Associate Director - Social

3715 - Associate Director, Social - UK

Role Overview

The Paid Social Account Director is a senior leadership role within WPP Media, responsible for the strategic, operational, and commercial success of one or more key client accounts. The role acts as the senior paid social authority for clients and internal stakeholders, leading account strategy, driving performance outcomes, and developing high‑performing teams.

You will be accountable for translating client business objectives into best‑in‑class paid social strategies, ensuring excellence in activation across all major social platforms, and embedding WPP Media’s Social Excellence and DPAM ways of working across all activity. The Account Director is also a critical escalation point, senior client contact, and people leader.

Key Responsibilities

Client Leadership & Strategic Partnership

• Act as the senior, day‑to‑day paid social lead for assigned accounts, building trusted, long‑term client partnerships.
• Lead senior client meetings, performance reviews, and strategic planning sessions with confidence and authority.
• Translate client business goals into clear paid social strategies, frameworks, and roadmaps aligned to key performance indicators.
• Own client satisfaction, proactively identifying growth opportunities and responding to challenges with clear, strategic solutions.

Paid Social Strategy & Activation Excellence

• Lead the development of integrated paid social strategies across platforms including Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest, LinkedIn, X, and emerging channels.
• Oversee campaign planning, activation, optimisation, and testing frameworks to deliver against both performance and brand objectives.
• Ensure best‑in‑class quality standards, QA processes, and platform best practices are consistently applied across all activity.
• Embed WPP Media Social Excellence and DPAM (Discover, Plan, Activate, Measure) methodologies into all outputs and ways of working.

Account & Commercial Management

• Maintain oversight of account budgets, forecasting, and pacing to ensure financial accuracy and delivery against agreed client targets.
• Partner closely with planning, data, analytics, and creative teams to deliver integrated, cross‑channel outcomes.
• Support new business responses, organic growth opportunities, and account expansion initiatives where required.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop Account Managers, Senior Executives, and Executives, fostering a high‑performance and inclusive team culture.
• Act as a coaching‑led manager, providing clear direction, regular feedback, and structured development plans for direct reports.
• Set and uphold clear standards for output quality, behaviours, and ways of working across the account team.
• Support talent progression, training, and capability building across paid social skillsets.

Operational Leadership & Escalation

• Act as the primary escalation point for client or campaign issues, resolving challenges quickly and effectively.
• Ensure compliance with WPP Media governance, platform access policies, and operational standards.
• Drive continuous improvement across processes, tools, and ways of working to deliver operational excellence.

Skills & Experience

• Significant experience in paid social media, ideally within an agency environment.
• Deep expertise across major paid social platforms and social performance frameworks.
• Proven experience leading teams and managing senior‑level client relationships.
• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to connect platform activity to broader business and commercial outcomes.
• Excellent communication, storytelling, and stakeholder‑management skills.
• High attention to detail, with the ability to oversee complex accounts and multiple workstreams simultaneously.

Life at WPP Media & Benefits

Our passion for shaping the next era of media is powered by our commitment toBe Extraordinary, investing in our employees to inspire transformational creativity. We alsoLead Optimistically, firmly believing in andChampioning Growth and Developmentfor every individual. This commitment allows WPP Media employees to leverage the extensive global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, build vital professional connections, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising.

WeCreate an Open environmentbuilt 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. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects this commitment, including 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 believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection in this open and supportive environment. 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.  Please note that while our philosophy is the same across WPP, benefits may vary by office/country.

Please note this is a UK based role and requires individuals to have the right to work in this location

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While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

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