OUR COMPANY

Initiative celebrates diversity in an inclusive environment where all of our 6,000+ strong talent across 90+ markets feel seen, heard, and valued. Our vision is to create not only a better media company, but also a better media industry, and maybe even a better world.

We believe in the power of media to reshape our industry and orchestrate a brand’s entire consumer experience, by balancing both what unites people and what makes them different. When brands unite people in culture, they build Fame, and when brands connect individuals to their unique journeys, they build customer Flow. Media responsibility is at the forefront of everything we do, whether it’s creating media plans that reflect the diversity of our communities, promote brand safety, and foster sustainability.

Our agency celebrates diversity in an inclusive environment where all of our 6,000+ strong talent across 90+ markets feel seen, heard, and valued. Our vision is to create not only a better media company, but also a better media industry, and maybe even a better world.

We make a promise to our people that we double down on seeing, celebrating & elevating all the things that make you, uniquely you. And just as we do for our brands and clients, we connect our people to the journeys that matter in building a meaningful career.

There are four I’s in Initiative and these represent our core values and behaviors.

➢ INDIVID[YOU]ALITY – you bring your genuine and unique self to and into the work, every day.

➢ INSTINCT – you’re tuned in and armed with intelligence; you have a bias for action – shit happens when you’re around.

➢ IMAGINATION – your ability to imagine and bring to life the ideas, solutions, and the future of Initiative, makes us THE create media agency in the world.

➢ IMPACT! – you care deeply about the impact you have on our clients, their customers, our community, the media landscape and our world at large.

DISCIPLINE OVERVIEW:

Initiative is building the most streamlined and integrated Partnerships teams in the industry. We do not operate in silos. As such, our best and brightest Partnerships leaders from both Traditional and Digital backgrounds are charged with leading the Partnerships teams and delivering on the following:

• Marketplace landscape experts internally and with clients.
• All media partner evaluation, selection and recommendations leveraging strategic/ consumer insights, marketplace insights, and Initiative’s proprietary partner selection data and toolsets.
• Strategic partnership solutions, negotiation/go‐to-market strategies, and audience—focused strategies, designed to deliver on client objectives and KPIs.
• Innovation and emerging partner test opportunities to drive client KPIs.
• Support MAGNA aggregate negotiations across all media channels

• Support and facilitate IPG Mediabrands corporate, agency and external media initiatives

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Group Director, Partnerships is a senior client leadership role, managing client media spends across the specialist group in the Investment team. The GD must act as the buying leader for Initiative clients, driving collaboration, excellence and quality of product across all channels to deliver the most strategic, holistic, and integrated investment solutions. This role is also responsible for seeking partnership opportunities outside of paid media across all channels.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Client

• Partner with Initiative Strategy, Analytics and Business leaders to build outstanding relationships with clients based on trust, advocacy in the marketplace and a clear understanding of clients’ business objectives.
• Articulate and synthesize various trends and behaviors emerging in the marketplace to ensure our teams make them real in recommendations to clients.
• Elevate media partner relationships to drive client opportunities, first looks, break through barriers, etc.

Internal

• Inspire teams to push boundaries and exhibit the core behaviors of Initiative
• Establish an environment of collaboration and teamwork among disparate groups
• Ensure every specialist team is regularly applying best in class tools and processes to deliver recommendations that drive client KPI’s and business objectives
• Facilitate “intelligent investment” techniques across partner evaluation, partnership development, negotiation, and stewardship, in order to deliver maximum strategic value and efficiency.
• Institute stewardship / optimization techniques to drive constant and regular improvement.

• Act as a catalyst for innovation & experimentation that drives cutting edge Investment solutions.
• Develop CREATIVE, cross-channel partnership solutions, amplified across all PAID, OWNED and EARNED environments
• Employ audience-focused strategies that leverage IPG’s proprietary data and technology (e.g., AMP, programmatic) across media channels.
• Educate your teams and your peers through formal Initiative training and via peer to peer training programs.
• Encourage/facilitate rotation / training process that ensures that qualified young Partnerships professionals spend meaningful periods working across all disciplines within investment
• Facilitate self-education through industry events, cross-training and rotational opportunities, and regular consumption and dialogue around industry news and developments.

