Account Manager/Implementation Lead

Job Title: Account Manager/Implementation Lead
Company: WPP Media South Africa
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Reports To: Client Partner

Role Purpose
The Implementation Lead is responsible for translating client briefs and approved media strategies into coordinated, executable and measurable plans across ATL, digital, influencer, e-commerce and emerging media channels.

The role acts as a central link between the client, strategy, planning, implementation, digital, influencer, buying, finance and creative teams, ensuring campaigns are delivered accurately, on time, within budget and in line with agreed strategic and commercial objectives.

Key Responsibilities
1. Integrated Media Planning and Implementation
•    Translate client briefs and approved strategies into integrated implementation plans across ATL, digital, influencer, e-commerce and relevant emerging channels.
•    Ensure channel plans align with campaign objectives, target audiences, budgets and the overall media strategy.
•    Coordinate specialist inputs, identify gaps and dependencies, and recommend tactical changes where required.

2. Digital and Influencer Collaboration
•    Work closely with digital and influencer teams to align campaign objectives, budgets, timelines, audiences, formats and reporting requirements.
•    Review plans to ensure they support the approved strategy and broader campaign.
•    Coordinate media bookings, platform activation, content delivery, creative approvals and campaign launch dates.
•    Consolidate digital, influencer and ATL performance into a clear overall campaign view.

3. Client and Stakeholder Management
•    Act as a key client contact for media implementation and campaign delivery.
•    Translate complex media information into clear, client-friendly recommendations and updates.
•    Contribute to client status meetings, planning sessions, business reviews and presentations.
•    Proactively communicate outstanding approvals, risks, budget changes, delays and recommended solutions.
•    Maintain strong relationships with clients, creative agencies, media owners, platforms and external partners.

4. Cross-Functional Coordination
•    Coordinate activity across strategy, planning, ATL, digital, influencer, e-commerce, buying, finance, creative and reporting teams.
•    Clarify responsibilities, owners, timelines and deliverables across campaign workstreams.
•    Lead or support internal status meetings, resolve delivery challenges and escalate unresolved risks where necessary.

5. Campaign Governance and Workflow Management
•    Maintain clear campaign workflows from briefing and planning through to activation, reporting and close-out.
•    Ensure plans, approvals, changes and final deliverables are documented in agreed tools and platforms.
•    Monitor timelines and follow up on overdue actions, approvals and deliverables.
•    Improve processes to reduce duplication, unclear ownership, missed deadlines and communication gaps.

6. Budget, TV Commitment and Commercial Management
•    Maintain oversight of campaign budgets and spend across media workstreams.
•    Forecast and manage TV investment against agreed annual and campaign commitments.
•    Continually monitor actual and forecast TV spend against commitments, identifying risks and recommending corrective action.
•    Work with buying and trading teams to optimise TV investment while protecting commitments and client value.
•    Negotiate rates, discounts, positioning and added-value opportunities with media owners.
•    Highlight budget deviations and ensure approved changes are reflected in plans, trackers and financial systems.

7. Campaign Delivery and Quality Assurance
•    Maintain oversight of campaign readiness, including media bookings, platform setup, creative assets, influencer content and approvals.
•    Review media plans, schedules, trackers and reports for accuracy and consistency.
•    Monitor TV delivery and recommend changes to improve audience performance, investment delivery or commitment achievement.
•    Work with buying and specialist teams to resolve errors, discrepancies and under-delivery.
•    Promote accurate, timely and zero-error implementation.

8. Performance Monitoring and Reporting
•    Oversee reporting across ATL, digital, influencer and e-commerce channels.
•    Consolidate channel results into an integrated view of campaign performance.
•    Work with specialist teams to identify performance concerns and recommend optimisations.
•    Oversee post-campaign reporting, including results, learnings and actionable recommendations.

9. Strategic Contribution
•    Interpret client briefs and provide tactical recommendations based on campaign objectives, audience insights and market conditions.
•    Keep up to date with developments across traditional media, digital platforms, influencer marketing, e-commerce and measurement.
•    Identify relevant platforms, formats, partnerships and audience opportunities.
•    Contribute to competitor reviews, campaign evaluations and proactive client recommendations.

10. Team Support and Leadership
•    Provide guidance to team members involved in planning, implementation, reporting and campaign administration.
•    Review work for accuracy, quality and strategic alignment before it is shared with the client.
•    Help the team manage priorities and deadlines across multiple brands and campaigns.
•    Mentor team members and encourage accountability, collaboration and integrated media thinking.
•    Act as an escalation point for complex implementation and campaign-delivery issues.

Key Skills and Competencies
•    Strong understanding of integrated media across ATL, digital, influencer and e-commerce.
•    Strong TV trading and commercial understanding, including commitment forecasting, spend monitoring, rate negotiation and added value.
•    Strong client-service, stakeholder-management and cross-functional leadership skills.
•    Ability to translate complex media information into clear, client-friendly communication.
•    Strong campaign management, budget management, coordination and problem-solving skills.
•    Working knowledge of digital campaign structures, audience targeting, pacing and reporting.
•    Understanding of influencer campaign processes, from briefing and content development through to amplification and reporting.
•    Excellent attention to detail and ability to manage multiple brands, campaigns and deadlines.

Key Measures of Success
•    Accurate and timely delivery of integrated campaigns.
•    Alignment between strategy, channel plans, activation and reporting.
•    Effective collaboration across ATL, digital, influencer and e-commerce teams.
•    Delivery against agreed budgets and TV commitments.
•    Accurate forecasting and proactive management of TV investment.
•    Strong commercial outcomes through negotiation of rates, discounts and added value.
•    Early identification and resolution of risks, errors and budget deviations.
•    Quality and consistency of client communication and campaign reporting.
•    Effective support and development of team members.

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 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.