Group Account 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.

The Role:

The Group Account Director is primarily responsible for leading the Universal Pictures client team within the agency, managing all aspects of development, growth, budgets and scope of work of the group.
The Group Account Director is the senior contact for our Universal clients and, therefore responsible for all aspects of servicing, growing, and developing the business.

This position is accountable for approving the key strategic elements of media plans, delivering against business results and ensuring client satisfaction. This position requires an individual with strong negotiation and business skills and the ability to manage a group of planning, buying and activation specialists, ensuring client specifications are met.

Client Accountabilities:

• Oversee the day-to-day management of Universal’s business
• Act as key strategic lead and client contact
• Develop holistic plan strategy for each film campaign
• Attend all client meetings
• Lead discussions and presentations
• Manage Scope of Work and Universal’s expectations within agreed upon deliverables and timelines
• Work with planning, broadcast, digital and performance leads to ensure media strategies and plans meet Universal’s objectives
• Drive adherence to Standard Operating Procedures and Best Practices
• Develop and present industry and category POVs, making recommendations to enhance Universal’s campaign performance
• Develop test and learn agendas on a quarterly basis
• Lead upfront planning and execution (applicable to all channels)
• Work with media partners to bring forward first-to-market ideas
• Lead and present Quarterly Business Reviews
• Lead the agency team, fostering an environment of teamwork and collaboration
• Establish culture of excellence and quality output, ensuring all team members are collectively working towards timely and consistent deliverables that meet Universal’s established expectations
• Assign responsibility and ownership for all work within the team
• Assist SVP with development of Business and Staffing plans
• Ensure revenue and media spends are forecast accurately
• Rigorous financial management
• Minimize billing discrepancies, ensuring no over- and under-spending of campaign budgets

Agency Responsibilities:

• Manage relationships with Universal, determining client needs and expectations, and monitoring to ensure consistency of client service
• Develop a strong and detailed client contact and relationship strategy
• Directly responsible for an extensive understanding of Universal’s product slate, competitive and category dynamics, and their challenges to proactively identify new ways to build business
• Establish overall strategic media approaches for the business, and the implementation processes to be employed
• Advise on the staffing plan based on job requirements, past performance and future contingencies
• Develop direct reports and team into a high-performing, cohesive team and partner with HR to create succession plans, including growth projections and career paths for the team
• Set clear direction, objectives & KPIs for the team and individuals within the team
• Embrace and facilitate a coaching culture reflecting agency values
• Build and nurture relationships with client vendor partners, ensuring collaboration, strong partnership and a united vision to achieve client business objectives
• Interface with the US teams to import and export best practices and ideas
• Attend, present and provide counsel at all agency-client media meetings
• Work closely with WPP Media partners to proactively develop our client relationships, putting strategy, growth, and digital at the core of client business profitability
• Create fully integrated client service plans, road maps and business plans, ensuring inclusion and cross-pollination with WPP Media specialty services as relevant and beneficial to the client’s business
• Develop an annual business plan for the growth, implementation and development of the agency offering for clients
• Assume financial responsibility for the profitability of client relationships

Experience, Knowledge and Skills:

Skills/Attributes

● Driver, change agent & ambitious leader
● Comfortable leading brand and marketing discussions with passion and enthusiasm
● Entrepreneurial and commercially minded; ability to grow and manage a profitable business
● Proven capabilities in strategic and conceptual thinking, particularly in the marketing, communications and media industries
● The ability to multitask, lead concurrent team projects, workflow, and successfully lead a team under pressure
● Excellent understanding of and proficiency with high-level negotiating process
● Readily imports and exports Best Practices and learning
● Significant experience at all levels of agency-client relationships
● Exceptional team leadership

Experience

● Previous director-level experience (10 yrs.+ experience in related industries)
● Deep knowledge of client management within an agency environment
● Previous experience in leading and growing high-performance teams and joining forces with internal agency leaders
● Broad background, exposure to and experience in the entire research, planning and implementation process
Knowledge
● Knowledgeable about key personnel and leadership of all WPP Media disciplines and practices
● Knowledgeable about key client personnel, issues, processes, goals and requirements
● Detailed awareness of client business issues, industry trends, consumer trends, market status and competition
Qualities:
● Digitally savvy: personally uses digital social media, demonstrates passion about emerging media, ability to search and research new topics
● Thrives in a team environment
● Passion for the movie/entertainment industry is an asset

Life at WPP Media & Benefits: 

Our passion for shaping the next era of media includes investing in our employees to help them do their best work, and we’re just as committed to employee growth as we are to responsible media investment. WPP Media employees can tap into the global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, grow their networks, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising. We have a variety of employee resource groups and host frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our benefits include competitive medical, group retirement plans, vision, and dental insurance, significant paid time off, preferential partner discounts, and employee mental health awareness days.   

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular 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.
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