Account Director, Digital & Biddable Media (Parental Cover)

About WPP Media

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

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.

For more information, visit wppmedia.com .

2464 - Account Director, Digital & Biddable Media (Parental Cover)

Role Summary and Impact

Mindshare, part of WPP, delivers Good Growth for its clients. As "Growth Architects," we drive growth that benefits all stakeholders — better for people, planet, and business — by using media with intention. This approach creates more meaningful connections with consumers, increases consumer trust in the brand, and delivers better outcomes for all stakeholders.

A 12-month fixed term contract exists within Mindshare's Channels & Solutions team, covering a period of maternity leave. The role sits across an active portfolio of clients spanning three industry verticals:

A global technology brand running sophisticated multi-market biddable campaigns across consumer and commercial workstreams in EMEA — spanning paid social, paid search and programmatic — with a focus on driving active preference for an ingredient technology platform

A global financial services and asset management organisation running a full-funnel, always-on digital programme across EMEA markets, managing both B2B professional investor audiences and B2C end investor segments through paid social, paid search and programmatic — operating within a regulated environment that demands rigour, audience precision and compliance-aware campaign management

A global consumer goods and corporate organisation requiring senior oversight of biddable paid media activity across paid social platforms including Meta, LinkedIn, YouTube and X, delivered across global multi-market campaigns at a supporting capacity

We are looking for an experienced digital and biddable Account Director whose primary specialism is Paid Social, and who brings strong complementary experience across Paid Search and/or Programmatic. This is a delivery-focused role — the successful candidate will be expected to take hands-on ownership of campaign quality, execution standards and day-to-day client engagement, while maintaining the strategic oversight and offshore coordination that these accounts require. Cross-channel experience is essential.

The role requires a candidate who can operate confidently across different client contexts — from performance-oriented multi-stakeholder technology campaigns to the full-funnel complexity of a regulated financial services environment, alongside supporting oversight of a global consumer goods account. The candidate will also be expected to flex capacity to support other accounts and projects within the wider Channels & Solutions team on an occasional basis.

Skills and Experience

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be a hands-on, delivery-oriented digital media professional with a strong Paid Social foundation and meaningful cross-channel experience. They will be comfortable taking direct ownership of campaign execution, quality assurance and performance management across a multi-client portfolio, while engaging confidently with senior client stakeholders and maintaining clear oversight of offshore delivery teams.

They will be organised, dependable and commercially aware — able to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously without compromising output quality. They will bring the communication skills and client management experience to represent Mindshare credibly at senior level, and the operational rigour to keep complex delivery processes running smoothly across varied account types.

Experience in technology, financial services or FMCG/consumer goods is welcome but not essential — what matters most is a track record of delivering high-quality biddable campaigns across complex, multi-workstream environments.

Essential Criteria

Channel Expertise

A strong, demonstrable primary specialism in Paid Social — including hands-on experience managing campaigns across Meta (Facebook/Instagram), LinkedIn, YouTube and X/Twitter, across both brand awareness and performance/conversion objectives

Proven ability to develop and implement audience strategies within Paid Social, including B2C consumer segmentation, B2B professional targeting and the governance considerations relevant to regulated industries

Strong complementary experience in at least one additional biddable discipline — Paid Search (Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising, SA360) or Programmatic (DV360, The Trade Desk or equivalent) — at a level sufficient to advise on strategy, review delivery quality and integrate activity coherently across channels

Cross-channel experience is a firm requirement: candidates who have operated exclusively within a single channel will not have the breadth this role demands

Familiarity with always-on campaign structures alongside burst/campaign-led activity, and the operational requirements of managing both simultaneously

Client & Stakeholder Management

Demonstrated experience managing senior client relationships, including the ability to present confidently at Director level and above

Proven ability to manage multiple client workstreams simultaneously, adapting approach and output to different client cultures and governance requirements

Comfort operating in regulated or compliance-sensitive environments, where audience rules, content approval processes and media buying governance are part of everyday delivery

Experience managing stakeholders across integrated agency team structures and client-side organisations

Campaign Delivery & Execution

Strong hands-on experience overseeing campaign setup, QA, trafficking and ongoing optimisation across paid social and biddable platforms

Demonstrable ability to maintain delivery quality and performance standards across multiple active accounts simultaneously

Experience managing PO tracking, invoicing, budget reconciliation and finance processes within a client SOW framework

Familiarity with scope management — able to identify and escalate out-of-scope requests clearly and commercially

Team & Offshore Management

Experience managing and coordinating onshore and offshore delivery teams, with an understanding of how to structure briefing, QA and communication rhythms for consistent output

Experience supporting and developing junior team members, including Account Managers and Account Executives

Strong organisational and project management skills, with a logical approach to workload prioritisation across competing deadlines

Measurement & Analytics

Comfortable interrogating campaign data across channels and translating findings into clear, actionable insights and client-ready recommendations

Working knowledge of digital attribution, brand lift measurement and cross-channel reporting — including familiarity with platforms such as GA4, Adobe Analytics and media partner research tools

Ability to oversee regular reporting cycles — weekly, monthly and annual — ensuring accuracy and stakeholder relevance

Commercial Awareness

Awareness of scopes of work, resource allocation and revenue implications across a multi-client portfolio

Able to manage budgets accurately, flag variances and maintain finance process compliance across all active accounts

Desirable Criteria

Experience across both Paid Search and Programmatic in addition to Paid Social

Familiarity with financial services, asset management or other regulated advertising environmen