WPP Media | Media Planning Manager (MFG), Japan

WPP

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands.  We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth.    We work with the world's most valuable brands and have global reach across 100+ markets, with deep local expertise.   Our people are the key to our success. We're committed to fostering a culture of creativity, belonging and continuous learning, attracting and developing the brightest talent, and providing exciting career opportunities that help our people grow.    For more information, visit WPP.com.   Role Title: VP/ SVP - Client Partner Team: Marketing & Business Development Location: Tokyo, Japan ABOUT WPP MEDIA WPP Media, part of WPP, is a leading media agency driven by performance, data, analytics, and creative technology. We excel in multichannel audience planning and strategic media expertise. Our clients include Google, Dell, Uber, Airbnb, Mazda and Hitachi. Our mission: to make advertising more valuable. THE OPPORTUNITY We are seeking a highly experienced, strategic, and operationally excellent Client Partner to lead our relationship with Google in Japan, a top-tier client across WPP Media. WPP Media manages the digital mandate for Google in Japan. This role sits at the intersection of senior client partnership, planning craft, execution excellence, and operational leadership. You will lead a cross-functional team and be accountable for flawless delivery, clear governance, strong strategic POVs, and executive-level influence—ensuring Google and MFG stakeholders have full visibility, confidence, and industry-leading work. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES TRUSTED STRATEGIC ADVISOR (SENIOR STAKEHOLDERS) * Build and maintain trusted relationships with senior Google stakeholders (CMMs / PA Leads and their -1s), providing insights and recommendations that directly map to Google’s business priorities. * Translate business goals and market realities into media priorities, opportunities, and clear actions. * Challenge the status quo constructively: improve briefs, strategy, plans, and operations with better, actionable alternatives. STRATEGIC PLANNING & INDUSTRY-LEADING THINKING * Lead strategic planning across initiatives, ensuring every campaign solves a defined business problem and is designed with measurable outcomes. * Deliver “outside-in” POVs: bring best practices, competitive intelligence, and emerging platform/consumer trends into actionable recommendations and next steps. * Drive test-and-learn frameworks and ensure learnings are documented and scaled. * Incorporate AI and automation to elevate output quality, speed, and decision-making where appropriate. OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE: “RUN THE HOUSE LIKE A MACHINE” * Own day-to-day operational leadership with a no-surprises standard: smooth operations, disciplined execution, and proactive issue management. * Establish and maintain governance mechanisms (e.g., operating cadence, RACI, QA gates, escalation paths, decision logs) to ensure clarity and accountability. * Maintain full visibility across all initiatives (what’s working, what’s at risk, what’s next), surfacing risks early with mitigation options and decision asks. * Prioritize and triage workload to ensure focus on the highest-impact work and avoid wasted effort, rework, and last-minute fire drills. EXECUTION QUALITY & QA (ZERO DROPPED BALLS) * Ensure flawless execution through rigorous QA processes, clear ownership, and adherence to Google’s quality standards. * Drive continuous process improvement without being asked—simplify complexity, increase consistency, and improve speed and precision. FINANCIAL, SCOPE, AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT * Manage client budgets effectively while ensuring profitability, ROI, and strong stewardship. * Lead quarterly resourcing discussions with MFG Regional, feeding into fee/FTE allocations and ensuring the right talent is deployed to the right priorities. * Own scope control and change management: align deliverables to priorities, secure decisions early, and reduce rework through strong briefing and QA. CONNECTOR ACROSS GOOGLE, MFG, AND WPP * Navigate seamlessly across Google local, regional, and global stakeholders, and across the wider WPP network. * Bring the best of regional/global practices into Japan at consistent quality; export Japan successes as repeatable playbooks where applicable. * Activate the full WPP ecosystem (not just media) when needed to solve broader business challenges (e.g., data/measurement, creative technology, commerce, analytics). EXECUTIVE INFLUENCE & STAKEHOLDER LEADERSHIP * Lead Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) and executive readouts with clear narratives: performance, implications, trade-offs, decisions required, and next steps. * Influence MFG regional/global teams so Japan priorities shape decisions; engage WPP leadership to secure the right investment and talent. * Ensure compelling storytelling and executive-ready communication (written and verbal). TEAM LEADERSHIP & TALENT DEVELOPMENT * Lead, coach, and motivate a high-performing team; earn