3189 - VP, Operations & Transformation - GCS

Role Summary and Impact

The VP, Operations & Transformation serves as a strategic partner to the EVPs of DTA within Global Client Solutions (GCS), acting as a force multiplier for the leadership team.

The role is responsible for driving operational effectiveness, organizational agility, strategic execution, and transformation initiatives across DTA-GCS, helping the organization scale its impact and improve how it prioritizes, plans, governs and delivers work.

The role reports directly into the EVP, Enablement, Global Clients, with dotted-line accountability to EVPs in DTA-GCS leadership. This structure ensures clear day-to-day ownership while enabling the broader DTA-GCS leadership team to direct time and focus toward shared priorities.

The role will ensure alignment across DTA-GCS and WPP DTS, as well as strategic capabilities in GCS and global client teams. It will help build the operating infrastructure, planning discipline, governance models and community engagement mechanisms required to improve DTA effectiveness in service of global client growth.

Core Responsibilities

DTA Operations & Organizational Effectiveness

• Drive operational effectiveness across DTA-GCS through scalable operating models, governance processes and organizational infrastructure.
• Establish and continually improve processes, engagement models, collateral, touchpoints, communications channels and feedback loops required to support GCS DTA effectiveness.
• Support resource management, workforce planning, organizational design, capacity visibility, onboarding frameworks and team effectiveness initiatives.
• Create visibility into organizational performance, accountabilities and execution against agreed priorities.
• Identify operational friction and implement sustainable ways of working that improve organizational agility and cross-functional collaboration.

Portfolio Management, Planning & Governance

• Maintain visibility across the DTA-GCS portfolio of strategic initiatives, programs and transformation priorities.
• Develop prioritization frameworks that align investment decisions, leadership focus and resource allocation to business objectives.
• Lead portfolio governance processes, executive reviews, dependency management, milestone tracking and decision follow-through.
• Partner with leadership on forecasting, budgeting, financial planning, KPI development and performance measurement.
• Identify portfolio risks, capacity constraints, resourcing gaps and decision points, and recommend mitigation plans.
• Develop executive reporting frameworks and dashboards that support informed decision-making.

Transformation & Change Leadership

• Support and lead strategic transformation programs across DTA-GCS as the business evolves.
• Partner across functions to design and implement scalable, sustainable processes, ways of working and engagement models.
• Drive adoption of new operating models and organizational improvements, ensuring clear ownership and accountability.
• Coordinate complex cross-functional initiatives requiring executive alignment, stakeholder management and disciplined execution.
• Translate strategic priorities into actionable plans, leadership rhythms and measurable outcomes.

Strategic Integration & Executive Leadership

• Act as a trusted advisor and thought partner to DTA-GCS leadership.
• Ensure central developments across offerings, product, data, technology and learning are translated and cascaded effectively within GCS DTA.
• Act as a bridge across the business to resolve organizational friction, accelerate alignment and improve strategic integration.
• Prepare executive briefings, leadership updates, decision papers and communications that support clarity and follow-through.
• Facilitate senior stakeholder alignment across DTA-GCS, WPP DTS, strategic capability leaders within GCS and global client teams.

Community & Culture Development

• Establish regular forums and spaces to share knowledge, learnings, best practices and operational updates across DTA-GCS.
• Spearhead and nurture the GCS DTA community development plan, including initiatives within discipline or craft collectives.
• Champion a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Use community engagement as a mechanism to improve adoption, alignment and organizational effectiveness in support of client growth.

Skills and Experience

This is not an administrative support role. It is a senior operational leadership and transformation role designed to increase the effectiveness, scale and impact of DTA-GCS.

The successful candidate will combine strategic thinking with hands-on execution, identifying opportunities to strengthen how the organization operates while driving measurable business outcomes.

The role is expected to think beyond any single function and contribute to broader DTA-GCS objectives through operational leadership, transformation, planning discipline and community-building.

Relevant Experience & Capabilities

• Strong experience in business operations, transformation, organizational effectiveness, strategic program management or a related operational leadership discipline.
• Ability to operate confidently with senior stakeholders, creating clarity in ambiguous situations and driving follow-through across complex, cross-functional priorities.
• Experience building governance models, operating rhythms, prioritization methods, reporting frameworks and scalable ways of working.
• Commercial and operational fluency, including comfort with resource planning, forecasting, budgeting inputs, KPI tracking and executive-level performance reporting.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to convert complex priorities into concise leadership materials and actionable plans.
• High judgement, discretion and resilience, with a bias toward practical execution and measurable impact.

Recommended headline objectives

• Establish a single DTA-GCS portfolio view with clear owners, priorities, milestones, risks and decision points.
• Create repeatable planning and operating rhythms for forecasting, budgeting inputs, resource planning and leadership reporting.
• Reduce operational friction by implementing agreed processes, governance and escalation mechanisms across priority workstreams.
• Improve leadership visibility into DTA-GCS execution, dependencies and capacity constraints.
• Strengthen DTA-GCS community engagement as a mechanism for adoption, knowledge-sharing and alignment.

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 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

Please read our Privacy Notice (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. 

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