Associate Director/Director, Talent Acquisition

About WPP Media 

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

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

At WPP Media, we believe in the power of our culture and our people. It’s what elevates us to deliver exceptional experiences for both our clients and each other. In this role it will be critical to embrace WPP & WPP Media’s shared core values:

• Be Extraordinary by Leading Collectively to Inspire transformational Creativity.
• Create an Open environment by Balancing People and Client Experiences by Cultivating Trust.
• Lead Optimistically by Championing Growth and Development to Mobilize the Enterprise.

Role summary and impact        

As an Associate Director/Director based in Malaysia, you will play a crucial role in attracting and securing top talent for WPP Media Malaysia. You will set and execute the talent strategy that fuels WPP Media’s growth across diverse APAC markets. You will leverage recruitment technology and innovative talent attraction strategies, partnering closely with senior business leaders to understand their needs and build strong talent pipelines. Your impact will be directly seen in the quality of talent acquired and the overall success of our team.

Skills and experience   

What you’ll do

Strategy and leadership

• Own TA strategy aligned to business plans, workforce forecasts, and capability build priorities across Digital, Data & Technology, Performance, Analytics, Investment, and Client Leadership.
• Lead and develop a high-performing TA team; set goals, coach performance, and build recruiting capability in hiring managers.
• Serve as trusted advisor to senior leadership; influence demand planning, location strategy, and org design using market intelligence and talent insights.

Hands-On hiring

• Drive end-to-end hiring
• Build and maintain strategic talent communities; run proactive search and pipelining for future demand.

Operational excellence and TA technology

• Design and continuously improve recruiting processes, selection quality, and interviewer effectiveness.
• Leverage ATS/CRM, sourcing tools, and analytics dashboards to drive decisions and forecast hiring outcomes.
• Establish TA operating rhythms (intake, SLAs, calibration, debriefs) that improve consistency and speed.

Employer brand, diversity, and candidate experience

• Shape and activate WPP Media employer brand; develop content and campaigns that attract diverse talent within media, marketing, and adtech.
• Partner with DEI leads to set inclusive hiring goals; embed structured assessment, diverse slates, and bias mitigation practices.
• Own candidate experience end-to-end; implement surveys and insights to improve NPS and offer acceptance.

Stakeholder and vendor management

• Partner with Finance and People teams on TA budgets, headcount governance, and offer strategy.
• Manage external partners (search firms, RPOs, job boards, universities) for quality, cost, and compliance.
• Ensure adherence to regional labor laws, data privacy standards, and WPP policies.

Programs and projects

• Participate in priority TA initiatives: internal mobility, referrals, campus/early careers, onboarding handoffs, and talent insights.
• Drive process automation and content standardization (JD quality, interview kits, scorecards) across markets.

What success looks like

• Hiring outcomes: Strong quality of hire, reduced time-to-hire, higher offer acceptance, and improved diversity representation in key roles.
• Experience metrics: Improved candidate NPS and hiring manager satisfaction; consistent process adherence and assessment quality.
• Strategic impact: Robust leadership and niche pipelines; accurate workforce plans; clear talent market insights informing business decisions.
• Operational performance: SLA adherence, optimized sourcing mix and cost per hire, effective vendor management, and strong data integrity.

Qualifications and experience

• 10+ years of progressive TA experience, including senior hiring, ideally within digital, media, marketing, or advertising agency environments. Depending on experience, career level will be offered.
• Proven leadership of regional complex multi-market hiring in APAC will be preferred.
• Demonstrated success building data-driven talent strategies, employer brand activation, and DEI outcomes.
• Expert stakeholder management with the ability to influence senior leaders and challenge constructively.
• Strong command of recruiting analytics and TA technology (ATS/CRM, sourcing platforms, dashboards).
• Deep understanding of Malaysia labor markets and cultural nuances;
• Excellent communication and presentation skills; able to translate complex TA data into clear actions.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience; advanced certifications in TA, HR, or analytics are a plus.
• Fluency in English; additional regional languages are an advantage.

Life at WPP       

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.

Equal Opportunities     

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular 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.

While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Please read our Privacy Notice (https://www.wppmedia.com/pages/privacy-policy) for more information on how we process the information you provide.

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