Account Lead

Role Purpose

The Account Lead – Integrated Media is responsible for leading the client's media business, translating business objectives into integrated media and communications strategies, and bringing together specialist teams to deliver high-quality, commercially sound solutions.

The role acts as the central point of leadership across communications strategy, digital, performance, search, social, programmatic, offline media, commerce, data, analytics, measurement and investment. The successful candidate will provide strategic direction, challenge recommendations, build trusted senior client relationships and ensure strong commercial and operational delivery across the account.

Key Responsibilities

1. Client Leadership

• Act as the senior day-to-day strategic lead for assigned client business.
• Build and maintain trusted, credible relationships with senior client stakeholders.
• Develop a deep understanding of the client's business objectives, marketing priorities, planning processes and governance structures.
• Lead annual, quarterly and campaign planning conversations, bringing proactive recommendations and identifying opportunities to strengthen business outcomes.
• Act as a trusted advisor to the client, challenging briefs and recommendations where appropriate to drive better outcomes.

2. Integrated Planning & Strategy

• Lead the end-to-end integrated planning process across communications strategy, digital, performance, search, social, programmatic, offline media, commerce, data, analytics, measurement and investment.
• Translate business and marketing objectives into clear communication challenges, audience opportunities, channel strategies, investment priorities and KPIs.
• Ensure integrated recommendations are insight-led, evidence-based and commercially sound, with a clear focus on business outcomes rather than channel-specific metrics alone.
• Challenge and elevate strategic thinking across the account, ensuring different specialist disciplines are connected around a common strategy.
• Ensure plans are responsive to changing market conditions, consumer behaviour, media trends and client priorities.

3. Technical Oversight & Quality Control

• Maintain a strong working knowledge of media planning, communications strategy, digital ecosystems, performance marketing, measurement, optimisation and media investment principles.
• Review and evaluate recommendations from specialist teams, providing constructive challenge and strategic direction where required.
• Interpret campaign performance, audience, investment and measurement outputs to inform decision-making and optimisation.
• Ensure the quality, consistency and strategic coherence of deliverables before they are presented to the client.
• Promote best practice, innovation and the effective use of data, technology and AI within integrated media planning and delivery.

4. Team Leadership & Operations

• Align specialist teams around shared client objectives, priorities, timelines and deliverables.
• Facilitate effective collaboration across strategy, planning, investment, digital, performance, commerce, data, analytics and other specialist functions.
• Remove roadblocks, resolve competing priorities and drive accountability for delivery.
• Provide coaching, guidance and constructive challenge to team members, supporting the development of future account and strategic leaders.
• Maintain strong planning governance, documentation, financial discipline and compliance with agency processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflows, collaboration and ways of working across the account.

5. Commercial Growth

• Take an active role in revenue retention, organic growth and the identification of new business opportunities within the account.
• Identify opportunities to expand scope, introduce new capabilities and increase the value delivered to the client.
• Contribute to commercial negotiations, resource planning and effective management of account economics.
• Support delivery against client profitability, revenue and business growth targets.
• Balance client value, quality of delivery and commercial sustainability in decision-making.

Success Measures

Success in this role will be demonstrated through the candidate's ability to:

• Build trusted relationships with key client and internal stakeholders quickly.
• Develop a strong understanding of the client's business, marketing priorities, planning methodology and governance processes.
• Lead integrated planning and strategic discussions confidently and independently.
• Improve the quality, consistency and effectiveness of integrated media recommendations.
• Drive stronger collaboration and operational efficiency across specialist teams.
• Deliver measurable client and business outcomes through integrated media solutions.
• Identify and convert opportunities for account growth and scope expansion.
• Develop and mentor high-performing talent and future account leaders.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, Media or a related field; postgraduate qualification is an added advantage.
• 8–12 years' experience in media strategy, communications planning, integrated media or account leadership.
• Proven experience leading complex client relationships and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong experience across both traditional and digital media, with a track record of delivering integrated planning solutions.
• Demonstrated understanding of performance marketing, media measurement, data and analytics.
• Experience developing and presenting strategic recommendations to senior client stakeholders.
• Proven commercial awareness, including experience with account growth, scope management and resource planning.
• Preferred: experience working with leading FMCG brands, fast-paced marketing calendars and regional or multinational organisations.

Core Competencies

Strategic Leadership

• Strategic thinking and ability to translate business objectives into integrated media solutions.
• Commercial acumen and strong business judgement.
• Ability to challenge briefs, recommendations and assumptions constructively.

Client & Stakeholder Leadership

• Strong client relationship management and stakeholder influence.
• Executive presence and confidence engaging senior stakeholders.
• Ability to build trust and credibility quickly.

Integrated Media Expertise

• Strong working knowledge of integrated media planning and investment.
• Understanding of digital ecosystems, performance marketing, commerce, measurement, data and analytics.
• Ability to connect specialist disciplines into a coherent integrated strategy.

People Leadership

• Effective team leadership, coaching and development.
• Strong collaboration and ability to influence across multidisciplinary teams.
• Decisive and accountable approach to problem-solving.

Delivery & Commercial Discipline

• Highly organised and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.
• Commercially disciplined, analytical and outcome-focused.
• Adaptable and resilient under pressure.

Innovation & Communication

• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Curious, innovative and open to emerging media, technology, data and AI.
• Passionate about finding better ways of solving client and business challenges.

About WPP Media

WPP Media is a leading media investment and marketing transformation company, bringing together media, data, technology and AI to help brands grow.

Our integrated teams combine strategy, communications planning, media investment, performance marketing, commerce, content, analytics and measurement to create connected marketing solutions and deliver measurable business outcomes.

Why Join WPP Media?

This role offers the opportunity to:

• Lead the media business for recognised brands and influential clients.
• Work alongside specialists across media, data, technology, commerce and AI.
• Shape integrated marketing strategies that directly influence business outcomes.
• Work within a global network and access world-class learning and development opportunities.
• Build and lead high-performing multidisciplinary teams.
• Develop a rewarding career within one of the world's leading media and marketing organisations.