Director, Planning

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 agencyic 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 Summary And Impact

Following a highly competitive pitch in Q4 2025, Reckitt consolidated its European media business with WPP. This is a major, high‑profile win for WPP, and we are looking for a Planning Director to join the Reckitt central strategy and planning team at WPP Media. The team will guard effective, industry‑leading strategic planning for Reckitt’s portfolio of brands across four categories: Self Care, Intimate Wellness, Germ Protection, and Household. The director will work closely with Reckitt’s central media, comms and strategy teams to look forward, push boundaries, deliver inspiration and have a positive impact on consumers and brands.

Responsibilities

• Develop an advanced understanding of comms ecosystems and habitats, and planning best practices.
• Create central, multi‑market planning recommendations with clear implications and direction for regional and market‑specific media planning.
• Build expertise in a broad set of relevant internal tools and agents, as well as external tools, to provide analysis and insight that supports central strategy development.
• Maintain a strong, clear and informed POV of the media landscape and marketplace, including relevant trends for Reckitt’s audiences and categories, with implications for planning and activation.
• Translate central strategic recommendations into tangible, actionable and specific media guidance to markets – balancing strategic direction with tangible planning implications.
• Own planning presentations, defining the inputs needed, and work with the wider team across multiple disciplines (strategy, social, influencer, commerce, analytics, insight) to develop empirical, evidence‑based planning recommendations.
• Problem‑solve both independently and collaboratively, demonstrating intellectual curiosity to interrogate and understand data to unlock valuable insights.
• Translate strategic planning direction into tangible media and comms ideas and channel‑level activations, providing actionable examples to inspire and inform regional/local market plan development.
• Partner with Reckitt internal comms strategy team to deliver rigorous, data‑led planning guidance.
• Work closely with key Reckitt stakeholders in multiple disciplines, and external partners such as creative agencies, to secure central planning buy‑in and shape creative asset development.
• Provide oversight and governance of local market planning responses, delivering clear, actionable media direction to ensure local/in‑market planning reflects central strategy.
• Challenge constructively to ensure planning recommendations are delivered as designed, prioritising effectiveness and business impact.
• Demonstrate flexibility and agility to collaborate positively with different people in various roles and disciplines.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships; become a valued member of the Reckitt client/agency team.

Skills And Experience

• Practice Area Knowledge – Advanced: Develops breadth and depth of industry understanding. Comfortable presenting directly from platform (WPP Open) and developing a story from data delivered outside of platform. Confident in answering client questions and liaising with internal teams on best solutions.
• Problem Solving – Skilled: Uses critical questioning and maintains a broad perspective when analysing information to gain a deeper understanding of the problem and wider impact. Generates appropriate solutions quickly and supports others to problem‑solve.
• Stakeholder Relationships – Skilled: Expert knowledge of client and agency structures, identifies key decision‑makers, builds strategic relationships, and suggests business solutions that match client needs.
• Effective Communication – Advanced: Leads delivery of relevant and accurate information to drive maximum impact. Consistently delivers communications to influence and educate all levels of seniority, and guides others on best practices for clear, concise communication.
• Compelling Storytelling – Skilled: Applies big‑picture thinking, leverages industry trends, and designs differentiated communications for various audiences.
• Idea Creation – Advanced: Leads new projects or activities that generate ideas to deliver effective solutions to client objectives, coaching others to gain new insights.
• Comms Planning – Advanced: Applies knowledge of client, audience, channel, market and category to deliver compelling multi‑media plans, translates learnings to marketing communication strategies, and recommends budget shifts as campaigns progress.

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. We are committed to employee growth and 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 offer competitive medical, group retirement, vision and dental insurance, significant paid time off, preferential partner discounts and employee mental health awareness days. We host frequent in‑office events showcasing team wins, thought leadership and celebrations.

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We foster a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

Location and Eligibility

UK based role. Right to work in the UK required.

Notice

We believe the best work happens when we’re together, fostering creativity, collaboration and connection. Hybrid approach: teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss with the hiring team.

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