Business Director, Strategic Operations - Systems

About WPP Media

WPP Media is WPP’s global media collective. In a world where media is everywhere and in everything, we bring the best platform, AI, Data, People and partners together to create limitless opportunities for growth. For more information, visit www.wppmedia.com

The UK is the largest market within the WPP Media EMEA region, with over 4,500 people employed within the WPP Media ecosystem. Marquee UK key clients include the likes of Amazon, UK Government, BT, Tesco, Coca Cola, Bayer, Dell, Unilever, M&S, Ford, Nestle, Mazda, Danone and Colgate. We have a bold ambition: to make WPP Media UK the undisputed leader in our industry. We are evolving our business operating model, our ways of working and placing data, technology and AI at the heart of everything we do for our people and our clients.

ONE WPP – Vision '30

Join us in shaping the future of our industry with Vision '30 – our ambitious strategy to lead in the AI era. We are revolutionizing our business to unlock limitless growth opportunities for our clients and ourselves, built on four core priorities:

1. Collaboration: Foster unprecedented levels of data collaboration across WPP and partners through WPP Open, turning every channel into a smarter opportunity.
2. Data & Technology: Leverage our AI-powered Open Intelligence solution, connecting vast data to uncover unique insights, deliver predictive performance and superior brand experiences through our globally consistent DPAM process.
3. Innovation: Drive true innovation by generating intelligence from trillions of privacy-by-default data points, focusing on the 'why' behind customer behaviour to create unparalleled competitive advantages.
4. People: Developing future-ready talent involves evolving our focus from traditional media planning to strategic business outcomes, advanced technology and real-time measurable results, as AI increasingly automates media investment by 2030

We empower ambitious experts to deliver extraordinary work by challenging ordinary thinking. If you are passionate about an AI-driven future, thrive in a collaborative and data-centric environment, and are driven to deliver unparalleled growth, we invite you to be part of our transformative journey.

WPP Media is a single client centric company with a portfolio of go to market brands. Wavemaker, EssenceMediacom, Mindshare and T&P are our agency teams, these house multiple local and global clients. In addition, we have several dedicated client brands, such as OpenDoor (Amazon), MFG (Google), OpenMind (Nestle), OpenConnect (BT/EE) and Media Futures Group (Google). All of these teams are supported by consistent capabilities, enterprise level tools and systems and our market leading OPEN platform.

About WPP Media Group Operations

WPP Media Group Operations is a central function within WPP, dedicated to driving operational excellence and efficiency across the business. The team is an enabling function for WPP Media, supporting our client facing teams to transform their capabilities and deliver a seamless service for their clients. Committed to providing best-in-class services and solutions to our clients, enabling them to achieve their business objectives through innovative and effective media strategies. We foster a collaborative and dynamic environment where individuals can thrive and contribute to the success of the organization.

Role Summary

As the Business Director for First Party Systems, you will lead the delivery and operational management of WPP Media’s first-party systems domain, with a primary focus on WPP Open and Open Media Studio. Reporting to the VP, Systems, you will translate the agreed systems strategy into an executable delivery plan for the first-party portfolio and ensure its successful implementation across the business.

This senior leadership role is responsible for driving the adoption, rollout, and continuous improvement of the first-party ecosystem, including client workspace enablement, Open Media Studio systems transformation, and the migration from legacy systems such as Campaign Management 1.0, MAP, and Synthesis into Campaign Management 2.0.

You will lead the day-to-day execution of the first-party systems workstream, manage specialist resource within the domain, and partner closely with senior stakeholders across operations, tech, and business teams to ensure the platform architecture is effectively embedded and used. Your mission is to ensure the WPP Media first-party systems domain runs with precision, delivering the stability, efficiency, and capability required by the operating model.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio & Program Delivery

• Oversee delivery of the first-party systems portfolio, with a primary focus on WPP Open and Open Media Studio.
• Translate the agreed systems strategy into an executable delivery plan for the first-party domain.
• Manage the rollout, adoption, and continuous improvement of first-party systems initiatives.
• Lead the transition from legacy systems, including Campaign Management 1.0, MAP, and Synthesis, into Campaign Management 2.0.
• Ensure all milestones, dependencies, risks, and implementation activity are actively managed across the workstream.

