Implementation Planning Director - F/H - CDI

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 .

For clarity and accessibility, we have chosen not to use gender-neutral or inclusive writing conventions in our communications. WPP Media is firmly committed to diversity: we value inclusion and equality, considering all candidates regardless of gender identity, ethnic origin, or religion. All our positions are also open to people with disabilities.

About WPP Media

WPP is a creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build a better future for our people, our planet, our clients, and our communities. For more information, visit wpp.com .

WPP Media is WPP's global media network. In a world where media is omnipresent, we bring together the best platform, the best talent, and the best partners to develop the most innovative solutions, delivering unparalleled growth for our clients. For more information, visit wppmedia.com .

At WPP Media, we believe in the power of our culture and our people. It is through this synergy that we deliver truly exceptional experiences, for both our clients and our internal teams. To succeed in this role, it is crucial to embody the core values that unite WPP and WPP Media:

Be Extraordinary by fostering collective leadership that inspires truly transformative creativity.

Create an Open environment by finding the perfect balance between the fulfillment of our people and the satisfaction of our clients, all built on mutual trust.

Lead with Optimism by actively stimulating growth and development to mobilize our entire organization.

About the Opportunity

L’Oréal International Distribution (LID) is one of our flagship global media accounts, delivering full-funnel media planning and activation across 30+ markets in Europe, MENA, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Spanning five iconic L’Oréal divisions—Luxe, Consumer Products Division (CPD), L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty (LDB), Professional Products Division (PPD), and Dragon—the account is entering an ambitious growth phase, expanded scope across Amazon Ads and CPD, and fast-growing African markets.

To sit directly alongside the client leadership, the core planning function is relocating from London to Paris.

As Implementation Planning Director, you will be the operational anchor and strategic owner of every media plan across all five divisions. You will not simply inherit a structure—you will build, shape, and lead the new Paris-based planning hub while orchestrating scaled activation via our offshore specialist desks in Delhi.

Key Responsibilities

1. End-to-End Planning Ownership & Delivery

Master the Account Plan: Own end-to-end media implementation planning across all 30 markets and 5 divisions, ensuring plans translate overarching brand strategy into flawless execution.

Lead Annual & Quarterly Prioritisation: Drive the critical January client prioritisation and Tier 1 campaign slot allocations, establishing clear campaign tiering, budgets, and SLAs.

Orchestrate Channel Specialists: Steer briefs and execution across digital, offline, and emerging channels, working in lockstep with the Amazon Ads Director , Delhi offshore activation hubs (Programmatic, Social, Amazon Search), and central strategy.

Quality Assurance & Rigour: Safeguard delivery standards through high-stakes periods, ensuring flawless in-market execution, budget pacing, and post-campaign reporting.

2. Client Partnership & Stakeholder Management

Senior Client Counsel: Partner daily with key client leaders to provide trusted, proactive planning consultation.

Expectation & Scope Management: Own client relationships up to Procurement and Marketing Director levels. Confidently establish boundaries, negotiate priorities, and align expectations.

Close Internal Partnership: Collaborate daily on-site with the Client Leadership in Paris to maintain unified agency leadership and client health.

3. Team Leadership & Hub Building

Build & Scale the Paris Hub: Lead the onboarding, and mentoring of incoming Paris-based Planning Managers, setting team culture and best-in-class planning workflows.

Offshore Hub Integration: Establish efficient, collaborative, and accountable working rhythms with our specialist activation leads in Delhi.

4. Cross-Functional Integration & Commercial Stewardship

Holistic Solutions: Bridge implementation planning with Strategy, Commerce, Analytics, and Finance to deliver connected consumer journeys and commercial value.

Financial Governance: Oversee accurate budget tracking, variance management, and financial reconciliations across multi-currency, multi-market plans.

What We Are Looking For

Non-Negotiable Requirements

8+ years of media planning experience within a leading media agency, with at least 3+ years leading multi-market / international accounts .

End-to-End Planning Mastery: Proven track record running the entire lifecycle: brief deconstruction, multi-channel architecture, offshore/specialist briefing, client sign-off, QA, and advanced reporting.

Senior Client Ownership: Demonstrated authority managing and holding boundaries with Marketing Directors, Division Heads, and Procurement.

Prioritisation & Backbone: High level of planning judgement—comfortable deciding which campaigns warrant senior attention and clearly communicating trade-offs to senior clients.

Team Leadership: Experience managing planners/associate directors and leading through structural change or hub transitions.

Languages & Location: Fluent English is mandatory. Must be currently based in Paris or actively relocating .

Preferred & Functional Skills

Bilingual English / French: A significant asset given daily proximity to the Paris-based client team.

Channel Breadth: Strong literacy across Digital Performance, Brand Media, Offline/Local channels, and Amazon Ads / Retail Media .

Category Familiarity: Experience in Beauty, FMCG, or Luxury is advantageous, though proven multi-market operational rigour is our primary criterion.

Why Join Us?

Shape, Don't Just Inherit: You are architecting a new Paris hub from the ground up on one of the world's most prestigious beauty accounts.

Scale & Momentum: Work with a rapidly expanding media budget across 30 dynamic markets spanning Europe, the Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Senior Visibility: Direct proximity to global client decision-makers combined with the backing of scaled, mature offshore execution teams.

Life at WPP Media and its Benefits

Our commitment to shaping the future of media is manifested by active support for the professional development of our talents, helping them reach their full potential. This approach is accompanied by a responsible vision in our media investment strategies, thus reflecting our dual priority: valuing our employees while adopting sustainable practices in our sector. WPP Media employees have privileged access to WPP Media's and WPP's international networks, allowing them to develop their passions, expand their professional network, and stay at the forefront of innovations in marketing and advertising.

We have vast and varied resources available to our employees; our company actively cultivates the inclusion of talents from all backgrounds. The successes and expertise of the teams are regularly highlighted during unifying events that also punctuate key moments of t