Develop, evolve and champion our market-leading Paid Search proposition

• Define and own the strategic vision for Paid Search across the relevant client portfolio and team, ensuring our approach remains industry-leading, commercially differentiated and aligned to evolving client, consumer and platform behaviours.
• Own channel excellence for the team, setting clear standards for planning, activation, optimisation, governance, testing, measurement, reporting and client-facing recommendations.
• Support the development and execution of the Paid Search proposition and product strategy and roadmap, including new services, frameworks, operating models and best practice approaches that can scale across clients and MM&D UK.
• Champion the use of AI, automation and technology-enabled solutions in a scalable way, developing innovative client-specific solutions that create competitive advantage and unlock new growth opportunities.
• Ensure the team remains at the forefront of innovation across Google, Microsoft, retail media, social search, search marketplaces, emerging search engines and AI-driven search experiences.
• Translate broader client business challenges into Paid Search strategies that address growth, profitability, customer acquisition, demand generation, retention, conversion, market share and customer experience objectives.
• Build proactive growth plans for the client portfolio they are accountable for, identifying opportunities for incremental revenue, scope expansion, product adoption, innovation pilots and strategic transformation.
• Embed a proactive client culture where teams consistently identify opportunities to surprise and delight clients through innovation, improved performance, insight-led thinking, stronger narratives and market-leading recommendations.
• Partner closely with SEO, Content, Digital PR, Analytics, Commerce, Audience and wider media teams to create integrated search solutions that maximise visibility, relevance and performance across the full customer journey.
• Support the evolution of Integrated Search and the broader Total Search approach, connecting Paid Search, Organic Search, content strategy, AI search optimisation and measurement into a more joined-up client proposition.
• Contribute to wider MM&D UK delivery initiatives, narratives and workstreams, ensuring Paid Search thinking is represented in agency-wide transformation, operational improvement, product development and thought leadership activity.
• Work effectively with media partners such as Google, Microsoft and emerging search technologies to deepen capability, secure access to innovation, shape relevant POVs and translate partner developments into client value.
• Bring together the appropriate specialists to ensure the development of appropriate client-specific measurement, attribution and technology solutions that solve paid search challenges and deliver measurable commercial outcomes.
• Cooperate with wider WPP Media teams to elevate search standards, advance the Paid Search practice, shape the search agenda and support delivery of priority initiatives.

Client strategy, proactivity and commercial growth

• Act as a senior strategic advisor to client stakeholders, helping them understand how Paid Search can support broader business goals rather than operating as a standalone media channel.
• Lead teams to interrogate client business context, market dynamics, customer behaviour, competitive pressure and commercial objectives, turning those inputs into ambitious but credible Paid Search strategies.
• Ensure clients receive a gold standard product experience that is strategically progressive, data and technology led, commercially grounded and delivered in line with our product narrative.
• Cultivate strong client relationships by providing exceptional operational output, clear strategic direction, proactive recommendations and a strong sense of ownership across every account.
• Identify opportunities for growth across the Paid Search market and within the client portfolio, including new products, new scopes, automation-led efficiencies, performance improvement opportunities and integrated search propositions.
• Identify and lead opportunities to expand Paid Search into broader Integrated Search and Total Search engagements, connecting SEO, Content, Digital PR, Analytics and wider media capabilities to solve client challenges and drive measurable business outcomes.
• Ensure commercial objectives are fulfilled, including income growth, profitability, scope management, accurate forecasting and effective finance processes that reduce risk of write-offs, overspends and avoidable queries.
• Lead Paid Search input into new business activity, codifying processes and reusable narratives that strengthen pitch quality, differentiation and conversion.
• Support the creation of compelling client narratives that explain the role of Paid Search in a Total Search context. Considering a modern search behaviour, integrated planning, AI-enabled discovery, performance growth and customer decision-making.

Delivery excellence, governance and operational standards

• Implement best practice across the department by identifying, improving and rolling out processes that raise delivery quality, efficiency, consistency and client confidence.
• Use automation and new technologies to enhance workflow systems, reduce manual effort, improve QA, support faster insight generation and increase the strategic value of team outputs.
• Ensure teams apply robust QA, governance, data security, privacy and risk mitigation standards across all clients and delivery processes.
• Work closely with data and analytics teams to develop sophisticated reporting and measurement frameworks that provide clients with actionable insight, clear performance narratives and business-focused recommendations.
• Maintain strong working relationships with cross-functional and central teams across the agency, ensuring Paid Search is effectively integrated into wider media planning, performance strategy and client transformation programmes.
• Work across MM&D UK to ensure Paid Search is connected into overall marketing strategy, client operating models and agency-wide delivery priorities.
• Act as the point of contact between partners and clients, ensuring clients have appropriate access to support, strategic direction, innovation opportunities and senior escalation routes when required.

Industry leadership, reputation and thought leadership

• Represent WPP Media at industry events, conferences, seminars and partner forums to showcase thought leadership and strengthen the agency's reputation in Paid Search and modern search.
• Work in partnership with platforms and industry partners to ensure the agency has an ever-evolving search POV that is practical, differentiated and useful for clients.
• Develop thought leadership, POVs, case studies, award entries and client-facing narratives that demonstrate the strategic value of Paid Search, Integrated Search and Total Search.
• Submit and win award entries by identifying exceptional work, shaping strong effectiveness stories and encouraging teams to recognise and codify excellence.

Skills and Experience

We are looking for candidates who are self-starters, commercially minded and motivated by the opportunity to push the boundaries of Paid Search. Successful candidates will combine deep technical expertise with strategic leadership, strong client judgement, operational rigour and the ability to inspire teams to deliver exceptional work.

It is essential that you have:

• Expert-level Paid Search knowledge across Google, Microsoft and broader search ecosystems, with an understanding of emerging search environments, retail media, marketplaces and AI-led discovery behaviours.
• A