Financial Planning and Accounting Analyst

About WPP Media WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. With exceptional talent, trusted data and intelligence, and world-class partnerships – all united by our pioneering agentic marketing platform, WPP Open – we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity, and deliver transformational growth.  WPP Media is WPP's AI-driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data, and partnerships to deliver creative personalisation at scale. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, clients see exactly where, how, and why their media investment is working. For more information, visit wppmedia.com [wppmedia.com]. 2743 - Planning Manager, Client Leadership - UK Role Summary and Impact  Wavemaker positively provokes growth for clients by reshaping consumer decision-making and experiences through media, content, and technology. Our name is both our mission and our method. We do our best work for brave brands and people who relish being challenged to go further and faster, together.  Role Summary and Impact  The planning team are the guardians of creating industry leading, unrivalled work at Wavemaker. We are central conduits to all specialists, striving to push boundaries and have a positive impact on consumers and brand.  Wavemaker is looking for a Planning Manager to join our growing planning team, to create impactful cross channel campaigns and build your media planning skills.  In this role you will:  Media planning craft:  * Develop an in-depth understanding of media channels including where, when and how to use them based on the client brief.  * Have a skilled knowledge of Wavemaker and industry media planning tools and be able to train other team members.  * Have a skilled understanding of industry best practices and planning theory.  * Develop a fundamental knowledge of Wavemaker Purchase Journey thinking and Provocative Planning Philosophy.  Campaign management  * Ownership of campaign activity including briefing teams, collating response, managing client’s deliverables, and ensuring accuracy across all workstreams.  * Work closely with the planning and activation teams to ensure the day-to-day account is run efficiently and effectively.  * Be able to bring in specialist teams where needed to work on briefs and client questions.  * Ensure financial management processes are always excellent and met in a timely manner.  Effective communication:  * Become a trusted main day-to-day contact for junior clients, learning their business and ways of working. Ensuring that all requests & queries are answered with accuracy and in a timely manner.  * Support in managing Planning Executives to ensure they are on track with daily tasks, mentor and challenge them with new projects to develop their career.  * Start to develop a proactive problem-solving mindset but know when to flag any issues or concerns with Planning Director.  Skills and Experience  At WPP Media, we believe in the power of our culture and our people. It’s what elevates us to deliver exceptional experiences for both our clients and each other. In this role it will be critical to embrace WPP & WPP Media’s shared core values:  * Be Extraordinary by Leading Collectively to Inspire transformational Creativity.  * Create an Open environment by Balancing People and Client Experiences by Cultivating Trust.  * Lead Optimistically by Championing Growth and Development to Mobilize the Enterprise.  Practice Area Knowledge – Skilled - Demonstrates knowledge of the media landscape including future trends, best practice and challenges. Comfortable using (or briefing out) of the various products, platforms and systems that comms planning use.  * Develops breadth and depth of industry understanding. Becomes confident using tools, technology, techniques and systems and is able to train others.  * Comfortable presenting both direct from platform (OS, Architect etc) and developing a story from data but delivered outside of platform (Telmar etc).  * Can confidently answer client questions and liaise with internal teams on best solutions to use.  Problem Solving – Fundamental - Applies focused questioning and systematic research to understand the problem and wider impact. Translates business problems into solutions  * Uses critical questioning and maintains a broad perspective when analysing information to gain a deeper understanding of the problem and wider impact.  * Quickly generates appropriate solutions informed by previous experience.  * Understands how to resolve escalated issues and supports others to problem solve.  * Supports or leads troubleshooting communication for issues.  * Asks questions and performs routine or basic analysis to define problems.  * Generates some solutions in own area of work and suggests additional sources of information to further investigate problems.  * Seeks a variety of perspectives and inputs and probes for more information to fully understand the problem and wider impact.  * Provides communication support for troubleshooting issues internally and externally with third parties.  * Develops a broad understanding of industry tools, technology, techniques and systems as well as application.   * Can run simple tasks independently and either present to clients direct or package for wider team.  Stakeholder Relationships – Fundamental – Demonstrates knowledge of the agencies (or clients) organization structure and people, client relationships, business strategy, industry and challenges. Cultivates, nurtures and grow relationships with key clients, stakeholders and decision makers internally, externally and virtually.  * Has a good understanding of how the agency operates and works with their clients.  * Knows about the client’s business and who the key decision makers are there.  * Has good understanding of agency and client and their business goals and challenges.  * Builds a working knowledge of market trends effecting the client (and agency).   * Responds to stakeholder requests in an accurate, timely and professional manner and seeks to have a good understanding of client needs and challenges.  Effective Communications – Skilled - Is able to lead dialogues between and with internal and external people (strategy, comms planning, channel planning and activation teams as well as clients and media partners). Uses simple, clear and human language wherever possible but can be technical when required. Thinks about most appropriate communication channels and styles and employs active listening.  * Breaks down complex technical information into understandable language, guiding others on best practice.  * Uses knowledge and expertise to generate comprehendible, broadly-applicable communications.  * Designs differentiated communications (content focus, style, presentation, etc.) for various internal and external audiences based on an understanding of their differing levels of familiarity.  * Attends client and agency meetings to present.  Campaign Management – Skilled - Manages and takes ownership of several project/tasks accurately and thoroughly and with minimal error- without losing track of important details or deliverables.  * Teaches others the importance of accuracy and thoroughness so that sufficiently detailed information is logged correctly.  * Manages and takes ownership of campaigns from start to completion, maintaining accurate pipeline and campaign information across elements of the plans. E.g creative trackers and booking deadlines  * Delivers accurate reports with value-added insights and actionable findings to improve campaign performance.   * Be accountable for the ongoing management of campaign budgets.  E.g finance reconciliations  * Balances several projects and tasks simultaneously with minimal error and without losing track of important details or deliverables.  Compelling Storytelling – Skilled - Be able to use knowledge of the media ecosystem, industry trends and clients' business pressure points to build a persuasive story and recommendation that acknowledges their preferred communication style.  * Applies big picture thinking in work and proactively leverages an understanding of the organisation and key industry trends.    * Understand the different elements of responses.   * Designs differentiated communications (content focus, style, presentation, etc.) for various internal and external audiences.  Ideas Creation – Skilled - Generates or facilitates new ideas, methods, innovation or creative media solutions that can deliver growth.  * Regularly engages in new projects/activities that can help solve identified barriers or opportunities as part of planning.   * Can identify the relevant partners to bring ideas to life.   * Uses wider industry knowledge and trend understanding to help generate solutions that can deliver against communication objectives.  Comms Planning – Skilled - Find solutions for client business problems using media.  * Applies knowledge of client, audience, channel, market and category to effectively delivery compelling multi-media plans.  * Translates learnings and trends to create marketing communication strategies that are effective with clear measurement.  * Application of purchase journey thinking and visualisation of how the media plan works across channels.  * Translation of strategic direction / platform / provocation into directional role for media, channel role and behaviour in channel.  * Identifies and recommends budget shifts as campaign is in-flight where appropriate.  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, 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 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.    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.  Please note this is a UK based role and requires individuals to have the right to work in this location  Please read our Privacy Notice (https://www.wppmedia.com/pages/privacy-policy) [https://www.wppmedia.com/pages/privacy-policy] for more information on how we process the information you provide.  #LI-Promoted     Please read our Privacy Notice [https://www.wppmedia.com/pages/privacy-policy#:~:text=WPP%20Media%20Privacy%20Notice%20for%20Recruitment] for more information on how we process the information you provide.

