Executive, Sports & Entertainment

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.

2013 - Executive, Sports & Entertainment

WPP Media Sports & Entertainment

WPP Media is the UK’s biggest media agency network. More clients choose to work with us than anyone else in the UK. This success is delivered via a clear, client centric vision – to be the most trusted growth partner for brands.

WPP Media: Sports & Entertainment is our dedicated practice focused on the development of brand partnerships, sponsorships, branded entertainment and socially driven content solutions for brands. We work with the biggest and most impactful brands, platforms, IP, rights holders, talent and creators to drive our work.

We passionately believe that Sports and Entertainment make modern culture. Across sport, music, fashion, gaming and entertainment, they fuel the communities and fandoms that drive audiences and power brand differentiation. The vision of our 100+ dedicated craft experts is simple – We make brands epic in culture.  

This role sits within the specialist sports team – a specialist partner for sponsorship, entertainment-led partnerships and cultural engagement. Our primary focus is to provide solutions, services and consultancy for clients that delivers relevance across their partnerships and wider marketing activity. In a fragmented media landscape, audiences expect brands to show up meaningfully in the spaces they love. Cultural relevance is a key driver of growth - and partnerships are one of the most powerful ways to earn attention with credibility.

Our Sports offering is built on 3 key pillars:

• Partnership Strategy & Creative – assessment, selection, negotiation of partnerships & development of creative, strategic solutions for clients.
• Activation – multi-channel execution of all partnerships across digital, experiential, social & content creation.
• Measurement & Evaluation – use of data, insight and evaluation tools to deliver comprehensive, objective and robust measurement of partnership activity, ensuring client’s marketing activities are targeted and amplified in key channels to maximise return on investment.

 

Role Summary and Impact

This role will help support the day-to-day output and team delivery of partnerships across sport, entertainment, live experiences and cultural platforms. You will bring a passion for learning cultural intelligence, commercial rigour and operational excellence to create partnerships that are authentic, scalable, and measurable. You will support the team, and senior leaders in the team, working to deliver best-in-class partnerships, operating as an extension of client and account teams. You will work closely with account managers and account leads to support partnership management, providing information that supports strategic decision making, management of key stakeholders, actioning deliverables, and management of partnership rights to deliver best-in-class outcomes across the WPP network, rights holders, and suppliers. You will work with wider specialist teams across WPP to deliver truly exceptional, integrated creative and strategic campaigns that deliver world-class, multi-channel results with content, partnerships, paid media, social & experiential at their heart, providing significant impact on our client’s businesses.

What you’ll do 

Client & Stakeholder Support (Partnership delivery)

• Support management of client activities across new and existing partnerships; be trusted counsel on sport & entertainment opportunities. Escalating where required.
• Support translating business challenges into partnership-led solutions that drive measurable outcomes.
• Lead and support responses to briefs and renewal planning with WPP specialists (strategy, creative, social/influence, production) by researching and providing insights and information, as well as how to use this to craft partnerships
• Ensure all deliverables align with brand strategy, values, guidelines, approvals, and stakeholder expectations, in consultation with leaders.
• Support and deliver client requests and manage status reports and deliverables with client meetings - building and supporting excellent client relationships that leads to successful partnership activation

Partnership Management (End-to-end delivery excellence)

Support the management of partnership delivery across rights holder and media ecosystems, including:

• Contract & asset oversight (tracking usage and delivery)
• Activation & production planning (timelines, flighting, run-sheets, shoot attendance & oversight, asset approvals)
• Input into creative concept development and approvals
• Social Media & Digital output management – approval process / management
• IP & talent rights coordination (usage, clearances, compliance)
• Event activations & logistics (on-ground delivery; occasional travel)
• Reporting & optimisation (performance updates, learnings, next steps)
• Implement effective measurement processes and tracking
• Maintain clear and accurate project documentation (WIPs, trackers, budgets, presentations, status reporting).

 

Commercial & Operational Excellence

• Support the management of budgets, forecasting, invoicing, supplier set-up, reconciliation and financial reporting.
• Support scope-of-work development and ensure strong delivery quality.
• Negotiate and assist in optimising value with rights holders/media owners and manage day to day coordination.
• Co-ordinate with legal/procurement to manage contracts, compliance, and risk controls, working with Director.
• Anticipate issues (delivery, approvals, reputational/crisis) and escalate with recommendations.

 

Team support & delivery

• Support all team members); upward management of client activities, oversee workflow, resourcing and performance.
• Demonstrate clear communication, high standards, and calm solutions focus delivery under pressure.
• Build a proactive, collaborative culture across internal teams and external partners.

 

What you’ll bring to the role - skills and experience

• Experience in relevant positions – passion for sports, ents, gaming and other cultural verticals.
• Willingness to learn and bring in new ideas, stimulus and the ‘added extra’ to deliver exceptional work
• Fast-learner and willing to work autonomously when required – keen interest in implementing new and innovative ways to deliver efficiently
• Some understanding of partnerships, content, media, social, digital and experiential to create a powerful mix of campaign activity
• Ambitious, driven and motivated with a can-do attitude
• Highly organised and proficient at project management across a breadth of clients and projects
• Collaborative team player with the ability to support and create value across all client activities – and working with wider teams and individuals to
• Confident, energetic individual with an ability to build long-lasting relationships with colleagues, clients and stakeholders
• Proficient in crafting and developing compelling client presentations to assist with buy in – powerpoint, word, excel and outlook expertise

 

Life at WPP Media & Benefits

Our passion for shaping the next era of media is powered by our commitment to Be Extraordinary, investing in our employees to inspire transformational creativity. We also Lead Optimistically, firmly believing in and Championing Growth and Development for every individual. This commitment allows WPP Media employees to leverage the extensive global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, build vital professional connections, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising. 

We Create an Open environment built on trust and respect, where everyone feels they belong and has opportunities to progress. This inclusive culture is fostered through a variety of employee resource groups and frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects this commitment, including competitive medical, group retirement plans, vision, and dental insurance, significant paid time off, preferential partner discounts, and employee mental health awareness days. 

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection in this open and supportive environment. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process. 

Please note this is a UK based role and requires individuals to have the right to work in this location.

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While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. 

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