WPP

Director Activation Lead, GOC

Posted Yesterday

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2 Locations

In-Office

Expert/Leader

AdTech • Marketing Tech

The Role

Leads global, cross-channel media activation across digital, programmatic, paid search, and paid social. Owns campaign setup, taxonomy, technology integration, QA governance, optimization, budget pacing, reporting, and operational excellence across North America, Europe, and Asia. Partners with clients, agencies, technology teams, and strategic planning groups while managing activation talent, improving execution standards, and ensuring campaigns achieve performance goals.

Summary Generated by Built In

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.

Role Summary and Impact

As part of the Global Operations Centre (GOC), you will partner with client and regional teams across the United States, Europe, and Asia to elevate the operational quality of media execution and strengthen WPP Media’s position as a trusted strategic marketing and activation partner. We are looking for a Director, Activation Lead who will:

Partner with senior client and agency leads to translate overarching communications strategies into flawless, multi-channel media activation and execution plans.
Own the activation foundation of client plans, from channel architecture, taxonomy, and technology setup through briefing, campaign launch, real-time optimization, QA governance, and post-campaign performance assessment.
Translate strategic target definitions, consumer journeys, and media plans into actionable operational guidelines, bidding strategies, and high-performing channel execution.
Define and raise the standard of operational excellence by applying global best practices, ad tech innovations, automation tools, and rigorous quality control frameworks across accounts.
Build credible relationships with key client, agency, ad tech, and platform stakeholders, representing Activation in integrated agency initiatives and collaborative working sessions.
Ensure strategic intent remains integrated throughout delivery; identify execution risks, mobilize technical teams, and course-correct live campaigns to protect media efficiency and business impact.
Lead, inspire, coach, and develop Activation talent, establishing clear expectations, driving technical mastery, and supporting team members in building the skills required for long-term growth.

Responsibilities

Cross-Channel Activation Strategy: Lead and oversee end-to-end media activation strategies across Digital, Programmatic, Paid Search, Paid Social, and emerging channels, ensuring operational alignment with strategic client goals and regional standards.
Operational Excellence & Governance: Define, implement, and maintain standardized activation workflows, QA frameworks, and best practices across GOC operations to guarantee flawless campaign setup, pacing, and execution quality.
Campaign Management & Optimization: Oversee multi-channel campaign lifecycle execution, driving real-time performance optimization, bid management, and troubleshooting to meet and exceed client KPIs.
Budget Oversight & Financial Governance: Manage and monitor large-scale media budgets across markets, ensuring accurate spend pacing, cost-efficiency, and optimal return on ad spend (ROAS).
Data, Tech & Analytics Integration: Collaborate with technology and analytics teams to integrate ad tech stacks (DSPs, ad servers, brand safety tools) and reporting frameworks into daily activation processes.
Client & Stakeholder Management: Serve as the senior GOC activation point of contact for regional client leads and agency partners across North America, Europe, and Asia, presenting execution roadmaps, performance results, and operational insights.
End-to-End Service Alignment: Partner closely with Strategic Planning and Investment teams to ensure strategic recommendations are seamlessly translated into actionable, scalable activation plans from brief to final reporting.
Team Leadership & Talent Development: Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team of activation managers and specialists, fostering technical mastery, operational agility, and a culture of continuous learning.

Skills and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in marketing, advertising, business administration, communications, or equivalent professional experience.
7 – 9+ years of experience in digital media campaign planning and activation strategy, with a strong focus on Social Media, SEM, and Programmatic platforms, including at least 3+ years in a senior leadership or team management role.
Advanced English proficiency with excellent communication, storytelling, and presentation skills to effectively influence senior stakeholders across global regions.
Proven track record of managing large-scale multi-market budgets, complex campaign execution, and end-to-end operational workflows.
Deep technical knowledge of key media activation platforms (Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, DV360, The Trade Desk, Amazon Ads, LinkedIn Ads, etc.) and verification/tracking tools.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesize campaign analytics into clear recommendations for continuous optimization.
Demonstrated ability to build, motivate, and mentor high-performing cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment.
Agility and judgment to monitor campaign delivery, identify strategic/execution risks, and mobilize resources to course-correct when needed.
Industry certifications (e.g., Google Marketing Platform, Meta Certified Media Activation Specialist, The Trade Desk, DV360) are a major plus.

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Skills Required

Bachelor's degree in marketing, advertising, business administration, communications, or equivalent professional experience
7–9+ years of experience in digital media campaign planning and activation strategy
At least 3 years of senior leadership or team management experience
Advanced English proficiency with strong communication, storytelling, and presentation skills
Experience managing large-scale, multi-market budgets and complex campaign execution
Deep technical knowledge of Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, DV360, The Trade Desk, Amazon Ads, LinkedIn Ads, and verification or tracking tools
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills for campaign optimization
Ability to build, motivate, and mentor high-performing cross-functional teams
Ability to identify campaign risks and mobilize resources for corrective action
Industry certifications such as Google Marketing Platform, Meta, The Trade Desk, or DV360 certifications

WPP Compensation & Benefits Highlights

The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about WPP and has not been reviewed or approved by WPP.

Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Wellbeing support includes a global Employee Assistance Programme and company-wide initiatives, with modern multi‑agency campuses and on‑site amenities positioned as part of the experience. This indicates a holistic focus across mental, physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing.
Retirement Support — Retirement offerings commonly include a US 401(k) with employer matching, though specifics can differ by operating company. This provides a recognizable savings framework that many candidates expect in large employers.
Parental & Family Support — Family benefits can be above average in parts of the network, such as VML’s paid parental leave for adoptive and foster parents. These signals suggest meaningful support for certain family‑forming needs.