About WPP Media WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. With exceptional talent, trusted data and intelligence, and world-class partnerships – all united by our pioneering agentic marketing platform, WPP Open – we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity, and deliver transformational growth.  WPP Media is WPP's AI-driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data, and partnerships to deliver creative personalisation at scale. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, clients see exactly where, how, and why their media investment is working. For more information, visit wppmedia.com [wppmedia.com]. 2865 - Account Director, Planning - UK Role Summary and Impact  Wavemaker positively provokes growth for clients by reshaping consumer decision-making and experiences through media, content, and technology. Our name is both our mission and our method. We do our best work for brave brands and people who relish being challenged to go further and faster, together.  We are looking for an experienced Comms Planning Director or ambitious Comms Planning Manager looking for their next step, to run the day-to-day communications planning and as such this role will provide a fantastic opportunity to shape an innovative and creative media strategy for a well-established brand and great client marketing team.   We want an enthusiastic and passionate individual who will deliver smart, innovative, and effective comms planning solutions, focussed on the UK market.  The role requires an experienced media planner with an advanced knowledge of traditional and digital media planning and execution, in addition to exceptional communication and organisational skills.   Key Responsibilities  * Lead on planning RTBs, ensuring that they are best in class.   * Leads on day-to-day account workflow, governance, and WoW with support from Client Director.  * Be comfortable presenting work and ideas to both clients, external agency partners, and internally.  * Own key relationships with brand leads, agency partners, media owners  * Work with the Client Director & Client Lead to explore opportunities to drive revenue growth and innovation.  * Oversees implementation and delivery of media activation. Manages workflow through activation teams.  * Oversees campaign reporting, ensuring insight is clear and actionable.  * Oversees campaign evaluation (PCAs) with support of Planning Manager / Planning Exec.  * Oversight of financial aspects of account (billings, reconciliations, accruals, finance queries).  * To foresee and pro-actively resolve planning issues with the team leadership.  * Leads key media updates (landscape, trends, research, media owner updates).  * Build a deep understanding of the brand’s vertical, competition and their business, to understand the challenges and opportunities they face.  * Champions WPP services, and agency capabilities.  * Supports integrated WoW across media & creative adopting ‘The Power of & ‘mindset.  * Supports the use of agency tools and process across the team (e.g., &OS, &AI, MAP)  * Coach, support, and develop the Planning Manager and Planning Executive, with regular 1-2-1’s.   * Raise the profile of the account in the agency by producing, submitting, and publicly talking our work.  Skills and Experience  * You are someone who both champions and challenges – themselves, their team, and their clients.  * Significant and relevant media planning experience, especially across ATL.   * A self-starter who demonstrates curiosity and works well in a fast-paced environment.  * High attention to detail with a drive to make sure the collective output is an excellent standard.  * Strong client management skills to manage both junior and senior clients, with gravitas.  * Proven track record of delivering strong comms planning outputs - with measurement at the forefront - to deliver against core objectives of a campaign.  * Strong presentation skills – both in creating / guiding content, and delivery   * An in-depth knowledge and application of core media tools  * Experienced in running all aspects of a media plan – from initial brief to PCA.  * You are a good listener and able to collaborate with a wide cross section of people.  * You have a solid history of working across a range of projects, demonstrating your ability to be flexible and manage multiple workstreams at once.  * You exude the behaviours of the agency – we challenge and champion each other and our clients, to be the very best we can be.  Life at WPP Media & Benefits  Our passion for shaping the next era of media is powered by our commitment to Be Extraordinary, investing in our employees to inspire transformational creativity. We also Lead Optimistically, firmly believing in and Championing Growth and Development for 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.   We Create an Open environment built 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 read our Privacy Notice (https://www.wppmedia.com/pages/privacy-policy [https://www.wppmedia.com/pages/privacy-policy]) for more information on how we process the information you provide.   While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.   #LI-Promoted Please read our Privacy Notice [https://www.wppmedia.com/pages/privacy-policy#:~:text=WPP%20Media%20Privacy%20Notice%20for%20Recruitment] for more information on how we process the information you provide.