Head of Business Operations and Resource Management (EMEA) - Fixed Term Contract

About IPG Mediabrands

IPG Mediabrands is the media and marketing solutions division of Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). Mediabrands manages approximately $40 billion in marketing investment globally on behalf of its clients and provides strategic services and solutions across its award-winning, full-service agency networks UM and Initiative and through its innovative marketing specialist companies Kinesso, Magna, Orion, Rapport, Healix, Mediabrands Content Studio and the IPG Media Lab. Mediabrands clients include many of the world’s most recognizable and iconic brands from a broad portfolio of industry sectors. The company employs more than 13,000 marketing experts in more than 130 countries representing the full diversity of humanity. For more information, please visit our website: www.ipgmediabrands.com.

Role and Responsibilities

The Operations Center of Excellence (CoE) will be a global organisation with operations experts around the world providing leading capabilities to clients through all IPG Mediabrand’s media agencies.

The Head of Business Operations will be directly responsible for the Business Operations area within their region, while working in partnership with the Global Operations team to ensure Operations capabilities are best leveraged for regional clients.

Joining at a pivotal time of transformation within IPG Mediabrands and the wider industry, this role requires a strong leader who can navigate change, an excellent collaborator who can execute plans within the region and build a highly skilled, accountable and diverse team bringing together the best talent from across the network.

Key Responsibilities

1. Lead the design of the regional business operations practice in close collaboration with the Global Operations Leadership Team
   1. Work with the Global Business Operations Leader co-create best-practice, standards and ways of working for the Operations CoE.
   2. Identify the needs of regional and key local market client and agency operations and represent these needs at the regional and global level to ensure standards, ways of working and templates meet regional requirements.
   3. Design regional operational solutions, including process, PMO/workflow management approaches and technology, transition management; aligning with global direction and leveraging globally designed solutions while adapting for the EMEA region.
   4. Surface best work and operational innovations from other stakeholders (global, regional or local) and accelerate the adoption of best practices in the region.
2. Regional implementation of Business Operations solutions and running of key regional Business Operations projects
   1. For business operations practitioners (local and regional), embed key operational techniques and principles such as process mapping/process flow diagram design, process documentation, project & PMO charters, version control and drive the adoption of best-in-class operational tools (e.g. Asana, Workfront, LucidChart).
   2. For the wider network of Mediabrands agency teams cross-craft (regional & local), lead the adoption of ways of working, processes and implementation of operational tools such as Asana/Workfront, Salesforce, Interact, Merlin etc.
   3. Lead the implementation of the Mediabrands end-to-end process across the EMEA region. Support regional leadership (craft leads), regional client leaders and local market leaders in troubleshooting delivery issues across the E2E process.
   4. Support acceleration and adoption of the Global Capability Centre (GCC) for both new and existing clients. Partner with other craft and business leaders to develop clear roadmaps and action plans that drive the adoption of and transition to GCC-based ways of working.
   5. Partner with analytics craft leaders on developing and driving specific roadmaps designed to maximise the adoption of the Interact platform.
   6. Systems and Processes: Implement efficient systems and processes to streamline operations, enhance productivity, and ensure consistency in service delivery while always striving to simplify ways of working. Cascading standards from Global and Regional leadership, and act as a feedback loop representing regional teams.
   7. Oversee new business transitions within the region, facilitating seamless integration and operational efficiency across all IPGMB agencies, and act as Regional Transition Lead on critical large-scale new business transitions.
   8. Implement a regional resource management solution, based on and in close alignment with global guidance, standards and blueprints. Develop and lead a roadmap to implement the resource management solution and drive its adoption in the region.
3. Oversee the output of regional and local market business operations practitioners, and contribute to critical operational projects
   1. Foster a community and frequent exchange of information between regional and local business operations.
   2. Oversee and sign off key deliverables or project stages on high priority business operations projects and initiatives, for example operating models, transition plans, operations documentation etc.
   3. Oversee Resource Management sub-craft within the region; ensuring global standards and best practices are adhered to across all markets within the region.
   4. Support key new business projects and contribute operational knowledge to RFPs, RFIs and new business meetings.
4. Operating model design
   1. Act as Operations lead in regional and/or global new business pitches representing operations (operating models, ways of working, team structures etc.).
   2. Lead the design of operating models for both new and existing clients within the region, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives. The regional Business Operations leader also be asked to contribute to the development of operational models for global pitches spanning multiple regions as well.
5. Team management
   1. Line manage a team of regional Business Operations experts amnd over see their delivery on a day-to-day basis.
   2. Set objectives, career development plans and KPIs for regional business operations practitioners (and partner with local operations leaders to set the same for local practitioners).
6. Managing Business Operations within the Region:
   1. Resource Allocation: Manage allocation of business operations resources to ensure optimal use of talent and tools across various projects and client engagement, including new business. Partnering with the regional operations leader and client leaders to understand requirements and assign matching resources, first from within the region but also working across regions as/when gaps arise to ensure clients always have access to winning capabilities.
   2. Performance Management: Cascade performance metrics, conduct business reviews, and foster a culture of continuous improvement and excellence within the CoE.
7. Stakeholder Engagement:
   1. Build and maintain strong relationships with other regional sub-craft leaders and develop partnerships that support the success of regional design and implementation of operational best practices. Ensure operational excellence is delivered on every business and effectively demonstrating the credibility and rigor of the CoE.

