Business Director, Media Planning & Strategy FTC

Location: City Of Westminster

ABOUT

THE ROLE We're looking for an experienced Business Director to join our media planning and strategy team on a fixed-term contract to cover maternity leave. This is a senior client leadership role where you'll take commercial and strategic ownership of two high-profile accounts, working as an embedded partner to drive their growth and deliver exceptional results.

You'll lead all aspects of the client relationship - from strategic counsel and commercial management to team leadership and agency coordination. Reporting to the Head of Planning and working closely with our CIO and MD, you'll be responsible for the client performance, strategic direction, and day to day excellence of these accounts.

This is an opportunity to step into a genuine client leadership role within a fast-growing independent agency, where your impact will be visible and your expertise valued.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Client Leadership & Strategic Partnership

• Act as the primary senior client lead and strategic partner, working as an extension of the client's leadership team
• Spend regular time embedded in the client's office, building deep, trusted relationships at senior levels
• Lead regular one to one meetings with C suite and senior stakeholders to manage priorities, performance, and partnership health
• Provide proactive strategic counsel, translating business challenges into media solutions
• Challenge briefs constructively and educate clients on market trends, innovations, and opportunities
• Own all senior client communications, ensuring clarity, confidence, and strategic thinking at all times
• Champion Walk In's point of view and represent the agency as a thought leader in the market (as and when applicable)

Commercial Ownership

• Own the commercial performance and P&L for your accounts, including revenue growth
• Lead client forecasting, ensuring accuracy and financial governance
• Drive commercial conversations with clients
• Identify and convert upsell opportunities, expanding scope and deepening client investment
• Maintain commercial alignment between client expectations and agency delivery capabilities
• Report on financial performance and business health to senior leadership

Strategy & Planning Excellence

• Design and deliver impactful, effective communications strategies that align to client business objectives
• Lead strategic planning across the full media ecosystem - paid, earned, and owned - ensuring integration and coherence
• Ensure all strategies are insight led, data driven, measurable, and translated clearly into activation plans
• Own monthly, quarterly and annual strategic reviews, providing clear senior level narrative on performance, learnings, and forward priorities
• Lead econometric reviews and effectiveness analyses, translating insights into actionable recommendations that drive performance
• Champion test and learn programmes and innovation, bringing proactive thinking and future focused solutions to clients

Integrated Agency Leadership

• Lead communications and coordination across all agency partners, acting as the senior point of contact
• Establish aligned ways of working, clear roles and responsibilities, and strong cross agency collaboration
• Act as the escalation point for issues, proactively resolving challenges to maintain momentum and trust
• Oversee end to end delivery across communications planning, activation, and ongoing optimisation
• Lead responses to briefs and RFPs, coordinating input from investment, specialist, and partner teams
• Own audit processes and responses, ensuring robust preparation, clear storytelling, and strong outcomes

New Business & Growth

• Lead pitch processes and contribute to credentials presentations, representing Walk In's strategic capabilities
• Identify and develop new business opportunities within existing accounts and the broader market
• Support the agency's new business strategy and act as an ambassador for Walk In in industry forums and events
• Share case studies, learnings, and best practices to strengthen Walk In's market position

Team Leadership & Development

• Line manage two Senior Account Managers and provide oversight of Account Executives across both clients
• Manage workflow, resource allocation, and team performance to deliver collective goals
• Mentor and develop direct reports, providing regular feedback, coaching, and career development support
• Create learning opportunities and share knowledge openly across the team
• Support recruitment and onboarding of new team members
• Lead by example, demonstrating excellence in client service, strategic thinking, and commercial acumen
• Champion Walk In's values and foster a collaborative, solution focused team culture

The Head of Planning will support your development through regular 1:1s, providing guidance on client work, team management, and your personal career progression.

ABOUT YOU & YOUR EXPERIENCE Essential:

• Proven track record as a trusted senior partner and strategic advisor to clients, with demonstrable impact on business outcomes
• Expert in designing impactful, effective communications strategies…