3135 - Associate Director, Creative Strategy – Sports & Entertainment - UK

Role Summary and Impact

WPP Media is the UK’s biggest media agency network. More clients choose to work with us than anyone else in the UK. This success is delivered via a clear, client centric vision – to be the most trusted growth partner for brands.

WPP Media: Sports & Entertainment is our dedicated practice focused on the development of brand partnerships, sponsorships, branded entertainment and socially driven content solutions for brands. We work with the biggest and most impactful brands, platforms, IP, rights holders, talent and creators to drive our work.

We passionately believe that Sports and Entertainment make modern culture. Across sport, music, fashion, gaming and entertainment, they fuel the communities and fandoms that drive audiences and power brand differentiation. The vision of our 100+ dedicated craft experts is simple – We make brands epic in culture.  

The Associate Director, Creative Strategy is a senior role within WPP Media Sports & Entertainment. Reporting to the Director, Creative Strategy, you will sit at the intersection of human insight, cultural trends, and entertainment. Your primary mission is to turn brand objectives into culturally impactful ideas that deliver growth for our clients.

This role bridges strategic ambition and day-to-day execution. You will be confident navigating the entire process: taking complex client briefs, developing channel-agnostic creative strategies, leading idea development alongside creative teams, and guiding those ideas as they come to life.

As an important member of the team, you will take meaningful ownership of client relationships, actively contribute to organic growth, and mentor and manage junior strategists, acting as a trusted, day-to-day strategic partner for both internal specialist disciplines and external client teams.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Insight Generation

• Lead the development of powerful, insight-driven creative strategies that inform clear creative territories for brands.
• Uncover deep insights across consumer behavior, cultural shifts, and connection channels to unlock new opportunities.
• Reframe a brand's role in the world—moving it from a product people buy to a cultural story they want to actively participate in.
• Integrate Creative Strategy expertise seamlessly within the wider media Planning process.

Creative Development & Collaboration

• Work closely with creative, partnership, and specialist teams to develop high-quality, channel-agnostic ideas that deliver cultural impact and commercial outcomes.
• Create the optimal conditions for creative ideas to flourish, supporting teams as they bring concepts to life.
• Connect client briefs to culturally relevant platforms, talent, rights holders, broadcasters, and creators.
• Stay at the forefront of emerging cultural trends, social platforms, and technologies (e.g., WPP Open) to keep our strategic output cutting-edge.

Client & Account Leadership

• Take senior day-to-day ownership of strategic accounts, building trusted, consultative relationships with key client contacts.
• Act as a specialist advisor to clients, helping them navigate opportunities across sport, music, gaming, fashion, and entertainment.
• Deliver compelling client presentations and pitches, articulating complex strategic narratives with ease and confidence.
• Partner with Client Directors to identify opportunities for organic business growth, upselling, and expanded scopes of work.

Team Management & Upskilling

• You will mentor, and support the wider department’s team members, providing clear direction, constructive feedback, and career growth support.
• Foster a collaborative, creative, and strategically rigorous team culture.
• Upskill and train the wider agency team on core strategic competencies, such as insight generation, territory development, and brief writing.

Skills and Experience

• Experience in creative strategy, brand planning, or partnership planning within an agency, media owner, sports, or entertainment business.
• End-to-End Strategic Prowess: Proven experience taking a project from the initial client brief, through deep insight and strategic territory mapping, to creative execution.
• Cultural Native: A deep understanding of and passion for the branded entertainment, sport, gaming, and cultural marketing landscape.
• Collaborative Mindset: Strong collaborative skills to deliver multidisciplinary, integrated campaigns alongside diverse internal and external teams.
• People Management: Experience managing or mentoring junior team members with a genuine commitment to helping others develop.
• Communication & Storytelling: Exceptional client-facing skills, with a track record of presenting complex strategic concepts clearly and persuasively.
• What Success Looks Like
• Impactful Work: Your client portfolio consistently delivers highly innovative, channel-agnostic creative strategies that generate real cultural buzz.
• Trusted Advisory: Clients value you as a vital, senior day-to-day strategic partner, resulting in strong retention and expanded scopes of work.
• Team Growth: The junior strategists and executives under your guidance are visibly progressing in their strategic craft, confidence, and output.
• Internal Leadership: You are recognised as a core driver of creative and strategic excellence within the WPP Media Sports & Entertainment network.

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 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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