Senior Associate Director, Affiliates

About WPP Media

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 pioneering agentic marketing platform, WPP Open – we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity, and deliver transformational growth. 

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 .

EssenceMediacom

We are a global communications agency leading with breakthrough thinking, building explosive growth for brands, and helping our clients see the bigger picture. Our daring global network of 10,000 influencers helps our clients breach traditional boundaries in media, uncover novel ideas, and unleash exponential growth. EssenceMediacom challenges conventional thinking to build, propel, and supercharge our clients’ businesses at scale and lead our industry in critical areas such as diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability. 

EssenceMediacom understands that our people are tasked with big goals: building breakthrough growth for brands and leading with breakthrough thinking in our industry. Our people are at the heart of this work because their ideas will enable us to decode the intersections of people, content, and technology to bring our aspirations to life. Our success is down to our eclectic, diverse, and talented people. EssenceMediacom is a place for us to grow our careers and expand our horizons. EssenceMediacom is committed to building an agency culture that supports our people, puts diversity at the forefront of our operations, and creates opportunity for all. This collective culture will be our “new power” where ideas are freely exchanged, and collaboration is actively encouraged in a place where you can innovate in our hyperconnected world. 

Job Overview

As a senior member of the team, you will support and empower colleagues to effectively manage and grow client relationships, providing strategic guidance and serving as a senior point of contact for both clients and planning teams. You will play a key role in developing and implementing consistent departmental processes to deliver best practice and improve efficiency. Line management responsibilities include setting standards within the department and supporting the professional development of your team.

You will also contribute to new business efforts by supporting responses and pitches, ensure finance and billing processes are compliant with WPP GroupM guidelines, and implement clear departmental procedures. By driving automation within the Affiliate department, you will enhance profitability and time efficiency, while building and supporting strategic relationships with networks. A strong commercial understanding is essential to support the Director in delivering departmental profitability and income growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Support and empower the team to manage and grow clients. This will involve supporting on strategy, and being a senior point of contact for clients and planning teams, including escalation and issue resolution
• Influence and take responsibility for developing and implementing processes to achieve consistent departmental ways of working for delivering best practice and improving efficiency
• Line manager responsibilities for individuals in your team, as well as People responsibility to set standards within the department
• Support new business efforts on responses and pitching
• Ensure finance and billing process is delivered within WPP GroupM compliance guidelines, and a clear process is implemented and followed within the department
• Drive change to automate more Affiliate department actions to drive profitability and time efficiency
• Build and support on strategic relationships with Networks
• Commercial understanding to support Director in delivering department profitability and grow income

Skills and Experience

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.

• Demonstrate problem solving abilities, confidently addressing any challenges with a clear approach and composed mind set
• Lead by example and show good interpersonal skills to manage people in the team and mentor those outside your immediate team
• Understand team pressures and proactively support the team to overcome these
• Share ideas and knowledge, creating a shared responsibility across the department
• Be an expert in your field, keep up to date with and share new products, features and industry updates, driving the department forwards
• Innovate and drive teams towards better solutions for performance and efficiency
• Drive the Mediacom proposition through the department, ensuring the uptake of collective best practice and process
• Deliver consistency in process and strategy across department

Life at WPP Media & Benefits

Our passion for shaping the next era of media is powered by our commitment to Be Extraordinary, investing in our employees to inspire transformational creativity. We also Lead Optimistically, firmly believing in and Championing Growth and Development for every individual. This commitment allows WPP Media employees to leverage the extensive global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, build vital professional connections, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising. 

We Create an Open environment built on trust and respect, where everyone feels they belong and has opportunities to progress. This inclusive culture is fostered through a variety of employee resource groups and frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects this commitment, including 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 characteristics. We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection in this open and supportive environment. 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. 

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While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. 

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