Associate Director, Strategy

1971 - Associate Director, Strategy

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

About EssenceMediacom: A Leading WPP Media Brand

EssenceMediacom is a new breed of media agency. Grounded in analytics & insights and powered by data & technology, we believe in the power of media and creative to drive breakthroughs for the world’s best brands. We help clients understand the modern marketing paradox and discover the breakthroughs brands need to win with their consumers. We are designed for the new communications economy — built on data & technology, built for people & algorithms, built around diverse schools of thought, built to test & learn at scale, and, crucially, built to evolve.

Role Summary and Impact

Role Summary and Impact This is a fantastic opportunity for a Strategy Associate Director to join a high-performing team, shaping the strategic future for adidas, one of the world's most iconic and innovative brands.

Sitting within the central adidas EU Brand Planning team, you will be instrumental in defining and driving the strategic direction of major, pan-European campaigns. You will lead innovative strategic framework development, translate complex insights into compelling media strategies, and guide their execution across our specialist Hubs and 19 local market teams. This includes leading through influence, nurturing and supporting the planning team across various levels to foster their strategic development. Your impact will be immediate, ensuring robust strategic foundations for campaigns and fostering strong relationships across the agency network and with senior client stakeholders.

Beyond operational excellence, you will be a visionary leader in strategic planning, leveraging advanced data and insights to architect groundbreaking campaign guidance and drive exceptional performance. This is a crucial role for a seasoned, proactive strategic leader ready to define and accelerate the strategic agenda in a fast-paced, highly influential, pan-European environment.

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.

We are looking for a visionary and highly accomplished strategic leader with 8+ years of progressive experience in a media agency or strategic consultancy, ready to take on a significant strategic role. The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• A profound strategic acumen for media, advertising, and the adidas brand, coupled with deep understanding of frameworks, consumer insights, and market dynamics in sport, fashion, and entertainment.
• Proven leadership through influence, with the ability to guide complex strategic projects, foster team development, and drive business outcomes.
• Exceptional communication and client relationship skills, adept at influencing senior stakeholders and articulating complex strategies with conviction.
• An advanced analytical and data-driven mindset, experienced in leveraging insights to shape groundbreaking strategic recommendations.
• Expert technical proficiency in strategic planning tools, advanced analytics platforms, and industry insight tools.

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 around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

Please note this is a UK based role and requires individuals to have the right to work in this location

Please read our Privacy Notice (https://www.wppmedia.com/pages/privacy-policy) for more information on how we process the information you provide.

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