Director, Planning, UK

Location: London, United Kingdom; UK-based hybrid role with teams in the office around four days a week. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

Company

hirify.global is WPP’s AI-driven media operating unit, combining media, data, partnerships, and WPP Open to deliver personalized marketing and public communications at scale. WPP 650 is a bespoke agency unit serving the communications needs of UK government clients.

What you will do

• Lead media planning across specific client accounts and pitches, translating strategic approaches into channel plans and applying consumer journey thinking.
• Use internal and external planning tools, including Open and Telmar, to understand consumers, client businesses, media markets, and campaign opportunities.
• Oversee campaign management and quality control, providing actionable insights for in-flight optimization and future recommendations.
• Build client and agency relationships, identify decision-makers, and provide solutions aligned with stakeholder and business needs.
• Own planning presentations, lead brainstorms, generate campaign ideas, and communicate complex information clearly to internal and external audiences.
• Support problem solving, troubleshoot escalated issues, coach colleagues, and help prioritize team workloads and resources.

Requirements

• Advanced understanding of media channels, channel ecosystems, media planning practices, and the wider media market landscape.
• Ability to use planning tools and technology, present directly from Open, and develop data-led stories using tools such as Telmar.
• Skilled problem solving, including critical questioning, analysis of information and impact, solution generation, and issue resolution.
• Expert knowledge of client and agency structures, stakeholder perspectives, client sectors, and business challenges.
• Advanced communication skills, including influencing and educating audiences at different levels and presenting complex information clearly.
• Advanced campaign management skills, including quality review, coaching, escalation handling, reporting, optimization, and resource prioritization.
• Ability to create differentiated communications and apply big-picture thinking to internal and external audiences.
• Ability to develop multimedia communication plans using audience, channel, market, category, purchase journey, measurement, and budget-shift principles.

Culture & Benefits

• Supportive, collaborative environment focused on curiosity, kindness, growth, innovation, and meaningful public communications work.
• Hybrid working model with approximately four office days per week; accommodations or flexibility can be discussed during the interview process.
• Access to hirify.global and WPP networks, employee resource groups, learning opportunities, and in-office events.
• Benefits include medical, retirement, vision and dental insurance, significant paid time off, partner discounts, and mental health awareness days.
• Equal opportunity workplace committed to respect, inclusion, and career progression.