Commercial

• Support and facilitate all Initiative and IPG MB new business, revenue and industry initiatives
• Facilitate organic growth opportunities with current clients not only for Initiative, but across IPG MB
• Provide Partnerships support for various New Business pitches, from authoring RFP submissions to developing and presenting cross-channel solutions to prospective clients.
• Support and collaborate with all MB SBU’s for maximum effectiveness and seamless integration onto client business
• Support MAGNA aggregate negotiations across all media channels
• New Business
• Provide Partnerships support for various New Business pitches, from authoring RFP submissions to developing and presenting cross-channel solutions to prospective clients
• Oversee pricing exercises

Prioritization:

• 65% Client
• 15% Internal

• 15% Commercial
• 5% New Business

Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s):

• Client
• Drives innovation and thought leaderships for client(s)
• Contributes an integrated, cross-channel POV and seeks ways to extract value for clients beyond paid media
• Actively presents recommendations and handles client challenges
• Excellent media marketplace, negotiation and landscape guidance

• Internal
• Inspire teams to develop brilliant work in a collaborative working environment
• Partner with MAGNA to lead strategic marketplace strategy, cost projections and identify key partners
• Institute stewardship / optimization techniques to drive constant and regular improvement.
• Participates in agency and external personal growth & education initiatives including providing learning opportunities for the team
• Positive collaboration partner to MB SBU's
• Commercial
• Supports and delivers on MAGNA agency-wide media partnership targets
• Manages client efficiency goals
• Ensures and advocates for agency partner relationships

• SBU spending target budget is met or exceeded
• New Business (for Director level and up)
• Positive leadership and contribution to New Business Pitches

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Significant experience in media partnerships roles
  
• Several years experience managing and developing large staffs across multiple teams
• Strong operational capabilities
• Passion for and experience with instituting go to market structure and approach
• Experience developing solutions for clients with an understanding of the unique (and combined) roles played by different channels within an overall communications solution
• Strong media marketplace knowledge and understanding of what drives the most successful agreements between media partners, clients and agencies
• High level sales and marketing relationships with all major media partners
• Ability to build strong, trust-based relationships with clients, to make an impact on their business, and to showcase the talent and accomplishments of your entire team(s)
• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills
• Exceptional management, organizational and responsiveness skills
• Proven ability to develop and maintain strong professional relationships with clients, colleagues and vendors
• Experience in Marketing, Advertising or Media
• Experience in leading, managing and developing staff
• Ability to drive projects from conception to completion; project management experience
• Background in consulting, marketing, advertising or integrated communications
• Strong leader, presenter and packager of opportunities
• Strong commercial acumen

THE PERKS

We guarantee that your career with us will be varied and exciting. Every day in this fast paced environment presents a different challenge and if you work smart and are the best at what you do, your time here will produce endless possibilities for your future.

You will get our support in developing your skills at every step of your career journey with us. Your manager will help you create a tailored career path and through our in-house experts, and online performance management and learning and development tool, you will have access to a wide range of internal and external courses. In addition to this there are always plenty of internal sessions on the latest developments in the industry, e-learning courses, bite-size learning sessions and on the job training and development.

We aim to provide all of our people with a supportive and fun work environment where you can develop your full potential and benefit from the broad range of opportunities within the agency both in the UK and globally.

When you join us, we want to make sure you feel valued – and that you are rewarded for your fantastic work. So we also offer a range of benefits:

• Unlimited annual leave (subject to manager approval)
• Group Income Protection (after 2 years’ service)
• Life Assurance
• Private Medical Insurance or Health Cash Plan (dependent on level)
• Group Personal Pension Plan with matched contributions from 3-6%
• Electric Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme
• Core Hours (Mon-Thurs, flexible start/finish times)

• Early finish Fridays
• Generous Maternity & Paternity Pay
• Wellbeing programme, including subsidised monthly massages
• Paid time off for Volunteering
• Independent mortgage advice
• Financial education
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Interest free season ticket loan
• Free breakfast
• Subsidised Café
• Free eye tests
• Regular Bar Night
• Retail discounts
• Flexible benefits including Dental, Travel insurance, Ride2Work, GymFlex and many more!

HOW WE PROTECT YOU:

The manner in which IPG Mediabrands processes your personal data is set out in the eRecruitment Privacy Notice. By submitting your data you are stating that you have read and understand how your personal information will be used and processed by IPG Mediabrands.

At Mediabrands and Kinesso, we celebrate difference and believe this makes us stronger. Mediabrands and Kinesso are equal opportunity employers and committed to championing an inclusive culture that provides a sense of belonging for all our employees. We do not discriminate against any applicant based on age, disability, race, colour, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, belief, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law.