About the Job
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.
3431 - Associate Director, Social - Manchester
Key Responsibilities
Senior Associate Directors have several key areas of focus. These include:
Strategic Leadership & Innovation
Formulate and execute macro-level paid social strategies aligned with broad client business outcomes (e.g., brand equity, customer lifetime value, market penetration).
Spearhead innovation across first-party data strategies, privacy-first media planning, conversion APIs (CAPI), and AI-driven social operations.
Champion cross-channel integration, collaborating closely with search, programmatic, strategy, and creative teams to deliver cohesive omni-channel campaigns.
Commercial Management & Agency Growth
Maintain commercial oversight across your portfolio, driving organic account growth and ensuring client profitability.
Develop paid social strategies for new business pitches and RFPs, delivering compelling proposals that win new client accounts.
Own joint business plans (JBPs) with platform partners (Meta, TikTok, Pinterest, Snap, LinkedIn, Reddit), securing priority alpha/beta testing access for clients.
Client & Executive Stakeholder Relations
Serve as a senior point of escalation and trusted partner for client and planning leads.
Deliver high-impact presentations, translating complex technical data into clear, boardroom-ready commercial insights.
People Management & Operational Excellence
Lead, mentor, and build a high-performing team of social specialists, setting clear KPIs and development plans.
Oversee team resourcing, capacity planning, and operational workflows to ensure high-quality, faultless campaign delivery across all accounts.
Establish and govern agency best practice, QA frameworks, and compliance standards across all social channels.
Required Skills & Abilities
At WPP Media, we believe in the power of our culture and our people. It’s what elevates us to deliver exceptional experiences for both our clients and each other. In this role it will be critical to embrace WPP & WPP Media’s shared core values:
Be Extraordinary by Leading Collectively to Inspire transformational Creativity.
Create an Open environment by Balancing People and Client Experiences by Cultivating Trust.
Lead Optimistically by Championing Growth and Development to Mobilize the Enterprise.
Experience & Track Record: Proven track record of leading large-scale, enterprise or multi-market client portfolios within a media agency environment.
Senior Team Leadership: Demonstrable success in leading multi-tiered teams, driving high team retention, talent development, and operational resource planning.
Commercial & Pitch Capability: Proven record of supporting new business and growing organic client revenue, with a strong understanding of agency commercial models.
Platform Mastery & JBPs: In-depth, expert-level knowledge of major advertising platforms (Meta Ads Manager, TikTok Ads Manager, Pinterest Ads Manager, Snap, LinkedIn) alongside experience managing platform partner relationships and JBPs.
Advanced Measurement & Effectiveness: Proven capability in implementing sophisticated measurement frameworks including incrementality / lift testing.
Executive Communication & Influence: Outstanding verbal, written, and pitch presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex strategic narratives effortlessly.
Strategic Portfolio Management: Masterful organizational skills with the ability to balance competing strategic priorities, client accounts, and agency-wide initiatives seamlessly.
Experience in paid social media.
Platform certifications (e.g., Meta Blueprint, TikTok Certifications).
