Paid Social Business Director

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 .

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.

Role Overview

The Paid Social Business Director is a senior leadership role within WPP Media, responsible for driving the strategic direction, commercial success, operational excellence, and growth of a portfolio of client accounts. As a recognised leader within the agency, the Business Director serves as a trusted advisor to senior client stakeholders, influences agency-wide social strategy, and plays a key role in shaping the future of the Paid Social practice.

You will provide leadership across multiple accounts and teams, ensuring best-in-class planning, activation, performance, and innovation. The role requires strong commercial acumen, exceptional client leadership skills, and the ability to inspire and develop high-performing teams whilst contributing to WPP Media's broader growth ambitions.

Key Responsibilities

Client & Business Leadership

• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with client stakeholders, acting as a trusted strategic partner and advisor.
• Lead annual planning, strategic reviews, and growth discussions across client portfolios.
• Identify opportunities to drive client growth, improve performance outcomes, and expand agency services.
• Provide senior oversight across accounts, ensuring strategic recommendations align with client business objectives.
• Own client retention, satisfaction, and long-term account health.

Paid Social Leadership & Innovation

• Drive best-in-class paid social strategy across a portfolio of clients and sectors.
• Ensure teams remain at the forefront of platform developments, industry trends, audience strategies, measurement solutions, and emerging technologies.
• Champion innovation, testing frameworks, and new opportunities that deliver competitive advantage for clients.
• Collaborate with cross-channel and specialist teams to deliver integrated marketing solutions.
• Act as a subject matter expert and thought leader both internally and externally.

Commercial & Financial Management

• Own the commercial performance of assigned accounts, ensuring delivery against revenue, profitability, and growth targets.
• Oversee forecasting, resource planning, and client financial management across account portfolios.
• Lead contract renewals, scope of work negotiations, and commercial discussions with senior client stakeholders.
• Support agency growth through new business pitches, credentials presentations, and organic growth initiatives.
• Ensure efficient deployment of team resources while maintaining high-quality client delivery.

People Leadership & Capability Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Account Directors and wider Paid Social specialists.
• Create an environment that promotes collaboration, learning, innovation, and high performance.
• Support succession planning, talent development, and career progression across the Paid Social team.
• Establish clear standards for leadership, account management, client servicing, and activation excellence.
• Champion diversity, inclusion, wellbeing, and employee engagement across the practice.

Operational Excellence & Governance

• Ensure consistent adoption of WPP Media operational frameworks, governance standards, and platform best practices.
• Act as the senior escalation point for significant client, commercial, or operational challenges.
• Drive continuous improvement across processes, tools, workflows, and quality assurance standards.
• Partner with activation, data, analytics, technology, and planning teams to ensure seamless delivery.
• Ensure teams operate efficiently, compliantly, and to the highest standard of client service.

Skills & Experience

• Extensive experience in paid social media, with a proven track record of leading large-scale client relationships and teams.
• Significant agency experience managing complex accounts and multiple stakeholders.
• Deep knowledge of social media platforms, measurement frameworks, audience strategies, and digital marketing trends.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing revenue, profitability, forecasting, and contract negotiations.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and deliver strategic business outcomes.
• Experience leading, developing, and inspiring high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and storytelling skills.
• Strong organisational and operational management capabilities.

Leadership Expectations

The Business Director is expected to:

• Set the strategic direction for client portfolios and team development.
• Act as an ambassador for WPP Media both internally and externally.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and accountability.
• Drive business growth whilst maintaining exceptional standards of client service.
• Champion the continued evolution of the