Director, Strategy & Insights

The role

Lead the development of integrated media and communications strategy for key client businesses. Turn research and data into a clear growth story and guide senior client work from problem to recommendation.

What you will do

• Lead integrated media and communications strategy for key client businesses, including audience priorities, channel roles and measurement frameworks.
• Turn complex research and data into a focused story about the client's growth opportunity.
• Serve as a trusted strategic partner to senior client stakeholders.
• Design and facilitate strategy workshops and working sessions across teams.
• Partner with Planning, Analytics, Research, Investment, Creative, Data and Activation teams.
• Develop audience frameworks and segmentation using research, first-party data and platform intelligence.
• Set learning agendas and KPIs with Analytics partners before activation.
• Combine qualitative and quantitative evidence to find cultural and consumer shifts that create opportunities.
• Lead strategy for new business pitches, annual planning and major campaigns.
• Coach and develop strategists and managers.

Required qualifications

• 8+ years in media strategy, communications planning, consumer insights, brand strategy, management consulting or a related discipline, including leading complex client assignments.
• Demonstrated ability to connect consumer and cultural insight to media strategy and measurable business outcomes.
• Strong command of qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Experience using syndicated and digital intelligence tools such as MRI-Simmons, YouGov, GWI, Comscore, Nielsen, Kantar, Pathmatics or social listening platforms.
• Ability to partner with analytics teams on audience development, KPI design, experimentation and measurement.
• Exceptional storytelling and presentation skills for senior executives.
• Proven success leading cross-functional teams and influencing stakeholders without formal authority.
• Strong organization and commercial judgment across multiple workstreams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience in marketing, communications, business, psychology, sociology, economics, data analytics or a related field.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with data visualization, AI-enabled research and collaborative planning tools.
• Thought leadership contributions to the EssenceMediacom strategy community.

Benefits

• Competitive medical insurance
• Group retirement plans
• Vision and dental insurance
• Significant paid time off
• Preferential partner discounts
• Employee mental health awareness days
• Access to global WPP Media and WPP networks for learning and growth
• Employee resource groups and in-office events

Before you apply

• WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and offers reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans.

About the company

WPP Media is WPP's AI-driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data and partnerships to deliver creative personalization at scale. EssenceMediacom combines Essence's performance and data capabilities with MediaCom's multichannel audience planning.