Desired Skills & Experience

The successful candidate will be an operationally minded leader with a proven track record of delivering operational excellence both internally as well as to clients regionally while having expertise in operationalizing multi-market functions within the region.

You are a strategic thinker and trusted partner to executive business leadership with a high degree of intellectual curiosity but also sufficiently hands-on to identify issues likely to impede on-time delivery and lead the resolution process for the toughest of problems. Additionally, you will have consummate communication skills, helping motivate the service team and excite IPG Mediabrands, its clients, and its partners about the Service offering and unique capabilities.

You are an empathetic leader with highly-developed interpersonal skills and clearly defined approach for leading, developing and growing people and teams within rapidly changing environments. You have demonstrated experience building strong partnerships across organizations, especially in Executive teams and leveraged these to build the business and resolve client issues.

You are an agile leader comfortable leading through change with people-first approach in mind. Collaborative visionary ready to lead the way, create and implement strategy for an analytics service organization. You have a deep understanding of what partnership looks like and have ability to interact effectively with a variety of internal and external contacts.

You are a culture champion, sensitive to the company’s priorities, able to chart the direction of the Services team having culture in mind. You are not afraid to take risk and responsibility for the team and are able to deliver under pressure without compromising people first approach.

Key Skills Required

• Significant years of experience in an operations leadership role
• A trusted and respected leader within the organization who has the ability to lead by influence
• Experience with implementing resource management capabilities either within a team or within an organization
• Experience operationalizing and running teams within complex, multi-region groups
• Experience presenting capabilities and work output to clients and leadership, inclusive of domain experts and non-experts
• A strong presenter who can show up and gain the trust and respect of clients in a new business pitch situation
• Demonstrated ability to work closely with executive, commercial, and finance teams
• A strong collaborator that can bring the right teams together and lead the charge on identifying solutions and outputs
• Ability to forge senior level relationships across the company
• Proven decision-making skills under stress

Employee Transparency

At IPG Mediabrands, we celebrate differences and believe this makes us stronger. IPG Mediabrands are equal-opportunity employers 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.

Please reach out to our Talent Inclusion Specialist Jess at Jess.Richardson@mbww.com if you would like to have a confidential conversation regarding any adjustments that would ensure our recruitment process is accessible for you. Please note requesting a reasonable adjustment will not affect your application.

The Perks

We aim to provide all 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. 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:

• Flexi–leave, with 25 days annual leave to be taken as minimum. In addition to your holiday entitlement, the office usually closes between Christmas & New Year
• Free breakfast and free lunch
• Early finish Fridays
• Core Hours (Mon-Thurs, flexible start/finish times)
• Retail discounts
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifices car scheme
• Wellbeing programme, including Headspace & flu jabs
• Interest free season ticket loan
• Paid time off for Volunteering
• Group Income Protection
• Life Assurance
• Private Medical Insurance or Health Cash Plan (dependent on level)
• Group Personal Pension Plan with matched contributions from 3-6%
• Generous Parental Leave & Pay
• Independent mortgage advice
• Financial education
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Free eye tests
• Flexible benefits including Dental, Travel insurance, Cycle to Work, Gym Discounts and many more!