As Senior F1 Partnership Director, you’ll play a pivotal leadership role within our growing Formula 1 practice. This role will oversee premium F1 hospitality and guest experience programmes across multiple clients, with a primary focus on a long‑standing and highly valued automotive client. You will champion excellence, innovation and consistency in how VML Live delivers guest programmes and experiences across the F1 season, driving best practice across client teams, liaising with our VML Experience Design team and elevating our position as a leader in global motorsport experiences.
Based in our London HQ, this is a highly visible role requiring deep F1 knowledge, flawless delivery standards, commercial sharpness, extensive global supplier network and the ability to build trusted relationships with senior clients and partners across the sport.
What You’ll Do
Client leadership & relationship management
- Act as a senior client lead across multiple F1 client accounts, with primary ownership of a flagship global automotive client
- Build trusted, strategic relationships with senior stakeholders—understanding their business priorities, partnership objectives and guest expectations
- Work closely with our Head of Motorsport to provide proactive counsel on experience design, F1 best practice and partnership value, constructively challenging thinking when needed
- Serve as the escalation point for all guest programme and hospitality‑related matters across the F1 season
Excellence in F1 hospitality & guest experience
- Lead the vision, quality standards and creative ambition for all F1 guest & hospitality programmes across VML Live
- Set the benchmark for premium guest experiences – across logistics, VIP services, programme design, cultural relevance, onsite execution and post‑event measurement
- Ensure all programmes reflect best in‑class delivery, seamless operations and brand‑defining moments for guests
- Have a clear understanding of hospitality ops at each F1 race and be able to support with strategic recommendations based on client needs
- Continuously evolve our F1 hospitality product through innovation, technology, data and insight, working collaboratively with VML experts in our data, experience design and consulting teams
Cross‑team leadership & best practice development
- For your primary automotive client account, lead a team of 4, planning and delivering best‑in‑class premium experiences for our client at most F1 GPs in 2026. Travel and on‑site presence is a key requirement of this role, and we operate a rota system to ensure all programmes and activations are staffed appropriately to ensure flawless delivery for our client.
- Champion consistency, high performance and collaboration across all VML Live F1 account teams
- Establish standardised ways of working, playbooks, measurement frameworks and quality criteria
- Act as a source of knowledge in regard to category excellence—sharing insights, elevating thinking, and shaping our approach to premium motorsport experiences
- Mentor talent across the agency, developing future leaders in sports hospitality and partnership activation
Operational excellence & delivery leadership
- Oversee the end‑to‑end delivery of multiple hospitality programmes across the full F1 season
- Ensure robust project management, forward planning and contingency thinking
- Work closely with producers, logistics specialists and external suppliers to guarantee seamless delivery in fast‑paced, complex environments
- Maintain accountability for guest satisfaction, operational performance and continuous improvement
Strategic & commercial responsibility
- Understand the commercial drivers behind F1 partnerships and hospitality investments, advising clients on how programmes contribute to broader brand and business goals
- Oversee budget management across multiple clients—ensuring accuracy, efficiency and value creation
- Identify opportunities for organic growth, innovation and expanded scope across accounts
- Contribute to new business pitches, offering specialist expertise in F1 and live experience
Stakeholder management & industry relationships
- Navigate complex ecosystems that span global client organisations, rights‑holders, paddock partners, suppliers and internal teams
- Build productive relationships with rights‑holder hospitality teams and event providers to unlock better access, service and creative opportunities
- Represent VML Live within the wider WPP network, collaborating on integrated solutions where needed
What We’re Looking For
- Significant experience in premium sports hospitality, experiential delivery or partnership activation—ideally within Formula 1 or global motorsport
- Demonstrated ability to lead multimarket, high‑value hospitality programmes with an exceptional eye for detail and guest experience
- Strong understanding of the F1 ecosystem, paddock operations, hospitality environments, rights‑holder structures and key supplier contacts
- Proven success in senior client‑facing roles, with the gravitas to influence C‑suite stakeholders
- A natural relationship builder capable of navigating complex stakeholder environments
- Skilled in managing and motivating cross‑functional teams, both directly and in a matrix environment
- Commercially astute, with experience managing large budgets and identifying efficiencies and growth opportunities
- Calm under pressure, solutions‑oriented and highly resilient in fast‑moving, high‑stakes environments
- International mindset with experience delivering programmes across global markets
- Willingness to travel internationally throughout the F1 season, including race weekends
- A passion for Formula 1 and its cultural, commercial and fan‑driven dynamics
Why Join VML Live?
You’ll be joining the team at the forefront of global F1 activation—shaping how some of the world’s most ambitious brands show up in the world’s most watched sport. You will influence standards, mentor the next generation of F1 specialists, and play a central role in elevating our hospitality proposition across the full season calendar. VML, a WPP company, is committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where everyone feels seen, valued and supported.
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