WPP Media, Associate Director, Japan

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.
 

Associate Director

Description

This role forms a key part of the Mindsahre Japan Leadership Team. The Client Leader will be responsible for working collaboratively with local, regional and global colleagues to deliver best in class service and delivery to the several clients.

Leading the client relationship and maintenance of the quality of contracted services, lobbying additional assignments as well as developing an appetite for and building revenues from out-of-scope offerings and value add services for the assigned client are also a part of this role and collaborate to work with senior management. Additionally, it is expected to work on the new business pitch with the collaboration work with the regional and global teams in Mindshare networks as well as WPP agencies.

Finally ensuring commitments made to clients are specific and deliverable, ideally exceeded!

3 best things about the job:

1. Opportunity to have the partner relationship with well-known global clients
2. Key strategic role in Mindshare’s business and being a part of Japan's leadership
3. Exposure with regional and global teams across Mindshare network and WPP agencies 

Measures of success:

In three months,

• Gained the respect of your team, leadership team and Mindshare Global / Regional teams
• Created relationships with key clients
• Set your own agenda and roadmap for media

In six months,

• Met revenue and client satisfaction targets
• Ensured that each member of the team can successfully followed up on their professional growth plan

In twelve months,

• Optimized the team structure / responsibility as required
• Be described as our clients’ lead business partner across the assigned accounts

Objectives

• Lead a brand with services scope focused on communications planning and offline + online media campaign implementation management, by leveraging performance data analytics and your digital expertise.
• Define the strategic approach on the account to meet the client’s business objectives and strategies and oversees the implementation of the annual planning as well as the implementation approach in conjunction with the client team
• Support management for the profitable and efficient running of each account through the allocation of resources, process and systems across the portfolio.

Client Management

• Anticipate the client’s needs and set up internal process to meet / exceed them
• Own the end to end client interaction and engagement to ensure the long term success of the relationship

Operational Excellence

• Collaborate with global and regional teams and cascade clear understanding of strategic principles, guidelines and deliverables to the team
• Manage team to ensure deliverables are met the client expectations
• Improve interfaces between planning, buying and digital teams within Mindshare and wider GroupM teams

People Leadership

• Identify, retain and develop talents at all levels in order to effectively deliver to the customer with operational excellence within the team.
• Manage and develop the team individually and collectively
• Maintain high level of motivation throughout team members

Qualifications and Requirements

• 7+ years of senior management experience
• Bachelor’s degree in a business, numerical or analytical degree
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, ability and flexibility to manage both local and global stakeholders
• Ability to influence and manage key client stakeholders (media managers)
• Demonstrable people management experience gained within a matrix management structure and specific capability at developing and sharing knowledge and developing team(s) and resource capabilities
• Bilingual preferred with fluency in English.
  
  More about Mindshare

We were born in Asia in 1997, a start up with a desire to change the media world. Now we are a global agency with more than 7,000 employees in 116 offices across 86 countries, operating as one team - #teammindshare. We believe that in today’s world, everything begins and ends in media. We aim to be our clients’ lead business partner, to grow their business, and drive profitability through adaptive and inventive marketing. We do this through speed, teamwork and provocation and by operating as a network of networks rather than a rigid hierarchy. We create new things and have fun doing it. Whenever and wherever you join us, you open a door to opportunities in any and of all aspects of media, technology and innovation. We will support you, recognize you and reward you, making Mindshare the place where you do the best work of your career.

Mindshare APAC has won 500 awards in the last year alone, including “Agency Network of the Year 2017” by both the MMA SMARTIES™ and Campaign Asia for the fifth and third consecutive year, respectively. Mindshare is part of GroupM, the media investment management arm of WPP, the world’s leading communications services group. To learn more about Mindshare and our philosophy of Original Thinking, visit us at mindshareworld.com and follow us on Twitter @mindshareand facebook.com/mindshareapac and linkedin.com/company/mindshare.

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.

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