Planning Director

BRAND: Zenith UK
Job Function: Client Management
Location: London, United Kingdom
Experience Level: Specialist
Workplace Type: Hybrid

Company description

We help brands make BOLD MOVES

Nowadays, brands want rapid, spectacular growth and they expect media to deliver it.

Clients used to give us media briefs that said "deliver 80% awareness" or "give me an impactful Christmas campaign."

Now we hear

"Take me from 4th to 1st in my category"

"Help me grow 10% in a market declining 10%"

"Make me the most loved brand in my industry"

These are huge asks of media, that can't be met through tweaking the media plan of two years ago.

Decades of advertising research prove that without a big change, large brands stay large and small brands stay small.

This is why Zenith help brands make BOLD MOVES.

Bold moves are big, brave changes to media strategy, delivering more impact for brands and more value for consumers.

Bold moves are backed up with a solid forecast - they are a better path to growth.

Bold moves build a partnership - we believe in this approach so much we link our growth to your success.

Bold Moves bring bigger ROI

This approach works for our clients, our people and consumers - it's why we are recognised as the UK's best media agency.

Our Commitment
At Zenith UK, we believe that fostering an inclusive culture where all talent can thrive makes our company stronger. It enables a greater idea exchange, which fosters innovation and creativity, and enriches our perspective. We are committed to Publicis Groupe's wide variety of talent engagement and inclusion programming, and encourage our people to take an active role in continuing to drive positive change within our agency.

Overview

The client is one of Europe's leading entertainment and communications companies, offering an unparalleled range of services including TV, broadband, and mobile across multiple markets. Working on this account provides an incredible opportunity to collaborate with a brand known for innovation and impact in the media landscape.

As part of this team, you'll play a key role in shaping the client's media strategy, contributing to campaigns that reach millions of households, and supporting a brand with deep roots in both entertainment and technological advancements. You'll have the chance to work on high-profile projects across a range of media channels, helping the client continue to lead in content, sports, and connectivity across Europe.

Responsibilities

As a Planning Director specialising in Entertainment, you will be responsible for overseeing the development and execution of high-level media strategies across multiple clients, ensuring alignment with business goals and long-term growth. As part of this role, you will work across the client's entertainment portfolio spanning premium TV, streaming and theatrical releases. This includes globally recognised and culturally impactful titles and truly exciting brands to be involved with, offering a rare opportunity to shape campaigns for some of the most talked-about content in the industry.

Within Entertainment, we have the opportunity to think beyond the conventional, pushing boundaries, challenging the normal, and bringing real sparkle and creativity to our plans. The role involves deep collaboration with clients to shape their marketing vision, fostering strong relationships with media partners, and maintaining oversight of budget allocations and performance. A Planning Director is also instrumental in identifying new opportunities for growth, driving thought leadership, and championing best-in-class planning standards.

You will also:

• Lead strategic media planning across high-profile clients, ensuring all campaigns are aligned with broader business objectives.
• Collaborate with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to integrate media strategies into broader marketing efforts.
• Manage and mentor a team of planners, providing guidance and fostering professional development.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients and media partners to drive innovation and deliver impactful media solutions.

Qualifications

• Media Strategy Development: Extensive experience in creating multi-channel media strategies across digital, TV, OOH, print, and audio, aligned with client objectives.
• Client-Focused Media Planning: Ability to turn client briefs into effective media plans that optimise audience reach and campaign performance.
• Media Data & Analytics: Proficient in tools like TGI, Nielsen, and Google Analytics to inform strategies and monitor performance.
• Team Leadership: Proven leadership in mentoring media planning teams, ensuring flawless execution and continuous improvement.
• Integrated Campaign Management: Skilled in managing cross-channel campaigns from strategy to execution, ensuring cohesion and effectiveness.
• Media Budget Management: Experience in handling large media budgets, maximising ROI while maintaining financial accountability.
• Cross-Channel Collaboration: Strong ability to collaborate with buying, activation, and performance teams to ensure integrated and seamless execution.
• Campaign Optimization: Deep knowledge of media metrics (CPM, CPA, etc.) to track, optimise, and report on campaign performance.
• Industry Knowledge: Up-to-date with media trends, including programmatic and data-driven targeting, applying innovations in strategies.
• Vendor & Partner Relationships: Skilled in negotiating with media vendors to secure advantageous rates and valuable opportunities.
• Stakeholder Communication: Excellent at presenting media plans, results, and insights to clients and internal teams effectively.

Additional information

Zenith UK has fantastic benefits on offer to all of our employees, full details of which are shared when you join. This includes the classics like Pension, Life Assurance, Private Medical, as well as Reflection Days, Shared Parental Leave, and spans other initiatives like:

Please check out the Publicis Career Page which showcases our Inclusive Benefits and our EAG's (Employee Action Groups).

At Zenith UK, we are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, disability, age, citizenship, relationship status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic.

We are committed to providing a fair, accessible, and inclusive recruitment process. If you have any access needs - for example, related to disability, neurodivergence, or a health condition - please let us know. We'll work with you to ensure the process works for you. Sharing this information will never impact your application.

Guided by our values, we listen with empathy, uplift each other, take responsibility, and embrace change - building a culture where everyone feels seen, respected, and genuinely included.

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