Director, Activation

The Media Activation team is responsible for providing thoughtful, high-impact recommendations across digital channels, maintaining platform partnerships, and executing media buys with precision. We are seeking an experienced Director, Activation to lead digital activation across key client business. In this role, you will lead the channel activation strategy with a primary emphasis on Paid Social and a foundational focus on Programmatic, ensuring flawless operational execution and strong cross-functional alignment.

Responsibilities

Activation Leadership: Direct the end-to-end strategy, setup, and optimization of Paid Social (core focus) and Programmatic campaigns, driving performance against lower-funnel KPIs including app acquisition and conversions; Team Management & Resourcing: Lead and mentor a team consisting of a Social Manager and a Programmatic Manager, while coordinating deliverables with global offshore support teams, actively managing team capacity, timelines, and resource allocation; Operational Process & Structure: Establish robust QA processes, pacing protocols, and standardized operational workflows to ensure consistency and execution excellence; Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Planning and Performance leads to align on strategic briefs, balance deliverables, and maintain clear operational boundaries across departments; Client Stewardship: Serve as the senior activation lead in client interactions, translating complex technical campaign data into strategic insights and managing expectations effectively; Platform Innovation: Evaluate and pilot emerging digital ad platforms and formats (including conversational AI and new discovery ad channels) as client media plans evolve

Requirements

Experience: 6+ years of digital media activation experience within an agency or brand environment, including proven experience managing direct reports; Paid Social Acumen: Advanced expertise in Paid Social platforms and performance strategies; Programmatic Working Knowledge: Solid foundational understanding of programmatic buying, DSP mechanics, and data targeting strategies; Resource & Scope Management: Demonstrated ability to manage project scope, balance bandwidth, and negotiate timelines with cross-functional partners and external stakeholders; Organizational Skills: Proven track record of managing multi-channel workflows and implementing structured processes in fast-paced environments; Stakeholder Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to articulate media rationale clearly to both technical teams and senior clients; Channel Agility: Willingness to adapt to and test emerging media formats

Nice to have

Hands-on experience with mobile app performance and conversion-driven campaigns

Benefits

Competitive medical insurance; group retirement plans; vision and dental insurance; significant paid time off; partner discounts; employee mental health awareness days; access to the global WPP Media & WPP networks for learning and growth