Director of Strategy & Transformation - Technology Operations (12M FTC)

London, United Kingdom

WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients, and communities.

Working at WPP means being part of a global network of more than 100,000 talented people dedicated to doing extraordinary work for our clients. We operate in over 100 countries, with corporate headquarters in New York, London and Singapore.

WPP is a world leader in marketing services, with deep AI, data and technology capabilities, global presence and unrivalled creative talent. Our clients include many of the biggest companies and advertisers in the world, including approximately 300 of the Fortune Global 500.

Our people are the key to our success. We're committed to fostering a culture of creativity, belonging and continuous learning, attracting and developing the brightest talent, and providing exciting career opportunities that help our people grow.

Why we're hiring:

At WPP, technology is at the heart of everything we do, and it is WPP Enterprise Technology’s mission to enable everyone to collaborate, create and thrive. WPP enterprise technology is undergoing a significant transformation to build the transformation platform that will power the next evolution of WPP. WPP is on a journey to clarify and simplify the operating model between our brands and WPP, modernise and create tech-enabled colleague experiences, and create an open, integrated technology innovation platform across WPP.

Along that journey we will ensure WPP enterprise technology is a destination for tech talent, modernise our ways of working, shift to cloud and micro-service-based architectures, drive automation, digitise colleague and client experiences and deliver insight from WPP’s petabytes of data.

As we continue this journey, we have the need for a pivotal role Director of Strategy & Transformation, Technology Operations, whose goal will be to ensure we have fit-for-purpose technology strategies in service of WPP and the Agency business goals.

AsDirector of Strategy & Transformation, Technology Operations, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the technology roadmap for WPP's Tech Ops functions. You will be responsible for developing and driving the execution of technology strategies that align with WPP's business goals, ensuring our teams have the tools and solutions they need to thrive. Your leadership will be instrumental in driving the adoption of new technologies, embedding innovative ways of working, and maximizing the value we deliver through technology.

What you'll be doing:

Strategy, Business Architecture & Planning – Develop, maintain & monitor technology strategy

• Co-define and co-develop WPPs TechOps technology vision, objectives, and strategy, driving alignment to WPP strategic priorities
• Provide strategic guidance to senior stakeholders - regarding solutions, innovation, transformation and overall strategic alignment
• Identify, monitor, and report on agreed success metrics and KPIs, measuring strategic impact and value
• Co-develop Technology Investment Roadmap, monitoring investment impact and value

Transformation Management – Plan, manage & monitor technology demand

• Provide capacity (demand and supply) guidance and insights to senior business stakeholders across Enterprise Technology
• Provide oversight for the development of a business case for new demand across TechOps, ensuring savings are met and actions are taken to resolve issues regarding value creation
• Oversee demand forecasting, planning and management, in-line with portfolio governance requirements
• Oversee the monitoring and reporting of demand performance, risk, and impact to the portfolio office
• Address ad hoc demand conflicts, working directly with key stakeholders to address
• Manage key Agency and Enterprise Technology stakeholders; maintaining business relationships through regular engagement and communications
• Oversee the partnering with the Strategic Portfolio Management Office, ensuring any portfolio initiative impacts, including benefits, risks, context, insights, and feedback are well managed and transparently reported
• Work closely with Finance to provide financialguidance to senior stakeholders regarding technology spend
• Forecast, plan, submit and monitor TechOps sub-portfolio budget, providing support and insights for the Technology Operations and Enterprise Technology Annual Budget
• Oversee business case spend and manage value creation targets and realisation

People Management - Build Transformation Squad in alignment to strategic objectives

• Ensure the TechOps Transformation Squad has the right skills and capabilities to deliver their sub-portfolio
• Provide line-management support to the Transformation Squad, including oversight of talent management and development activities
• Provide individual/team management support, including task allocation, deliverable oversight, and performance management.

What you'll need:

• A proven track record of developing and implementing technology strategies and transformation initiatives within complex organizations.
• Experience in the Communications, Advertising, or Media sector, with a strong understanding of industry challenges and opportunities.
• Proven leadership skills, including experience managing global teams and fostering a culture of collaboration and high performance.
• A strong understanding of Digital and Technology functions, with the ability to translate business needs into effective technology solutions.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to convey complex information effectively.
• Strategic thinking and development skills, with the ability to anticipate future trends and develop innovative solutions.
• Strong project and program management skills, with a proven track record of delivering complex initiatives on time and within budget.
• Expertise in demand planning and management, business case development, and benefits tracking.
• Strong financial and budget management skills, with a focus on value realization and cost optimization.
• Experience leading and managing change initiatives, effectively navigating organizational complexities and driving adoption of new technologies.

Who you are:

You're open: We are inclusive and collaborative; we encourage the free exchange of ideas; we respect and celebrate diverse views. We are open-minded: to new ideas, new partnerships, new ways of working.

You're optimistic: We believe in the power of creativity, technology and talent to create brighter futures or our people, our clients and our communities. We approach all that we do with conviction: to try the new and to seek the unexpected.

You're extraordinary: we are stronger together: through collaboration we achieve the amazing. We are creative leaders and pioneers of our industry; we provide extraordinary every day.

What we'll give you:

Passionate, inspired people – We aim to create a culture in which people can do extraordinary work.

Scale and opportunity – We offer the opportunity to create, influence and complete projects at a scale that is unparalleled in the industry.

Challenging and stimulating work – Unique work and the opportunity to join a group of creative problem solvers. Are you up for the challenge?

#LI-Onsite

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. 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.

WPP is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

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