Director, Pitch

About the Role:

As a Director, Growth, you will be a strategic leader responsible for driving the end-to-end execution of Tier 2 & 3 new business pitches and providing critical support and facilitation for Tier 1 pitches. You will own the development of compelling narratives, oversee the creation of high-impact deliverables, and manage cross-functional teams to deliver breakthrough solutions. This role requires a blend of strategic thinking, project management expertise, and strong leadership to cultivate winning teams and ensure all outputs meet WPP Media's rigorous standards of quality and innovation. You will mentor junior team members, optimize processes, and build enduring client relationships through exceptional pitch experiences.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Lead End-to-End Pitch Process for Tier 2 & 3 Pitches and Support Tier 1 Pitches:

• For Tier 2 & 3 pitches (with oversight), lead the day-to-day execution of key pitch phases including RFI/RFPs, written deliverables, and presentations with oversight from Group Directors.
• Drive the written deliverables, creative assets, and presentation content.
• Establish and define key workstreams and owners for all pitch phases, including the overall pitch team.
• Manage execution and deliver on objectives of overall pitch vision including iteration of the brief, synthesis of key client objectives, and balancing opportunity to go beyond the brief with resources and return on investment.
• For Tier 1 pitches, serve as a Driver: keeping teams on deadline, building project plans and timelines, and working with pitch team members to enforce those deadlines.
• Communicate roadblocks to leadership proactively.
• As a Facilitator, provide clear communications for all pitch team members, partner with pitch business leads to ensure they have what they need for workstreams, and provide strategic direction to Growth support team members.

2. Drive a Tailored, Compelling Pitch Narrative:

• For Tier 2 & 3 pitches, craft and maintain a strong, differentiated, and client-centric story for each opportunity.
• Tailor messaging to address client needs, market context, and competitive dynamics.
• Ensure the narrative is insight-led and reflects the best of WPP Media's capabilities.
• For Tier 1 pitches, thoroughly understand all elements required for the articulated narrative.
• Curate RD1 draft content responses to agency credentials, operating models, etc., from our library and from subject matter experts (SMEs), customizing for each opportunity.
• Build briefs for design team pitch theater and guide design teams for brainstorms, presentation of theater ideas, ensure feedback is incorporated following review, and pitch theater is executed flawlessly.
• Ensure all mandatories are met for tabletop setups in live meetings and all printed deliverables are proofed and inclusive of every attendee.

3. Integrate Teams Across the Organization:

• Establish points of alignment between disciplines across WPP Media workstreams.
• Drive the process with WPP Media cross-functional teams, pitch leads, and SMEs to ensure progress on all workstreams.
• Serve as primary point of contact for troubleshooting and facilitating information for team members.
• Provide ongoing, proactive communication to all pitch team members and review Growth support's draft for end-of-day, end-of-week status recaps for pitch team to ensure accuracy and clarity of communication.
• Develop strong relationships with WPP IAT growth leads to strongly present WPP Media in the overall story.
• Help WPP partner agency growth teams understand WPP Media processes and strategic and data inputs/outputs needed to successfully meet brief deliverables.

4. Manage Junior Level Team Members:

• Reinforce day-to-day priorities and manage junior team members supporting each pitch.
• Ensure their output is executed flawlessly (e.g., review work prior to distribution to pitch teams to ensure accuracy and thoroughness, meeting notes accurately capture the discussion, next steps, and owners are clearly included).
• Confirm correct team members are invited to pitches.
• Foster motivation and provide a role model for junior talent to illustrate best practices and a high-performance mindset.
• Reinforce a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

5. Contribute Feedback and Observations to Optimize Processes:

• Share learnings, recommendations, observations, and identification of new resources/vendors from the pitch process to inform future pitches and drive efficiencies with other growth team members.

6. Create Flawless, High-Impact Client Outputs:

• Create deliverables that are compelling, differentiated, and on-brand.
• Maintain the highest standards of quality, customization, and timeliness.
• Critique work in progress and collaborate with pitch team leads to ensure end outputs meet and exceed the expectations for "What Great Work Looks Like" (as defined by agency leadership), leveraging WPP Open OMS, OI, AI, and DPAM:
• Clear source of growth with quantified growth approach.
• Sophisticated audience strategy tied to audience insights.
• Impactful strategy with a fresh POV.
• Rigorous media plan with clear plan parameters, principles, and omnichannel recommendations.
• Flawless activation tightly connected to business outcomes and strategy.
• Connected measurement plan holistically linked to business outcomes and strategy.
• Breakthrough and original content ideas and media innovation.

7. Manage Multiple Opportunities:

• Balance shifting priorities and timelines to successfully work across multiple pitch opportunities and different stages of deliverables as needed.
• Maintain composure and clarity under pressure, meeting and juggling deadlines without sacrificing quality.
• Flag any resourcing issues and roadblocks from teams to allow leadership to triage and course-correct.
• Be comfortable and adept at joining pitches at any stage - assessing needs and proactively addressing gaps with pitch leads and oversight managers, establishing trust with pitch team as a competent partner, and adding value to outputs.

8. Champion Our Growth Culture:

• Model our pitch principles in every engagement: growth obsession, respectful challenge, trailblazing thinking, collaboration, and accountability.
• Create an enjoyable, energizing experience for all pitch participants for Tier 2 & 3 pitches and reinforce efforts from leadership to create the same for Tier 1.
• Maintain a "glass half-full" high-performance mindset, even in high-pressure situations.

9. Support Global Collaboration:

• Support Group Directors on global new business pitches and provide connectivity to Global Growth colleagues during active pitches with open communication and updates.
• Ensure local market nuances are represented in pitch content.