Associate Director, Planning

We are recruiting for an Account Director who is an exceptional and driven media planner, to join our Connections Planning team. For bp you will work as part of the wider WPP inter-agency team, ‘Team Energy’, primarily across Retail, Fuel, Loyalty campaigns, as well as their new and exciting electric charging offering – bp Pulse. Regarding the planning work specifically, the bp account offers the opportunity to build internal and external agency exposure and further establish project management skills through management of multiple campaigns across multiple business units. We foster a highly collaborative environment with brilliant, forward-thinking clients who are not only engaged but genuinely enthusiastic about pushing boundaries. This partnership allows us to deliver truly exciting, market-leading work that sets industry benchmarks and drives significant impact. Expect a role that is highly strategic, requiring deep analytical thinking, a keen commercial eye, and a flair for innovative solutions. We are consistently exploring new technologies, channels, and audience engagement models, ensuring your work remains at the cutting edge. Innovation is not just encouraged, it's expected. Crucially, you'll have seamless access to a rich tapestry of agency expertise. You'll collaborate daily with our specialist teams in data science, advanced measurement & analytics, brand strategy, and consumer insights. This integrated approach empowers you to craft media plans that are not only creative and impactful but also deeply informed, measurable, and strategically sound.

Responsibilities

Knowing the tools and means to build and target audiences in addressable and non-addressable media to validate the media approach; Designing an approach that outlines how and where we will connect with defined audiences, especially hard to reach or low media engagement audiences, in media for brand and performance campaigns; Connecting the dots between the data we, the client, media owners and other internal teams hold to plan most effectively; Designing the connections ecosystem and plan, working closely and collaboratively with channel specialists and wider agency teams from a paid, owned and earned perspective; Day to day management of campaigns and annual planning as a key liaison between clients and channel specialists; Designing measurement and testing framework to inform as well as measure and optimise the campaigns when live; Management of others to develop their skills

Requirements

Breadth of understanding of all media channels and can confidently discuss the role they play within a comms strategy; Interest in both brand and performance campaigns with some knowledge of ecommerce; Excellent knowledge of audience research and planning tools (e.g. TGI & Touchpoints); Ability to draw clear insights and implications for media; Passion for media and understanding of what makes a great media campaign, tangibly showcasing excellence in planning craft; Take responsibility for the upfront work that needs to happen in order to deliver a great, clear and concise universal brief to the specialist teams; Care about proving campaigns work by creating a holistic measurement framework relevant for the brand and applicable to every campaign; Confident in presenting with passion and conviction, managing senior client relationships, running agency team sessions and collaboratively leading client projects; Excited to work as part of a team; Excellent attention to detail and accuracy in output and meeting deadlines; Strong organization to meet client expectations, manage workflow for self and junior team members; Proactive desire to continually improve own knowledge and wider skill set; Open minded, flexible and have a challenger mindset; Right to work in the UK

Nice to have

Awareness of or familiarity with alternative sources (such as media owner tools & data)

Benefits

Competitive medical insurance; Group retirement plans; Vision insurance; Dental insurance; Significant paid time off; Preferential partner discounts; Employee mental health awareness days; Access to global WPP Media & WPP networks; Employee resource groups; Frequent in-office events