Stakeholder Management & Alignment

• Work closely with the VP, Systems to ensure priorities are clear and delivery remains aligned to the wider systems strategy.
• Serve as a day-to-day operational lead for first-party systems, partnering with business leaders and technology teams (Data & Tech, Enterprise Tech), translating business needs into technical requirements and ensuring system stability and performance.
• Implement and manage programs that drive a user-centric approach, partnering with agency leaders to gather feedback, measure satisfaction, and ensure the first-party technology stack is enabling their success.

Operational Excellence & Delivery

• Establish and maintain governance, reporting, and delivery controls for the first-party systems workstream.
• Support user training, adoption, and continuous improvement across the first-party systems environment.
• Drive the optimisation of processes and ways of working within Open and OMS, ensuring systems deliver measurable efficiencies, reduce costs, and simplify operations.
• Ensure the first-party ecosystem is intuitive, efficient, and fit for purpose.
• Support future-facing thinking on how the first-party stack evolves, including AI-enabled ways of working where relevant.

Skills & Attributes

The ideal candidate is a seasoned operational leader with a strong understanding of first-party enterprise technology and a talent for managing complex delivery portfolios to successful completion.

Leadership & Program Management

• Strategic Program Management: The ability to manage a complex portfolio of concurrent delivery work across first-party systems, including large-scale migrations, adoption activity, and continuous improvement initiatives. You can prioritize work, manage dependencies, and ensure the first-party roadmap is delivered effectively.
• Operational Excellence: A strong focus on driving efficiency, performance, and user adoption across the first-party systems environment. You have a talent for establishing clear governance, reporting, and KPIs that measure delivery progress and business impact.
• Team Leadership & Development: Proven ability to lead, mentor, and coordinate a team of systems specialists and delivery leads, fostering a culture of accountability, high performance, and continuous improvement.
• Financial Acumen: A good understanding of financial principles, with experience supporting budgets, business cases, and investment decisions related to systems delivery.

Stakeholder & Technical Credibility

• Senior Stakeholder Partnership: The ability to build strong, collaborative, and influential relationships with senior business leaders. You can understand their operational needs, act as a trusted partner, and translate requirements into clear delivery priorities.
• Technical Credibility: A practical understanding of first-party enterprise systems, data governance, IT infrastructure, and media operations workflows. You can lead technical discussions with confidence on implementation issues, system requirements, and operational impacts.
• Pragmatic Decision-Making: The ability to make sound high-stakes operational decisions, often with incomplete information. You can calmly navigate trade-offs, solve complex delivery challenges, and keep the team focused in a fast-moving environment.
• Change Advocacy: A talent for championing change within the organization. You can clearly articulate the “why” behind new systems and processes, build buy-in from resistant stakeholders, and drive a culture that embraces technological evolution.

Candidate Requirements

• Significant experience in systems delivery, enterprise technology, or a senior systems operational leadership role within a large, complex organization.
• Experience in media operations would be beneficial but not essential.
• Proven experience managing a portfolio of large-scale technology projects, including platform migrations, systems adoption and integrations, or process improvement programmes.
• Demonstrable experience leading and managing teams of technical and operational specialists, or delivery managers.
• Good knowledge of governance, business process improvement, and stakeholder management.
• Strong financial acumen, with experience managing budgets and building business cases for technology investments.

Measures of Success

• Within 6 Months: You will have established a clear delivery plan for the WPP Media first-party systems portfolio, with governance, reporting, and ownership in place across WPP Open and Open Media Studio. Early progress will be visible on adoption and legacy transition activity, and stakeholders will have confidence in the direction, pace, and control of the workstream. You will be recognised as the operational lead for first-party systems delivery.
• Within 12 Months: You will have helped establish the first-party systems area as a clearly owned and well-controlled part of the operating model. Key milestones for Open Media Studio transformation and legacy migration will have been delivered, WPP Open will be more consistently embedded as the client and agency workspace environment, and adoption, process consistency, and user experience will have improved across the first-party stack. The business will recognise this role as the go-to delivery lead for first-party systems.

WPP Media Values:

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer. We view everyone as an individual and we understand that inclusion is more than just diversity – it's about belonging. We celebrate the fact that everyone is unique and that's what makes us so good at what we do. We pride ourselves on being a company that embraces difference and truly represents the global clients we work with.

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 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.

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