Performance Director

About WPP Media

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. With exceptional talent, trusted data and intelligence, and world-class partnerships – all united by our pioneering agentic marketing platform, WPP Open – we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity, and deliver transformational growth. 

WPP Media is WPP's AI-driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data, and partnerships to deliver creative personalisation at scale. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, clients see exactly where, how, and why their media investment is working.

For more information, visit wppmedia.com.

Your role in a nutshell

The Performance Director provides day-to-day leadership to the activations team, agency client service teams and our clients at WPP Media New Zealand across Digital Planning, Programmatic, Paid Search, Paid Social and Advertising Operations.
You will ensure on-going and timely optimization is delivered whilst constantly looking for opportunities to improve campaign performance. To ensure that we are delivering programmatic excellence for our clients. This position offers significant opportunities to engage with a rapidly evolving digital landscape and foster growth within a dynamic team.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

Responsible for the delivery of biddable activations, supporting the Group Practices Director to develop a team that is consistently flawless in delivery & accuracy across all aspects.
Ensure adherence to best practices across key platforms (e.g. Google, Meta, TikTok) in all markets
Engage with client teams to prioritise and address opportunities in a timely manner
Assist client teams in identifying and testing new and relevant platform betas
Implement and oversee performance monitoring systems to track progress, identify risks, and formulate mitigation strategies
Be a key POC from MMD team into agency brands
Cultivate a collaborative and high-performing team environment

Core Skills Required:
At least 5 years of experience in digital advertising, with a strong focus on programmatic and paid social
Advanced understanding of the programmatic ecosystem, including Ad Server, DSPs, SSPs, DMPs, and ad verification tools (IAS, DV)
Expertise in planning, activating, and optimising paid social campaigns across key platforms (e.g. Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn, Snapchat), including audience segmentation, creative strategy, and performance analysis
Experience with campaign management tools, audience segmentation, and data visualisation platforms
Proven ability to work with SaaS platforms and automation tools, such as Trade Desk Commerce Connector or similar technologies
Proficiency in financial reporting, data analysis, and advanced Microsoft Excel skills
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to present complex ideas effectively

In Depth, this role will focus on

Product
Execute supply-side strategies using PubMatic, Index Exchange, and Magnite.
Identify and act on opportunities to improve supply path efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Partner with product and technology teams to advance automation, integration, and scalability in programmatic workflows.
Benchmark cost and quality internally and collaborate with audit, Group, client, and global/regional agency partners to ensure maximum value extraction and both internal and external benchmarking can be executed effectively.
Stay informed about emerging technologies, regulations, and trends in the New Zealand programmatic marketplace.

Partners
Manage supply-side relationships, including SSPs, ad networks, and publishers, ensuring alignment with campaign and client objectives
Educate and onboard publishers about software and best practices to ensure optimal use and integration
Collaborate with trading desks & agency partners to present SPO strategies that drive business value

Profitability
Oversee and optimise the programmatic sales pipeline using tools like Salesforce and Wrike.
Manage monthly financial processes, including DSP reporting (TTD, DV360), billing queries, and actualisation.
Analyse margin performance across campaigns and identify areas for improvement.
Provide financial and operational insights to inform investment strategies and innovation roadmaps.
As required, responsible for client media audits, media negotiations and billings forecasting, working hand in hand with your key stakeholders to deliver to goals and client KPI’s.

People
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of programmatic traders and specialists. This includes setting clear performance expectations, providing regular feedback, conducting performance reviews and identifying training needs
Facilitate effective communication between the programmatic team and other internal departments including brand client service teams. Including proactive sharing insights, addressing challenges, and fostering strong working relationships to achieve shared business objectives

Growth & Marketing

Be a positive face of WPP Media at industry events
Collaborate closely with key stakeholders to identify, collate, and showcase examples of great work from within the agency, both internally and externally
Share relevant and insightful commentary internally, for the broader agency

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