trust through clear direction, high standards, and effective collaboration. * Identify capability and resourcing gaps early; raise talent concerns with concrete proposals (training, role changes, hiring, partner support). * Retain and grow top talent, create growth opportunities, and manage performance issues thoughtfully and promptly. * Build a high-performance culture grounded in accountability, learning, and quality. KEY DELIVERABLES * Industry-leading media strategy and planning frameworks that connect Google business priorities to measurable media outcomes. * Operational governance that provides full visibility, disciplined execution, and proactive risk management. * QBRs and “outside-in” engagements with Google Japan, and with Regional/Global stakeholders as applicable. * Best-of-network activation: case studies, bespoke events, and scalable playbooks that bring the best of WPP to Google in Japan (and export Japan learnings where relevant). WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE FIRST 30 DAYS * Gain deep understanding of WPP Media operations, platforms, tools, and ways of working; understand the digital landscape and Google’s standards. * Build a clear view of Google Japan priorities (e.g., consumer apps, devices, enterprise, reputation) and how the mandate is governed. * Establish stakeholder map and operating cadence across WPP Media, MFG, MFG Regional, and Google. * Create a clear picture of demand, dependencies, risks, and resourcing needs; develop initial POV on financial health, utilization, and optimization opportunities. IN 6 MONTHS * Earn trust across Planning, Activation, Strategy, Investment, Analytics, Ad Operations, and Business Operations through consistent quality and clarity. * Deliver actionable outside-in POVs and elevate planning outputs (including use of AI where appropriate). * Run disciplined governance: clear ownership, QA gates, risk management, and predictable delivery. * Successfully lead QBRs with strong executive storytelling and clear decision asks. * Proactively improve campaign performance and operational efficiency; lead quarterly resourcing discussions with MFG Regional. * Implement talent development plans and address capability gaps with concrete actions. IN 9–12 MONTHS * Drive measurable improvements in campaign performance, efficiency, and quality; implement scalable processes/tools that reduce errors and rework. * Strengthen and future-proof the team (retention, capability depth, succession). * Improve the Google relationship and client satisfaction (e.g., TRRs) through strategic impact, operational excellence, and trusted partnership. ROLE REQUIREMENTS * 15+ years of experience in media planning, buying, and strategy, with a strong focus on digital. * Experience leading large, complex clients; technology sector experience strongly preferred. * Proven senior stakeholder management and cross-functional leadership experience. * Bachelor’s degree in marketing/advertising or related field; Master’s preferred. A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF * Bilingual: English and business-level Japanese. * Strong executive communication (written and verbal): clear POVs, persuasive recommendations, and crisp narratives. * Concrete knowledge across digital marketing/media, measurement, operations, and governance. * Highly organized, detail-oriented, responsive, and deadline-driven; strong quantitative reasoning and QA discipline. * Excellent program/project management: able to prioritize, triage, and deliver across multiple workstreams. * Strong business acumen; confident problem-solver who improves the work and challenges constructively. * A people leader who coaches, develops, and manages performance to build a high-performance culture. WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM WPP MEDIA WPP Media’s mission is to make advertising more valuable to the world. We do this by employing the world’s best talent to solve some of the toughest challenges of today’s digital marketing space. It is important that we hire people whose values reflect those of our own: genuine, results-focused, daring and insightful. As a WPP Media employee, we promise you a workplace that invests in your career, cares for you, and is fun and engaging. We believe these factors create a workplace where you can be yourself and do amazing work. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation. WPP Media does not accept unsolicited resumes from employment, recruitment, staffing, or related agencies. WPP Media will not pay a placement fee for any unsolicited resumes received and has no obligation to compensate any third-party recruiter/ agency in the absence of a valid written agreement between the parties for the sourcing of a given scope or role. #LI-RG1 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. WPP is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular 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. PLEASE READ OUR PRIVACY NOTICE (HTTPS://WWW.WPP.COM/EN/CAREERS/WPP-PRIVACY-POLICY-FOR-RECRUITMENT) FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW WE PROCESS THE INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE.

