Who We Are:
At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse.
Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.
About Studio X
WPP has been selected for what is often referred to as “the biggest advertising pitch in history” to redefine the marketing and advertising landscape. In collaboration with The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC), we are developing a new, open approach that connects our talents, skills, and client partners in a truly borderless manner. Our aim is to amplify the power of creativity for one of the world’s largest and most beloved brands.
We call our partnership approach “Open X.” This initiative represents a transformative collaboration between WPP, the leading global network and largest communications holding company, and Coca-Cola, a prestigious Fortune 100 company valued at $71 billion. Coca-Cola operates in more countries than the UN and encompasses a diverse portfolio of iconic brands such as Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Arwa, Sprite, and Fanta.
Within Open X is “Studio X.” Studio X integrates a comprehensive suite of marketing capabilities into one cohesive team of experts. By leveraging data and technology, Studio X aims to make our work more insightful, effective, and efficient. While creativity is a proven engine of business growth, it must evolve to keep up with the contemporary marketing landscape, which requires it to be more intelligent, agile, and adaptable. Studio X serves as our solution to this marketing challenge, powered by intelligent, actionable data signals and real-time insights.
Our teams consist of a mix of brand, content, and social experts, including strategists and analysts, creatives and designers, as well as producers and distributors— all dedicated to maximizing every media moment. We specialize in delivering the right content to the right audience at the right time, supported by best-in-class automation tools to deploy tailored assets on a large scale. Everything we do is purpose-built for the new marketing landscape: it’s addressable, flexible, and designed to reach data-informed target audiences while evolving based on their responses.
Who we're looking for:
The Category Director serves as the strategic social media leader and gatekeeper throughout the complete campaign lifecycle, from initial strategy development to market execution. This role requires deep expertise in social platforms, Gen-Z insights, and stakeholder management to ensure all campaigns are optimized for social-first engagement.
We are looking for someone with years of deep expertise in developing category-specific social strategies, driving platform innovation and inspiration, leveraging consumer insights, and leading teams to deliver social-first integrated campaigns that align with business objectives.
What you'll be doing:
Strategic Leadership & Campaign Development
- Lead end-to-end campaign strategy with social-first approach from brief to execution
- Collaborate with creative teams to ensure core creative concepts translate effectively across social platforms
- Guide local markets in adapting global strategies for regional social media execution
- Provide strategic direction on platform-specific content optimization
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Integration
- Serve as main point of contact for OU Studio X Social Lead and wider SX team on incoming social briefs
- Work closely with SX departments (Creative, Integration, Media, Production) to ensure social integration within charters
- Collaborate with SX Integration Team and cluster directors for successful delivery of OU toolkits
- Host the Social Planning Taskforce and facilitate integration of social, influencer & paid strategies
Social Platform Expertise & Innovation
- Maintain advanced knowledge of TikTok, Meta, and emerging social platforms
- Understand platform algorithms, content formats, and user behaviors
- Stay current with social media trends, features, and best practices
- Develop platform-specific strategies that maximize engagement and reach
- Ensure expertise in both existing and emerging platforms, understanding platform differences and requirements
Strategic Oversight & Governance
- Drive social consistency and creative excellence across all social touchpoints
- Ensure OU adherence to persistent platforms and social playbooks, following global social transformation principles
- Oversee day-to-day charter management, execution and governance while ensuring brand consistency with social strategy
- Oversee global/OU charters and their integration into the full year holistic social calendar (for Legendary brands)
Comprehensive Social Strategy Development
- Create holistic social-first strategies for brands to deliver against social transformation OKRs
- Oversee strategy across paid, organic & influencer channels
- Ensure XP loop deliverables align with "social-at-the-core" strategy
- Provide social, influencer & paid recommendations and insights in partnership with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
Gen-Z & Audience Intelligence
- Generate actionable insights about Gen-Z preferences, behaviors, and communication styles
- Translate cultural trends and generational insights into strategic recommendations
- Ensure campaigns resonate authentically with target demographics
- Monitor and analyze social conversations and sentiment
Stakeholder Management & Communication
- Serve as primary strategic liaison between clients and internal teams
- Navigate sensitive client discussions with diplomatic expertise
- Collaborate effectively with media planning teams and cross-functional partners
- Present strategic recommendations clearly to various stakeholder levels
Media Integration & Planning
- Understand how social strategies integrate with broader media plans
- Collaborate with media teams to optimize social media budget allocation
- Ensure social campaigns complement and enhance overall media strategy
What you'll need:
- Deep technical understanding of how social platforms operate from backend perspective
- Knowledge of emerging platform features and beta functionalities
- Ability to anticipate platform changes and adapt strategies proactively
- Advanced understanding of platform algorithms and optimization techniques
- Proficiency in social listening tools (Sprinklr preferred)
- Ability to brief insights teams effectively to extract actionable intelligence
- Skills in formulating strategic questions that drive meaningful social intelligence gathering
- Capability to translate social listening data into strategic recommendations
- Strong strategic thinking and planning abilities
- Excellent stakeholder management and diplomatic communication
- Ability to navigate sensitive client discussions
- Cross-functional collaboration expertise
- Presentation and persuasion skills across various audience levels
- Experience leading cross-functional teams and taskforces
- Ability to drive alignment across multiple disciplines and departments
- Strong governance and project management capabilities
- Expertise in facilitating strategic planning sessions
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 an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.
WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to 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.
VML is a WPP Agency. For more information, please visit our website, and follow VML on our social channels via Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
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