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About the Role

We are seeking an exceptionally seasoned and dynamic Director, Strategic Operations, UK to lead the project management, execution, tracking, and delivery of our business-critical "One Company" project portfolio. You will take the EXCO "Plan on a Page" and turn it into clear, connected actions across the business, making progress visible, setting rigorous PM frameworks, holding workstream owners to account, and keeping projects moving forward. This role requires a heavy-hitting portfolio/programme/project management expert who thrives in a high-visibility environment, acting as a strategic driver and operational leader.

Responsibilities

Drive the end-to-end execution of company-wide, critical operational projects from business case/inception through delivery, ensuring alignment with executive business goals.
Translate high-level priorities into clear, practical deliverables, defining detailed Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), timelines, key milestones, dependencies, and precise task ownership.
Oversee the master project portfolio across business streams (e.g., people, finance, data, tech, operations), optimizing resource allocation, balancing competing priorities, identifying capacity constraints, and ensuring high-value initiatives are delivered on time and within scope.
Work directly with business leads to solve problems, clear blockers, and ensure projects cross the finish line on time.
Assess existing delivery methodologies and establish best-in-class PM standard operating procedures, tools, and KPIs.
Embed simple, practical project toolkits (e.g., Business Case Templates, Project Charters, Portfolio Reports, RACI matrices, RAID logs, and milestone plans) across all initiatives.
Drive a culture of accountability and precision, establishing clear ownership for every workstream.
Lead regular portfolio/project reviews and huddles to keep business leads strictly accountable for their deliverables and commitments.
Run light but highly effective tracking, focusing purely on actions, outputs, and operational efficiency.
Maintain and own the central executive plan, providing senior leadership with absolute transparency on progress, RAG status, RAID logs, percent-completes, and capacity.
Serve as the key connective tissue between senior leadership, department heads, and execution teams, communicating project health, risks, and strategic trade-offs effectively.
Maintain a direct line of communication with the VP, Strategic Operations and COO to escalate risks early.
Act as the connective tissue between central functions, capability teams, and agencies, ensuring teams are aligned and working toward shared outcomes rather than in isolation.
Turn EXCO priorities and "One Company" projects into tracked, delivered outputs using structured PM methodologies.
Enforce clear frameworks and strict accountability across all workstreams.
Maintain visual status reports for Executive Leadership.
Drive clear ownership, transparent reporting, and zero superfluous admin.

Requirements

Progressive portfolio/programme/project management experience, including significant experience leading and orchestrating large-scale, complex initiatives at a senior level (agency/media network experience preferred).
Deep, expert-level mastery of project management frameworks (PMP / APM / PMI certifications required or heavily preferred; Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid).
Deep knowledge of practical execution mechanics (Business Case Development, Benefits Realisation, WBS, RACI, RAID management, milestone planning, and critical path tracking).
Proven track record of operating successfully at the Director level, directly influencing executive decision-making, holding cross-functional teams accountable without direct line authority, and turning troubled projects around.
Exceptional communication skills - able to synthesise complex project statuses across multiple workstreams into clear, transparent, visual updates for the C-suite, SLT, and VP.
A relentless focus on execution and practical problem-solving.
Comfortable diving into project details to help workstream leads unravel issues, navigate dependencies, and unblock progress.
Requires individuals to have the right to work in the UK.

Skills

Project Management
Portfolio Management
Programme Management
Strategic Operations
AI-driven media
Data Analysis
Partnerships
Personalisation at Scale
Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)
Timelines
Milestones
Dependencies
Task Ownership
Resource Allocation
Problem Solving
Blocker Resolution
Project Delivery
PM Standard Operating Procedures
KPIs
Business Case Development
Project Charters
Portfolio Reports
RACI matrices
RAID logs
Milestone Plans
Accountability
Precision
Governance
Tracking
Operational Efficiency
Reporting
Stakeholder Alignment
Risk Management
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Agile Methodologies
Waterfall Methodologies
Hybrid Methodologies
Benefits Realisation
Critical Path Tracking
Executive Presence
Communication Skills
Synthesizing Complex Information
Visual Updates
Executive Decision-Making
Pragmatic Problem Solving

Location

Work Type

Hybrid
Full-time
Contract

Experience Level

Director
Senior Level

Education Level

PMP / APM / PMI certifications required or heavily preferred

Benefits

Competitive medical insurance
Group retirement plans
Vision insurance
Dental insurance
Significant paid time off
Preferential partner discounts
Employee mental health awareness days

About the Company

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands, helping 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.

Equal Opportunity

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics.
We Create an Open environment built on trust and respect, where everyone feels they belong and has opportunities to progress.
This inclusive culture is fostered through a variety of employee resource groups and frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events.