Comms Planner

About Us

UM is a global media agency committed to empowering brands to their full potential of growth through the power of patterns by opening a brand’s aperture and rejecting black-and-white marketing decisions. As the leading global media network in IPG Mediabrands, UM operates in over 100 countries, with more than 3,000 people serving a roster of global clients including American Express, General Mills, Emirates, Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss & Co, Dyson, Enterprise holdings, Upfield, Eat Takeaway.com and Mattel. For more information, please visit uk.umww.com

Role Description

An exciting opportunity to join the team working across Emirates, Honda and Premier Inn. The successful candidate will play a significant role in the team, driving forward innovative thinking and media planning excellence across digital and offline channels.

Key Responsibilities

The Communications Planner will support senior staff in producing relevant client action plans and play a key role in the planning process. This process includes discovering actionable insights from brand, category and audience analysis to using creativity to produce strategic value and ultimately delivering a optimised media mix to achieve business results.

The Communications Planner will take ownership of all media plans across offline and online channels by leading campaign implementation & collaborating with the different business units within IPG, such as Kinesso, AV and Partnerships to ensure that the day to day activity is running smoothly. As well as analysing reports to give clear insights on how the campaign is performing and providing actionable recommendations.

Beyond meeting and exceeding your client’s expectations, the Communications Planner will be responsible for the development and management of the Communications Executive in the team.

• Demonstrates an understanding of the media landscape in the UK
• Understands the importance of brilliant basics and how client servicing is key to building strong relationships with clients. These brilliant basics include replying to client emails within a timely manner, sense checking your work, dressing appropriately and keeping up with financial reconciliations.
• Follows processes and procedures put in place for effective delivery of campaigns, performance reports and finance reconciliations to meet client expectations.
• Responsible for the delivery of the overall planning process.
• Work seamlessly with Strategy and Specialist teams to ensure brilliant thinking is turned into brilliant implementation
• Recognises new areas of income on clients via a strong understanding of the services that Mediabrands offers
• Share knowledge and understanding across the team and wider agency
• Meet with publishers to keep informed of new propositions
• Arrange internal meetings with key units to have a clear understating of what each can offer.
• Meet with internal teams to develop your presence within the company and each team
• Understand the billing and revenue on your clients business and proactively bring to the attention of thee leadership team monthly fluctuations, opportunities and threats
• Provide timely and accurate billings projections each month to the account lead
• Identify opportunities and build strategic recommendation alongside specialist business units to grow revenue within your group
• Support UM with new business opportunities and ad hoc pitch requests
• Maintain clarity of thought and calm disposition during high pressure pitch scenarios
• Attend external events to develop client and media owner relationships, to ensure the UM gains further momentum within the industry
• Collaborate and build close working relationships with third parties and Media Owners to bring innovation and new solutions into the agency to deliver a better UM product 

Desired Skills & Experience

• Lead by example. As you may have line management responsibilities in the agency your behaviours set the tone for junior members of the team. Encourage your direct reports to attend agency seminars and events and support the initiatives that are happening internally.  Seek understanding of business and commercials to support decisions being made by management teams.
• Plan, direct, supervise and coordinate the work activities of the account executives
• Inspire, coach and guide junior team members teams in the delivery of fantastic work and the transformation of the business
• Ensure robust performance management for any team members reporting into you (appraisals, goal-setting, ongoing feedback)
• Supporting team environment of experimentation and collaboration
• Manages individual work styles and addresses team issues
• Great personal insight – receives and reacts upon feedback opportunities
• Self-starter who can work autonomously and remains composed under pressure
• Consider what you would do to make your UM better? Where do you think you can add value and how would you make that happen. It is time for you to be the challenge and change within our business.