Hybrid Strategist

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.

Job Title: Hybrid Strategist

Company: WPP Media South Africa

Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Reports To: Client Lead

Role Summary and Impact

The Strategist, together with the internal team, works hand-in-hand with the clients’ marketing department and creative agency to ensure the development of effective and unique media campaigns. The strategist is to immerse themselves within the clients business gaining an acute understanding of the client’s needs and goals, as well as the brands’ customers, in order to provide clear and consistent input into the media strategy. Based on given objectives, the strategist applies their knowledge of media and communication platforms to identify the most appropriate vehicles for building awareness of a client’s brand. 

Objectives:

Strategy

• Create strong, compelling and strategic media recommendations on how different channels can be used to integrate the consumer journey and define the role of media use to the consumer. 
• Strive to deliver media solutions that drive key objectives to ensure budget efficacy and performance.
• Work in collaboration with the client lead, planing, as well as implementation groups to develop budget allocations across media mix scenarios.  
• Use client data and technology architecture to provide strategy solutions to clients. 
• Have a good understanding of Mindshare/GroupM trading/proprietary offerings and ensure that these offerings are considered in recommendations, where relevant, to delivering on client objectives.
• Provide insights on emerging media and new opportunities
• Build competitor/brand reviews to ensure execution of strategic actions. 
• Ensure regular media update presentations to client e.g. trends, landscapes, hot topics etc. 
• Collaborate across the Strategy Hub to drive continuous improvement.
• Actively participates in client/ vendor initiatives/ workshops ensuring media strategies receive the benefit of continuous research.
• Understand the competitive context within which brands operate (from SOV, SOM, pricing and distribution) providing insight into the competitive set that is beyond the required quantitative data. 
• Use agency research and implementation planning tools to set overall communication/channel objectives for the campaign e.g. ARs, GRPs, reach, freq, etc. utilising industry & Mindshare tools/methodology e.g. threshold analysis for setting reach curves & max/min buying points. 
• Coordinate & complete annual plans for all brands for the assigned categories 
• Collaborate with the implementation team on reporting to deliver insights and optimization recommendations.

Relationship Management

• Be the key day-to-day contact for Clients and the Account Leadership team.
• Develop strong relationships at all client levels.
• Maintain and develop strong symbiotic relationships with media partners/ vendors to contribute to best of business media strategy.
• Ensure you update and maintain your knowledge of the client’s organizational structure, planning process, marketing calendar and the needs of key stakeholders. 
• Ensure that client relationships continue to be strengthened by the quality of our deliverables and client satisfaction with our work. 
• Work with clients and agency partners to bring campaigns to life, including attending and contributing to regular work in progress meetings  

Skills and Experience

• Marketing/advertising degree with a focus on strategy
• Minimum 5 years’ work experience in business consultancy, market research/analytics or a strategic planning role, of which at least 3 years have been spent working on media/communications planning related business. 
• Media agencies experience and working knowledge of media planning required. 
• Significant proven experience of working with multiple stakeholders, e.g., suppliers, advertising/marketing agencies, media owners. 
• Experience in campaign implementation and reporting is beneficial  
• Understands business principles and good practice and perceives issues in both financial and commercial terms. 
• Proficient in both ATL (Above-the-Line) and Digital media planning, with the ability to develop integrated channel strategies across traditional and digital platforms.
• Experienced in consolidating reporting documents and campaign performance data to deliver clear, actionable insights and recommendations to clients and stakeholders.

Knowledge, skills and abilities – commercial and compliance 

• Highly evolved presentation and facilitation skills.
• Excellent communication 
• Strong analytical and number skills 
• Good understanding of media channels, both digital and traditional 
• Problem-solver 

Proficiency in the use of computer programs for: 

• Word processing 
• Databases 
• Spreadsheets 
• E-mail 
• Internet

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 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.

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