Planning Director

About WPP Media

WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients, and communities. For more information, visit wpp.com. WPP Media is WPP's global media collective. In a world where media is everywhere and in everything, we bring the best platform, people, and partners together to create limitless opportunities for growth. For more information, visit wppmedia.com.

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.

About EssenceMediacom:

EssenceMediacom is a leading WPP media brand. Grounded in analytics & insights and powered by data & technology, we believe in the power of media and creative to drive breakthroughs for the world's best brands. We help clients understand the modern marketing paradox and discover the breakthroughs brands need to win with their consumers. We are built for the new communications economy — built on data & technology, built for people & algorithms, built around diverse schools of thought, built to test & learn at scale, and, crucially, built to evolve.

Client Planning Director

Overview of the role

As the Client & Planning Director, you are both a visionary media planner and a trusted business advisor. You will have a deep understanding of your client's business and challenges — not limited to just media & advertising. You will work with the client team to develop business challenges into solutions that drive your client's business forward and offer commercial opportunities for EssenceMediacom. You will lead end-to-end strategic planning across paid, owned, earned, and shared channels while nurturing deep, consultative client relationships. With a strong foundation in evidence-based media planning and a sharp understanding of broader business dynamics, you will connect insight, planning, execution, and outcomes.

This senior role bridges media planning, activation, client service, and commercial leadership. You'll inspire your team to deliver best-in-class media solutions, drive planning excellence, and shape your clients' business success. You will also contribute to broader agency goals, culture, and craft development, acting as a role model for cross-disciplinary collaboration and continuous improvement.

What You Bring

• Minimum 9+ years' experience in media planning and/or client leadership within a media or marketing environment.
• Deep knowledge of media theory and evidence-based planning approaches, coupled with strong business acumen.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• Proven ability to manage complexity, inspire teams, and lead cross-functional projects.
• Commercial understanding of agency operations, including financial levers and resourcing.
• Curiosity, passion, creativity, and a drive to stay ahead in a fast-evolving industry.

Research shows that candidates from underrepresented backgrounds often don't apply for roles if they don't meet all the criteria. Here, we strongly encourage you to apply if you're interested: we'd love to know how you can positively impact our team with your experience We believe that diversity is vital and positively influences the environment in which we operate. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment that is free of discrimination, harassment, or bullying. Race, color, ancestry, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or veteran status have no bearing on our hiring decisions; we encourage all applicants.