As the SVP, Client Operations, you will be a pivotal and influential leader within our Global Client Solutions (GCS) Operations unit. Reporting directly to the Global Operations Director, you will be instrumental in defining and driving operational excellence across WPPmedia's most critical global client accounts. This highly impactful role requires a strategic thinker who can lead, support, and empower a team of embedded Operations Leads, identify critical operational issues, and personally intervene in key projects to drive value, resolve complex challenges, and significantly enhance operational efficiency. You will play a crucial role in shaping the strategic operational roadmap for GCS and safeguarding our key client relationships.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead & Support Operations Leads: Provide direct leadership, strategic guidance, and mentorship to Operations Leads embedded within global client teams, ensuring high performance and alignment with GCS operational objectives.
- Identify & Drive Operational Improvement: Proactively identify and analyze key operational issues and significant areas for improvement across all global client accounts within the GCS unit, developing and implementing impactful solutions.
- Foster Operations Community: Build and nurture a robust and collaborative operations community, facilitating the sharing of best practices, fostering innovation, and driving continuous improvement across the GCS operations landscape.
- Strategic Project Intervention: Provide senior-level oversight and hands-on involvement in critical client projects, specifically focusing on adding value, resolving complex operational issues, and dramatically improving operational efficiency.
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with key senior operations stakeholders, including the SVP Delivery Management, Transition Lead, and Director Operational Excellence, to ensure cohesive strategies and seamless execution.
- Critical Issue Resolution ("Black Ops"): Partner with the Global Operations Director on high-stakes initiatives, including pitch prevention, developing bespoke client operating models, and leading strategic team restructuring to protect and grow our most vital client relationships.
- Define Strategic Roadmap: Contribute significantly to the development and execution of the strategic roadmap for global operations, identifying key priorities and initiatives that will drive long-term success and innovation for WPPmedia and its clients.
How Success is Measured
In this role, your success will be evident through tangible improvements and strategic impact, specifically by:
- Establishing and nurturing robust, influential relationships with the client operations community, leading to enhanced collaboration and trust.
- Driving measurable improvements in client satisfaction, directly impacting client retention and growth.
- Significantly enhancing operational efficiency across global accounts, optimizing processes, and delivering tangible cost and time savings.
- Successfully defining and executing a strategic roadmap for global operations that demonstrably improves service delivery, innovation, and WPPmedia's competitive advantage.
Required Qualifications
- Extensive experience (10+ years) in client-facing operational leadership roles, specifically working with and managing large-scale global and regional clients within the media, marketing, or agency environment.
- Strong commercial acumen, demonstrating a deep understanding of client relationships, contract management, and the financial implications of running complex global accounts for WPPmedia.
- Demonstrated expertise in client leadership and managing complex operational requirements for global accounts, with a proven track record of driving efficiency and service excellence.
- Exceptional communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to build strong, trusted relationships with peers, clients, and senior leadership across diverse cultures.
- Strong generalist knowledge across account leadership, strategy, and digital marketing, enabling a holistic understanding of client challenges and a comprehensive approach to operational solutions.
- Proven ability to identify systemic problems, develop innovative solutions, and successfully drive organizational change within a matrixed global environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Significant prior experience working within WPP Media in various roles, demonstrating a deep understanding of our internal systems, processes, culture, and client ecosystem.
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 particular 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.
Please note this is a UK based role and requires individuals to have the right to work in this location.
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