The Opportunity 

WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients, and communities.

We are proud to be the global partner for Coca Cola, a client with whom we share both values and ambition. 

In what has been called the “the biggest advertising pitch in history,” WPP was chosen to connect our talent and skills in a truly borderless way to create an open platform that will multiply the power of creativity for one of the world’s largest and beloved brands.

Welcome to Open X, our transformational approach that marries WPP, the #1 global network and largest communications holding company in the world, with iconic Coca Cola valued at 71 billion dollars ,and, with a portfolio of brands that includes Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Fanta, Dasani, Smartwater, Minute Maid and Powerade among others.

There’s no magic like the one that comes from outstanding talent collaborating across time zones, regions, and markets. It is what we call the “collective ta-da.” That is why being part of Open X is simply a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a game changer partnership built with one goal in mind: creating the boldest, most innovative ideas in the history of marketing.

The Role 

We are looking for an experienced People Director to partner with the Studio X NA (North America) Leader and agency leaders on all talent needs for the emerging Studio X Global model for The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC). We need a strong people leader who can help us build, shape, and define the multi-agency talent who will ultimately PLAY on a global stage to transform one of the world’s most iconic brands.

As the Studio X People Director, you will partner with the Global CPO for Open X & Studio X Regional Leader and be responsible coordinating TA acquisition and overseeing people initiatives. You will be charged with creating of a fun culture, ensuring an exciting onboarding experience. You’ll have strong commercial sensibility, and a proven ability to link business goals to talent and HR strategy. In this role, you will proactively identify, lead, and implement recommendations on people processes. You will work with the Studio X Leader + Regional People Leaders to influence decisions and areas for increased talent focus and investment. Your responsibilities include oversight and execution of employee experience, talent management, employee relations and partnering with Talent Acquisition in employee workforce planning and external recruitment.  To accomplish this, you will also need to have experience applying measurement analytics and insights to an integrated talent strategy. Specifically, you will:

• Work closely with the Global CPO Open X and Regional StudioX leaders to drive performance and a joy of working on the Studio X team via diverse casting, culture, leadership development, and employee engagement.
• Work closely with OpCo HR Lead, ensuring OpCo employees working on TCCC feel a strong sense of equity and visibility within both their home agency and Studio X.
• Coordinate Talent conversations between WPP and OpCo’s –ensuring OpCo talent reviews, promotions, raises, and developmental opportunities are closely coordinated / captured within the Studio X structure.
• Partner with OpCo People Planning teams to identify and offer Studio X leadership opportunities to internal employees.
• Partner with People Leaders from the three other regions to ensure consistency in employee experience; work with CPO to initiative and engage global talent programs on behalf of TCCC.
• Serve as a major contributor on the People team, activating and promoting policies that support and enable overall team strategy, and contributing to key business decisions as appropriate.
• Encourage a culture of openness and fun that promotes collaboration across both WPP and non-WPP agencies and allows employees to feel they are part of something special.
• Champion diversity and inclusion strategy tied to business results to promote a stronger, better organization.
• Mitigate potential people risks as they arise, such as grievances and disciplinary actions, so that as little as possible stands between the employees and our clients.
• Advise on learning & development, DE&I, ways of working, team development.
• Partner with OpCo HR and Executives to innovate how to build employee capabilities through specialist skills development streams.
• Contribute to digital transformation mission, and how this can be optimised within the People infrastructure.

The Team 

The People Director, NA Studio X will partner directly with Regional Studio X Leadership, Operating Unit Leaders, and Capability Leaders to deliver talent strategies and inspired people practices help solve for the unique Studio X proposition.

You will dually report to the Global CPO for Open X, and the Studio X Lead of the NA Region.

What you will bring 

• Strong ability to collaborate, cooperate and coordinate with HR Leaders across OpCo’s (WPP agencies) and the OpenX talent model.
• Passionate, purposeful, and persistent; a roll-up-their-sleeves HR leader with the ambition to build a best-in-class talent practice that adds value to the business operationally and culturally
• Progressive and intellectual curiosity; you will possess emotional intelligence and operational rigor to drive our client teams forward.
• Experience at managing multiple geographies and uniting operations and culture
• Highly developed business acumen with solid commercial and analytical skills.
• Strength to challenge ideas—and the will to do what’s necessary to get the job done
• Skilled in attracting top new talent and retaining them once on-board
• Ability to flourish in a fast-paced environment, with a high tolerance for change
• Love for new ideas and experimentation; naturally curious, energized—rather than intimated by—ambiguity and not afraid to fail
• Ability to build a transparent, open, and collaborative culture.
• A trusted peer who can build credibility and deep connection to the business.

You will be an open, optimistic, and extraordinary. A leader with the highest standards of personal ethics, the emotional intelligence to work collaboratively both within and outside of WPP and its agencies, and the guts to discern and do what is right, making the tough decisions and owning them.

Who you are:

You’re open: We are inclusive and collaborative; we encourage the free exchange of ideas; we respect and celebrate diverse views. We are accepting: of new ideas, new partnerships, new ways of working.

You’re optimistic: We believe in the power of creativity, technology and talent to create brighter futures or our people, our clients and our communities. We approach all that we do with conviction: to try the new and to seek the unexpected.

You’re extraordinary: We are stronger together: through collaboration we achieve the amazing. We are creative leaders and pioneers of our industry; we provide extraordinary every day.

What we’ll give you:

Passionate, inspired people – We promote a culture of people that do extraordinary work.

Scale and opportunity – We offer the opportunity to create, influence and complete projects at a scale that is unparalleled in the industry.

Challenging and stimulating work – Unique work and the opportunity to join a group of creative problem solvers. Are you up for the challenge?