Manager, Emerging Talent Programs

About WPP Media

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. Utilizing exceptional talent, trusted data, and world-class partnerships—all united by our pioneering agentic marketing platform, WPP Open—we help clients navigate change and deliver transformational growth.

WPP Media is WPP's AI-driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data, and partnerships to deliver creative personalization at scale. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, we ensure clients see exactly how and why their media investment is working. For more information, visit wppmedia.com.

Role Summary

WPP Media is committed to cultivating future industry leaders through our award-winning Launch Pad Program (our associate cohort experience) and our comprehensive Internship Program.

The Manager, Emerging Talent Programs is a collaborative role responsible for the end-to-end strategy, execution, and management of both the summer internship and cohort-based associate hiring programs. This role drives the recruitment, operational, and programmatic strategies needed to attract, hire, and retain high-performing, diverse, and non-traditional early career talent. Managing a Recruitment Coordinator, the Manager serves as a key organizational liaison to ensure WPP Media remains a premier destination for emerging talent.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Team Management

• • Campus & Sourcing Strategy: Develop and execute a data-driven US campus recruiting and early talent strategy aligned with WPP Media’s vision, culture, and inclusion and impact initiatives.

• • Team Leadership: Manage, coach, and develop a Recruitment Coordinator and junior team members on full-cycle recruiting and day-to-day operations.

• • Onboarding & Training: Onboard and train new Emerging Talent recruiters on recruitment processes, ATS workflows, and ongoing professional development.

• • Financial Management: Co-manage the campus recruiting budget and evaluate the ROI of all sourcing and programming initiatives.

1. Program Management & Operations (Launch Pad & Internships)

• • End-to-End Execution: Oversee the planning, scheduling, and execution of the annual program calendar, including full-time Summer Internships, part-time internships (as offered), and Launch Pad associate cohorts.

• • Cohort Administration: Manage operational logistics for each cohort, including data reporting, meeting recaps, and partnership with TA and People Ops to meet offer letter, NHA, and provisioning deadlines.

• • Continuous Improvement: Partner with the Learning & Effectiveness (L&E) team to establish continuous program assessments. Lead post-program reviews and annual competitor analyses to optimize future cohorts.

• • Performance & Transitions: Coordinate goal-setting, evaluations, and career conversations with Interns. Partner with hiring managers and Resource Management to transition high-performing interns into permanent roles or alumni networks.

1. Sourcing, Recruitment & Candidate Experience

• • Full-Cycle Recruitment: Manage a balanced, reduced requisition load, ensuring a high-touch, structured, and positive candidate experience.

• • Diversity Pipelines: Analyze and report on candidate demographics to ensure diverse, non-traditional talent pools are actively represented.

• • Employer Branding: Partner with MarComms to design and deliver compelling employer branding materials via Handshake, social media, and campus marketing campaigns.

1. Programming, Event Planning & Campus Relations

• • University Partnerships: Build and maintain strategic relationships with target universities, career centers, student groups, and national diversity-focused organizations.

• • Event Execution: Plan and execute virtual and in-person campus events, including information sessions, career fairs, and workshops in collaboration with the Emerging Talent team.

• • Alumni Engagement: Design and implement structured engagement and alumni initiatives (e.g., mentorship, networking events) to foster long-term connections.

1. Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration

• • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Resource Management, L&E, and People teams to align program outcomes with business talent needs.

• • Operational Liaison: Serve as the primary point of contact for Interns, hiring managers, people partners, and other business stakeholders to resolve program-related issues or feedback.

• • Data & Analytics: Track, analyze, and present campus recruiting metrics, hiring trends, and key program KPIs to senior leadership.

Skills and Experience

Required:

• Early Careers Expertise: Proven experience in early careers/campus recruiting, program management, cohort-based hiring, and event planning.

• People Management: Demonstrated experience coaching and developing recruitment or operations staff.

• Stakeholder Management: Ability to influence, guide, and build consensus with senior leaders and cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment.

• Operations & Systems: Experience designing and managing high-volume/bulk recruitment operations and structured internship programs.

• Data & ROI Metrics: Ability to track, analyze, and leverage KPIs to measure program success and evaluate ROI.

• Communication: Strong interpersonal skills with an open, collaborative, and professional communication style.

Preferred / Plus:

• Experience managing Canadian or international early career/campus programs.

• Proficiency with Greenhouse (ATS), Handshake, and MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, TEAMS).

• Experience or domain knowledge in the media, advertising, or creative agency industries.

• Ability to travel locally or domestically as needed for recruitment events.

Life at WPP Media & Benefits

Our passion for shaping the next era of media is powered by our commitment to Be Extraordinary, Lead Optimistically, and Champion Growth and Development. WPP Media offers an open, inclusive environment built on trust and respect, supported by active Employee Resource Groups and regular collaborative events.

We operate under a hybrid work model, with teams expected in the office four days a week. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including competitive medical, vision, and dental insurance, group retirement plans, generous paid time off, and mental health resources. For more details, visit mybenefits.wpp.com.