Manager, Planning

WPP Media · London, United Kingdom

  • Senior
  • Full-time
  • Posted 2026-08-14
  • Confirmed live on 25 September 2026

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Job description

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.

3140 - Manager, Planning

About WPP 650

Join an award-winning team at the heart of UK government, where your work will genuinely shape lives. As part of WPP 650 you’ll be part of a supportive, collaborative environment that values curiosity, kindness, and growth. Together, we use behaviour change principles to design smarter services, influence better decisions, and help millions of people across the country.

Named WPP 650, after the 650 UK constituencies, the name is a reminder that our work must reflect the full breadth of the country, every community, every audience. No two days are the same. The challenges are complex, the problems worth solving, and the learning constant. You’ll tackle issues that matter, alongside talented colleagues who care deeply about what they do. It’s demanding – but always rewarding.

WPP 650 is a bespoke agency unit within WPP, dedicated to serving the evolving communications needs of government clients. We bring together the best of WPP's talent, technology, and insights to deliver impactful, modern, and effective public communications. We are at the forefront of reimagining how government engages with its citizens.

This is meaningful work with real-world impact – the kind you can point to with pride.

Role Summary and Impact

Planning Manager

About the role:

The planning team are the guardians of creating industry leading, unrivalled work at WPP 650. We are central conduits to all specialists, striving to push boundaries and have a positive impact on consumers and brand.

WPP 650 is looking for a Planning Manager to join our growing planning team, to create impactful cross channel campaigns and build your media planning skills.

In this role, you will:

Media planning craft:

• Develop an in-depth understanding of media channels including where, when and how to use them based on the client brief.

• Have a skilled knowledge of WPP 650 and industry media planning tools and be able to train other team members.

• Have a skilled understanding of industry best practices and planning theory.

• Develop a fundamental knowledge of WPP 650’s Consumer Journey thinking.

Campaign management

• Ownership of campaign activity including briefing teams, collating response, managing client’s deliverables, and ensuring accuracy across all workstreams.

• Work closely with the planning and activation teams to ensure the day-to-day account is run efficiently and effectively.

• Be able to bring in specialist teams where needed to work on briefs and client questions.

• Ensure financial management processes are always excellent and met in a timely manner.

Effective communication:

• Become a trusted main day-to-day contact for junior clients, learning their business and ways of working. Ensuring that all requests & queries are answered with accuracy and in a timely manner.

• Support in managing Planning Executives to ensure they are on track with daily tasks, mentor and challenge them with new projects to develop their career.

• Start to develop a proactive problem-solving mindset but know when to flag any issues or concerns with Planning Director.

Core skills:

Practice Area Knowledge – Skilled - Demonstrates knowledge of the media landscape including future trends, best practice and challenges. Comfortable using (or briefing out) of the various products, platforms and systems that comms planning use.

• Develops breadth and depth of industry understanding. Becomes confident using tools, technology, techniques and systems and is able to train others.

• Comfortable presenting both direct from platform (Open) and developing a story from data but delivered outside of platform (Telmar etc).

• Can confidently answer client questions and liaise with internal teams on best solutions to use.

Problem Solving – Fundamental - Applies focused questioning and systematic research to understand the problem and wider impact. Translates business problems into solutions

• Uses critical questioning and maintains a broad perspective when analysing information to gain a deeper understanding of the problem and wider impact.

• Quickly generates appropriate solutions informed by previous experience.

• Understands how to resolve escalated issues and supports others to problem solve.

• Supports or leads troubleshooting comm

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