Senior Executive, Media Planning

2506 – Senior Executive, Media Planning

Role Summary and Impact

EssenceMediacom:

EssenceMediacom, part of WPP, 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.

The Role:

In this role you will work across the EE/BT consumer account, focusing on EE’s brand activity across a variety of products including Mobile, Broadband, TV and Gaming, as well as Masterbrand.

Position/Title: Senior Account Exec (Brand Planning)

We are looking for a sharp, ambitious, and proactive Senior Account Executive with a strong foundation in Media Planning across both offline and digital channels, ready to contribute significantly to our Planning team within the BT Group. You will be a key individual contributor within one of WPP Media’s flagship accounts, working as part of the dynamic Open Connect team. Open Connect is a specialised collective of 90+ experienced cross-media marketing professionals dedicated to delivering innovative solutions for our clients, leveraging the scale and expertise of the broader WPP Media network.

Position Summary:

In this role, you will work closely with Account Managers and Planning Directors on the EE Brand account. Your primary focus will be on executing expertly developed media plans, ensuring client satisfaction through meticulous delivery, and providing essential daily support to the wider account team. Your proven planning experience will be crucial in developing strong working relationships with your clients, contributing to high-quality responses, and ensuring all processes are diligently followed within the WPP ecosystem.

The Senior Account Executive is a vital member of the media planning team, responsible for the precise execution of campaign components and contributing to the delivery of best-in-class work. You will collaborate closely with Activation and Client Services teams to ensure client budgets are utilised optimally through effective planning, supporting in-flight cross-channel optimisations, and contributing to insightful post-campaign analysis to inform future campaigns. You will support senior team members on the day-to-day management of media plans and their proper implementation, working diligently to fulfil agreed media objectives in the context of changing market conditions, often leveraging WPP's proprietary tools and resources.

Our clients:

We work across the EE/BT group. Although their public faces are very different, the two brands are managed very closely together. They’re one of the nation’s biggest spenders, and some of our most-loved brands. They are genuinely important to the nation with their creation and management of the UK’s connectivity networks, and we reflect that importance with how we try to help consumers and give them useful solutions in a modern world.

Our team:

Open Connect is a very big team that is 100% allocated to EE, BT and Plusnet. A successful candidate can expect to work on multiple aspects of these brands. This includes broadband, mobile, TV, as well as Masterbrand. This role is purely Brand focused but will involve close collaboration with Performance planners.

Skills and Experience:

• Forecasting & Budget Management: Ability to forecast expected outcomes of campaigns and support in managing spend accordingly, contributing to efficient budget utilization.
• Data Proficiency: Strong spreadsheet capabilities (VLOOKUP, Pivot Table) are essential for data analysis and reporting.
• Presentation Skills: Strong presentation design skills, in slides or document format, with the ability to communicate complex information clearly and engagingly.
• Industry Tools: Proficient understanding of industry standard media research tools (e.g., ComScore, GWI, TGI, YouGov, Mintel) and a willingness to learn new proprietary WPP tools.
• Communication: Sound written and verbal communication skills, with a desire to continuously learn and advance in a client-facing environment.
• Organisation & Detail: Excellent organizational skills, close attention to detail, and a strong ability to quality control work to ensure accuracy and consistency.
• Deadline Adherence: Proven ability to adhere to deadlines in a fast-paced, dynamic agency environment.
• Client Relationship Building: Strong client relationship skills, with the ability to build rapport and trust with key stakeholders.
• Problem-Solving: Developing problem-solving and decision-making skills, with a proactive approach to overcoming challenges.
• Collaboration & Independence: Ability to work both independently on assigned tasks and collaboratively within a team environment, fostering a positive and productive atmosphere.

Key Responsibilities

• Independent Execution & Support: Work independently on assigned campaigns and tasks, providing strong support to senior media planners on larger, more complex projects.
• Research & Insights: Conduct thorough audience research to inform and support planning recommendations, leveraging industry-standard tools such as GWI and ComScore.
• Budget Allocation Support: Assist in allocating budget appropriately between channels, understanding the rationale behind strategic decisions and supporting the overall media investment strategy.
• Forecasting & Analysis: Support senior media planners and Activation with forecasting requests, and work with them to analyse accuracy and actualize previous campaign data to inform future strategies.
• Briefing & Collaboration: Own and contribute to clear, comprehensive briefs for the Activation team and participate actively in collaborative sessions to ensure seamless delivery.
• Evaluation & Selection: Evaluate responses from the Activation team and work collaboratively to finalize channel and publisher selections and budgets, ensuring alignment with client objectives.
• Plan Ownership: Take ownership of specific components of the overall media plan (as shared with clients) and related internal planning documents (e.g., the finance system), ensuring accuracy and timely updates.
• Testing Plan Maintenance: Maintain and update testing plans and supporting material, contributing to a culture of continuous learning and optimization.
• Campaign Delivery: Own the end-to-end delivery of assigned campaigns, from initial briefing through to final reporting, ensuring all stages meet client expectations and deadlines.
• Client Relationship Development: Contribute to developing strong, trust-based relationships with our clients, becoming a reliable and knowledgeable point of contact for the campaigns you manage.
• Reporting & Presentation: Create and manage cross-channel reporting templates, present weekly status updates to the client ensuring accuracy, and proactively follow up on insights and actions to drive campaign performance.
• Quality Assurance & Insights: Collate and quality assure in-channel Activation reports, developing initial insights and recommendations for the weekly cross-channel report.
• Creative Spec Collaboration: Take responsibility for the collaboration and delivery of creative specifications, liaising with creative teams and clients.
• Vendor Engagement: Meet with relevant vendors to understand their offerings and contribute to internal discussions with an informed point of view on market innovations and partnerships within the WPP network.

Required Education and Experience

• At least 1 year experience in a pure planning role
• Demonstrable interest and expertise in planning craft.
• Experience of planning/insight tools such as eTelmar, TGI, YouGov, WARC, etc.
• Interest and knowledge of Planning and Media trends and issues
• Experience in all media channels

Life at WPP Media & Benefits

Our passion for shaping the next era of media is powered by our commitment to Be Extraordinary, investing in our employees to inspire transformational creativity. We also Lead Optimistically, firmly believing in and Championing Growth and Development for every individual. This commitment allows WPP Media employees to leverage the extensive global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, build vital professional connections, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising.

We Create an Open environment built on trust and respect, where everyone feels they belong and has opportunities to progress. This inclusive culture is fostered through a variety of employee resource groups and frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects this commitment, including 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 believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection in this open and supportive environment. 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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While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.