WPP

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands.  We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth.    We work with the world's most valuable brands and have global reach across 100+ markets, with deep local expertise.   Our people are the key to our success. We're committed to fostering a culture of creativity, belonging and continuous learning, attracting and developing the brightest talent, and providing exciting career opportunities that help our people grow.    For more information, visit WPP.com.   MEDIA PLANNING MANAGER ROLE OVERVIEW As a Media Planning Manager, you will manage integrated media and communications planning for a key global client, covering both digital and offline channels. This role requires balancing strategic thinking with operational execution—translating business objectives into full-funnel media strategies and actionable plans. While the account has a strong digital focus, offline channels such as TV, OOH, and print remain critical, requiring a planner who can develop cohesive cross-channel recommendations. You will work closely with senior client stakeholders, internal /external activation teams, creative partners, and external media vendors to ensure campaigns are strategically aligned, effectively executed, and continuously optimized. This role also includes project leadership responsibilities and mentoring junior team members. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES INTEGRATED MEDIA STRATEGY & PLANNING * Work with directors and develop comprehensive, insight-driven media strategies aligned with client marketing and business goals. * Define channel roles, budget allocation, audience targeting, and campaign phasing across digital and offline media. * Ensure integration between brand-building and performance-driven channels * Apply audience research, competitive analysis, and historical performance data to strengthen planning recommendations. CAMPAIGN PLANNING, EXECUTION & OPTIMIZATION * Translate strategy into detailed media plans, flowcharts, timelines, and budget trackers. * Partner with digital activation teams, TV buyers, and media vendors to ensure accurate implementation. * Monitor campaign pacing, delivery, and performance against KPIs. * Identify optimization opportunities and recommend adjustments based on real-time performance and insights. CLIENT MANAGEMENT & COMMUNICATION * Serve as a primary day-to-day contact for client stakeholders, ensuring clear and proactive communication. * Present media strategies, plans, and performance reports confidently in both Japanese and English. * Understand the client’s category, business priorities, and competitive landscape to provide relevant recommendations. * Support senior leadership in strategic discussions and annual planning. DATA ANALYSIS & REPORTING * Analyze campaign performance across channels and translate findings into actionable insights. * Prepare campaign reports and post-campaign analyses. * Use data to inform future planning, budget allocation, and performance forecasting. * Ensure planning recommendations are grounded in measurable outcomes. PROJECT & TEAM MANAGEMENT * Lead planning projects from briefing through execution and reporting. * Manage timelines, deliverables, and cross-functional coordination. * Oversee workload allocation and support development of junior team members. * Ensure accuracy and quality of planning outputs. CROSS-FUNCTIONAL & EXTERNAL COLLABORATION * Work closely with internal teams (Digital Activation, Analytics, Strategy, Creative, Investment). * Coordinate with external partners, including media owners, creative agencies, and production teams. * Contribute to internal knowledge sharing on media trends, tools, and best practices. WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE First 3 months * Gain a strong understanding of the client’s business, target audiences, and media ecosystem. * Support plan development and begin contributing strategic recommendations. * Establish working relationships with internal teams and client stakeholders. Within 6 months * Independently lead planning for selected campaigns or projects. * Present plans and performance updates directly to clients. * Provide informed recommendations based on media trends and performance insights. Within 12 months * Lead annual planning and campaign reviews. * Deliver data-driven strategic recommendations for future campaigns. * Act as a trusted planning lead for the client and internal teams. REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE * 5+ years of experience in media planning or communications planning within an agency environment. * Strong knowledge of both digital media (programmatic, paid social, search, video, display) and offline media (TV, OOH, print, radio). * Experience managing integrated campaigns and coordinating multiple stakeholders. * Strong analytical skills and proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, lookups, budget tracking). * Excellent presentation and communication skills in Japanese and English. * Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously. * Experience mentoring junior staff or leading projects preferred. TYPICAL SCOPE OF AUTHORITY * Own planning workstreams for key campaigns. * Recommend channel strategy and budget allocation. * Present directly to mid- to senior-level client stakeholders. * Provide guidance to planners and executives. #LI-DNP 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. WPP is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular 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. PLEASE READ OUR PRIVACY NOTICE (HTTPS://WWW.WPP.COM/EN/CAREERS/WPP-PRIVACY-POLICY-FOR-RECRUITMENT) FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW WE PROCESS THE INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE.

