Manager, Solutions Planning

3085 - Manager, Solutions Planning

Job Description: Solutions Planning, Account Manager

Title: Solutions Planning, Account Manager
Location: Manchester
Reporting to: Solutions Planning, (Senior) Account Manager

About WPP Media Solutions

WPP Media Solutions sits at the heart of WPP’s media, data, technology, and performance ecosystem, bringing together best-in-class planning, activation, data, and commerce capabilities to solve complex client growth challenges. Working across WPP’s agency brands and specialist units, Media Solutions is designed to deliver integrated, future-proofed media strategies that are people-first, privacy-safe, and outcomes-driven.

In 2026, WPP Media Solutions continues to lead the industry in applying AI-enabled planning, advanced measurement, and cross-channel innovation to help brands connect with audiences in meaningful, measurable ways.

Role Overview

Are you a media planner looking to elevate your strategic impact across cutting-edge media channels? The Solutions Planning Account Manager is a key strategic position designed for an ambitious media planner or comms planning manager who thrives on translating complex agency briefs into high-performing, data-led media strategies.

In this role, you will bridge strategic media planning with client delivery—acting as the key media advisor across the WPP agency network. You will be responsible for interrogating client briefs, unlocking audience insights, crafting compelling cross-channel media plans across ADOOH, ATV, and Programmatic, and overseeing execution to ensure campaigns deliver against core business outcomes.

This role is ideal for someone with strong media agency planning experience who excels at strategic storytelling, cross-channel strategy, and driving operational excellence while mentoring junior planners.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Briefing & Media Planning: Lead the brief-to-plan response process. Interrogate client briefs, interrogate data, and translate brand objectives into innovative, multi-channel media strategies (ADOOH, ATV, Programmatic) backed by robust data rationale and clear strategic narratives.
• Client & Agency Strategic Partnership: Act as the strategic planning liaison and primary point of contact for assigned agency teams. Build trusted relationships, manage expectations on campaign deliverables, guide media selection, and lead Post-Campaign Analysis (PCA) presentations to showcase strategic effectiveness.
• Audience Insights & Data Application: Leverage data partners, audience segmentation tools, and platform insights to identify target brand audiences, optimize channel selection, and build effective planning frameworks.
• Campaign Delivery Oversight: Translate approved strategic plans into execution. Partner closely with the Activation team to ensure flawless setup, ongoing optimization, alignment with original strategic objectives, and swift resolution of operational queries.
• Measurement & Effectiveness: Collaborate with Solutions Design and Development to embed measurement frameworks (brand lift, econometric modelling, attribution) into strategic plans, ensuring seamless asset collection and actionable post-campaign reporting.
• Revenue & Pipeline Awareness: Monitor and manage your agency group’s strategic media pipeline. Track incoming briefs, identify incremental planning opportunities, flag spend adjustments and drive commercial growth.
• Financial Management: Oversee the commercial administration of campaign bookings, guiding Account Associates through financial reconciliations and resolving billing queries alongside the finance team.
• Agency Engagement & Thought Leadership: Represent WPP Media Solutions in agency surgeries, status meetings, and educational workshops. Work with your manager and peers to educate agency teams on media planning best practices and new product capabilities.
• Line Management & Upskilling: Line manage, mentor, and set clear, measurable KPIs for Account Associates. Foster a supportive culture focused on media planning best practices, continuous learning, and operational accuracy.

Experience & Qualifications

• Proven Media Planning Background: 3+ years of experience in a media agency, digital agency, or specialist planning role (e.g., Media Planner, Comms Planner, Strategic Digital Account Manager).
• Cross-Channel Knowledge: Deep understanding of the UK media ecosystem, with hands-on experience planning digital or emerging channels—specifically ADOOH, ATV, and Programmatic.
• Briefing & Strategy Skills: Proven track record of taking complex media briefs and turning them into clear, persuasive media responses and media decks.
• Line Management / Mentorship: Prior experience managing direct reports or mentoring junior team members in planning workflows is preferred.

Core Competencies & Skills

• Strategic & Data-Led Thinking: Ability to leverage audience data, consumer insights, and media toolsets to justify strategic recommendations and channel allocations.
• Communication & Strategic Storytelling: Articulate writer and confident presenter capable of packaging strategic ideas and data into compelling decks for agency partners and senior stakeholders.
• Technical & Planning Proficiency: Highly proficient in Excel and PowerPoint. Familiarity with media planning software, research tools (e.g., TGI, GWI, YouGov), and workflow systems (e.g., Mediaocean, Salesforce) is a strong advantage.
• Attention to Detail: Meticulous approach to booking accuracy, pipeline tracking, financial reconciliation, and plan execution.
• Commercial & Pipeline Awareness: Aptitude for tracking pipeline growth, forecasting spend, and identifying upsell/cross-sell strategic media opportunities.
• Initiative & Resilience: A proactive team player who thrives in a fast-paced ecosystem, taking ownership of project delivery from concept to post-analysis.

Life at WPP Media & Benefits

Our passion for shaping the next era of media includes investing in our employees to help them do their best work, and we’re just as committed to employee growth as we are to responsible media investment. WPP Media employees can tap into the global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, grow their networks, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising. We have a variety of employee resource groups and host frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events.

Our benefits include 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 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. 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.

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 for more information on how we process the information you provide.