Director Activation Lead, GOC

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.

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As part of the Global Operations Centre (GOC), you will partner with client and regional teams across the United States, Europe, and Asia to elevate the operational quality of media execution and strengthen WPP Media’s position as a trusted strategic marketing and activation partner. We are looking for a Director, A...

Cross-Channel Activation Strategy: Lead and oversee end-to-end media activation strategies across Digital, Programmatic, Paid Search, Paid Social, and emerging channels, ensuring operational alignment with strategic client goals and regional standards.
Operational Excellence & Governance: Define, implement, and maintain standardized activation workflows, QA frameworks, and best practices across GOC operations to guarantee flawless campaign setup, pacing, and execution quality.
Campaign Management & Optimization: Oversee multi-channel campaign lifecycle execution, driving real-time performance optimization, bid management, and troubleshooting to meet and exceed client KPIs.
Budget Oversight & Financial Governance: Manage and monitor large-scale media budgets across markets, ensuring accurate spend pacing, cost-efficiency, and optimal return on ad spend (ROAS).
Data, Tech & Analytics Integration: Collaborate with technology and analytics teams to integrate ad tech stacks (DSPs, ad servers, brand safety tools) and reporting frameworks into daily activation processes.
Client & Stakeholder Management: Serve as the senior GOC activation point of contact for regional client leads and agency partners across North America, Europe, and Asia, presenting execution roadmaps, performance results, and operational insights.
End-to-End Service Alignment: Partner closely with Strategic Planning and Investment teams to ensure strategic recommendations are seamlessly translated into actionable, scalable activation plans from brief to final reporting.
Team Leadership & Talent Development: Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team of activation managers and specialists, fostering technical mastery, operational agility, and a culture of continuous learning.

Bachelor’s degree in marketing, advertising, business administration, communications, or equivalent professional experience.
7 – 9+ years of experience in digital media campaign planning and activation strategy, with a strong focus on Social Media, SEM, and Programmatic platforms, including at least 3+ years in a senior leadership or team management role.
Advanced English proficiency with excellent communication, storytelling, and presentation skills to effectively influence senior stakeholders across global regions.
Proven track record of managing large-scale multi-market budgets, complex campaign execution, and end-to-end operational workflows.
Deep technical knowledge of key media activation platforms (Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, DV360, The Trade Desk, Amazon Ads, LinkedIn Ads, etc.) and verification/tracking tools.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesize campaign analytics into clear recommendations for continuous optimization.
Demonstrated ability to build, motivate, and mentor high-performing cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment.
Agility and judgment to monitor campaign delivery, identify strategic/execution risks, and mobilize resources to course-correct when needed.
Industry certifications (e.g., Google Marketing Platform, Meta Certified Media Activation Specialist, The Trade Desk, DV360) are a major plus.
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