WPP

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands.  We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth.    We work with the world's most valuable brands and have global reach across 100+ markets, with deep local expertise.   Our people are the key to our success. We're committed to fostering a culture of creativity, belonging and continuous learning, attracting and developing the brightest talent, and providing exciting career opportunities that help our people grow.    For more information, visit WPP.com.   About WPP Media WPP Media is the world’s largest media investment company and are a part of WPP. In fact, we are responsible for one in every three ads you see globally. The Role Objective  The Planner is primarily responsible for consistent excellent plan recommendations for the brands in their categories and delivering high quality, fully integrated plan executions & operational excellence. The Planner has a good understanding of the category & brand challenges, turns business objectives into communications objectives and defines clear KPI’s for each brief.   Responsibilities Media Research & Analysis: * Conduct research on target audiences, media channels, and industry trends. * Analyze media data and performance reports to identify insights and opportunities. * Assist in the development of competitive analyses. Media Planning & Execution: * Forge and develop solid working relationship with the internal team at EssenceMediacom and GroupM, developing multi-channel plans and responses to client briefs with the other colleagues/teams * Demonstrate an understanding of the media and technology developments that influence performance planning and clients’ business. * Be an advocate of continuous improvement, enthusiastic and positive with a “Can Do” attitude Flags up any serious performance issues immediately and seek help to manage them accordingly. * Support senior media planners in developing media plans and strategies. * Assist in the preparation of media proposals and presentations. * Help with the execution of media buys across various channels (e.g., digital, social, print, broadcast, publishers). * Deliver best practice day to day project management. * Collaborates closely with buying/implementation teams within the company as to maintain a campaigns delivery throughout the year within agreed KPI’s (e.g. reach objectives) * Contributes to client profitability based on operational efficiency as well as recognizing & developing opportunities to grow out of scope services (like Insights) and related revenues  Reporting & Administration: * Assist in the preparation of media performance reports. * Maintain accurate records of media buys and campaign performance. * Process invoices and reconcile media billing. * Assist with administrative tasks as needed. Collaboration & Communication: * Collaborate with internal, regional and global teams (e.g., creative, account management) to ensure alignment on media strategies. * Communicate effectively with media vendors and internal stakeholders. * Participate in team meetings and contribute to brainstorming sessions. Key Performance Indicators * Product: outstanding plan execution & operational excellence. KPI TBC * Client: satisfaction, retention and growth, contributing to a high score for strategy and activation planning in agency evaluation. KPI TRR score * Personal development: positive My360 feedback from manager, peers and clients.  Education, skills, and behaviors * Ideally Degree educated in a business, numerical or analytical degree e.g. economics, mathematics, statistics, or engineering. * Numerate and analytical * Bilingual preferred; Japanese and English; with fluency in one language and basic / business communication skills in the other. * PC literate (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) * Strong target orientation e.g. very results driven, ability to work effectively to targets   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. WPP is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular 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. PLEASE READ OUR PRIVACY NOTICE (HTTPS://WWW.WPP.COM/EN/CAREERS/WPP-PRIVACY-POLICY-FOR-RECRUITMENT) FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW WE PROCESS THE INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE.