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.
2595 - Director, Strategic Partnerships
ONE WPP – Vision '30
Join us in shaping the future of our industry with Vision '30 – our ambitious strategy to lead in the AI era. We are revolutionizing our business to unlock limitless growth opportunities for our clients and ourselves, built on four core priorities:
We empower ambitious experts to deliver extraordinary work by challenging ordinary thinking. If you are passionate about an AI-driven future, thrive in a collaborative and data-centric environment, and are driven to deliver unparalleled growth, we invite you to be part of our transformative journey.
WPP Media is a single client centric company with a portfolio of go to market brands. Wavemaker, EssenceMediacom, Mindshare and T&P are our agency teams, these house multiple local and global clients. In addition, we have a number of client specific brands built to service specific clients. These include OpenDoor (Amazon), MFG (Google), OpenMind (Nestle), OpenConnect (BT/EE) and Media Futures Group (Google). All of these teams are supported by consistent capabilities, enterprise level tools and systems and our market leading OPEN platform.
Role Summary and Impact
The Director is a key management role within WPP Media, responsible for leading a defined area of the business and ensuring operational excellence through effective planning, execution and team leadership. They translate broader functional priorities into practical action, delivering results through others and driving improvements across processes, client service and commercial performance. This role requires strong leadership, sound judgment and the ability to manage complexity within a clearly defined area of responsibility.
Capability Description
As the Director of Strategic Partnerships, you will support the development and delivery of key strategic partner relationships, helping to align partner investment, capabilities and joint plans with WPP’s growth priorities. You will work closely with senior internal stakeholders to strengthen governance, improve coordination and ensure that strategic partnerships are delivering practical value for clients and the business.
This role will focus on the day-to-day management and operational delivery of partnership activity, including supporting Joint Business Plans, coordinating partner-facing initiatives, tracking delivery against commitments and identifying opportunities to improve value extraction. You will work across a range of partners and internal teams to ensure that agreed actions are progressing and that commercial, client and operational priorities are aligned.
You will also help support the development of WPP Media’s data and technology partner ecosystem, ensuring effective coordination of partner plans, commercial activity and internal adoption of partner solutions. The role requires strong relationship management, attention to detail and the ability to bring together multiple stakeholders to deliver consistent outcomes.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Skills and Experience
Measures of Success
Within 6 Months: Gain a comprehensive understanding of WPP Media and our broader business strategy, plus you will have started to think about incorporating Vision '30 into your operational roadmap and key initiatives. Understand our business challenges and be able to articulate those beyond your immediate remit (macro level, country level, departmental level). Your team will acknowledge clear direction and support plus initial stakeholder feedback should reflect proactive engagement. A key measurable is that you should have also initiated discussions and actions to begin improving processes within your business area leveraging data/AI thinking, where relevant.
Within 12 Months: Demonstrate consistent delivery across strategic partnership activity, showing the impact of your leadership on operational performance and stakeholder engagement. You’ll receive positive feedback from internal and external stakeholders on the quality of coordination, delivery and commercial support, alongside positive 360-degree feedback on your leadership and contribution to WPP Media and Vision '30. You will have improved team ways of working, supported stronger partnership outcomes and contributed to client growth, partner activation or new business activity aligned to Vision '30 capabilities. Maintain strong stakeholder confidence and demonstrate effective team development.
Life at WPP Media & Benefits
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. Our benefits include competitive medical, group retirement plans, vision, and dental insurance, significant paid time off, preferential partner discounts, and employee mental health awareness days.
WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to 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.
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While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
Please read our Privacy Notice for more information on how we process the information you provide.
Based on 446 disclosed Business Development salaries on RoleSuite, the role pays a median of $141K/year, with most offers between $100K and $197K (10th–90th percentile: $68K–$250K).
See the full Business Development salary breakdown →