunities, partner motions and enterprise transformation needs.
• Build trusted senior relationships: Work directly with client leaders, GCLs, agency leaders, media and creative leadership, consulting teams, partner teams and ES capability owners.
• Triage demand with discipline: Assess opportunity fit, revenue potential, urgency, readiness, route to client, stakeholder access, competitive context and activation requirements.
• Shape opportunity strategy: Create clear problem statements, opportunity briefs, POVs, value hypotheses, stakeholder maps and pursuit recommendations for live opportunities.
• Lead early-stage pursuit activity: Support discovery, workshops, executive conversations, proposal direction, credentials, pilots and pitch development where needed.
• Connect capabilities into growth plays: Bring together ES capabilities across CRM, commerce, CX, content, data, AI, platforms, media, measurement, marketing technology and managed services.
• Move opportunities forward: Maintain ownership of next actions and commercial momentum until the opportunity is ready for formal pursuit, activation, handoff or expansion.
• Feed the growth system: Identify repeatable themes, playbooks, case needs and market signals that help WPP Enterprise Solutions scale its growth motion.

Candidate profile

• Senior growth leader who is equally comfortable with strategy, clients, commercial conversations and execution.
• Able to build trust quickly with senior stakeholders and navigate a complex global matrix.
• Has enough domain fluency to be credible in one or more of media, creative, consulting, platforms, marketing technology, CRM, commerce, data, AI, content or transformation.
• Can spot opportunity patterns, qualify what matters and avoid turning ambiguity into internal process noise.
• High-agency, collaborative and commercially mature; able to work across teams without waiting for perfect structure.

Experience and background

• Typically 12-15+ years in enterprise growth, strategic account growth, consulting, technology transformation, digital transformation, media transformation, agency leadership, enterprise sales or client leadership.
• Experience originating or shaping opportunities with measurable revenue potential.
• Strong understanding of how enterprise clients buy transformation, technology, marketing, data, customer experience or managed services solutions.
• Background may include WPP operating companies, major agency networks, consulting firms, systems integrators, digital transformation firms, technology companies, media networks or platform businesses.
• Proven ability to work with senior clients and internal stakeholders across multiple disciplines and markets.

Success measures

• Domain growth ownership – Builds a clear opportunity view and active pursuit motion within the assigned growth domain.
• Live opportunity progression – Moves opportunities from signal to qualification, shaping, pursuit and commercial decision with pace.
• Stakeholder trust – Becomes a credible growth partner to GCLs, client leaders, agency teams, media / creative teams, consulting and ES capability leaders.
• Commercial clarity – Improves the quality of opportunity framing, value hypotheses, commercial logic and pursuit readiness.
• Repeatable growth plays – Identifies patterns that can be reused across accounts, markets, partners or capability areas.

Base salary range: $125,000 – $295,000 USD

About WPP

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 agentic marketing platform, WPP Open - we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.

WPP (VML/WPP Enterprise Solutions) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to 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.