Data Director

Company: VML / WPP
Location: London, UK
Working Model: Hybrid
Reporting to: Chief Marketing Intelligence Officer

Location: Sea Containers office, London, SE1

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 building connected brands that drive growth for our clients. We do this by leveraging our 3 core practices; Brand experience, Customer experience and Commerce. Within these practices we offer expertise across communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.

About the Opportunity

We’re looking for a Director, Marketing Analytics & Intelligence to lead analytics and marketing intelligence across a major European automotive account.

This is a senior, client-facing role sitting at the intersection of marketing analytics, consulting and commercial leadership.

This isn’t a traditional technical Data Director position. We’re looking for someone who understands how data, analytics and measurement can help senior marketing leaders make better decisions  and who can turn complex information into a clear strategic and commercial point of view.

You’ll work closely with senior stakeholders across European markets, helping them understand marketing and customer performance, identify opportunities for growth and make more informed decisions through data and insight.

Your experience could span areas such as marketing effectiveness, marketing mix modelling (MMM), media measurement, CRM and customer analytics, digital and web analytics, and broader marketing intelligence. You don’t need to be the technical specialist in every discipline; what matters is your ability to understand how these areas connect and translate them into meaningful recommendations for clients.

Alongside leading the analytics relationship, you’ll play an important role in identifying new opportunities, shaping propositions and growing the partnership across Europe.

What You’ll Do

Lead Marketing Analytics & Intelligence

• Lead the development and delivery of marketing analytics and intelligence across European markets.
• Bring together data and insight from across media, CRM, digital, customer and market sources to create a holistic view of performance.
• Translate complex analysis into clear, actionable recommendations for senior stakeholders.
• Help clients understand marketing effectiveness, customer behaviour and the drivers of business performance.
• Use measurement approaches, including MMM and wider effectiveness methodologies, to help inform marketing investment and decision-making.
• Identify emerging trends, opportunities and challenges and turn these into meaningful strategic recommendations.
• Help shape new approaches and capabilities across analytics, measurement and marketing intelligence.

Be a Senior Strategic Partner to Clients

• Build trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders, acting as an advisor rather than simply a delivery partner.
• Understand the business challenge behind the data and determine how analytics and insight can help solve it.
• Lead senior conversations around marketing performance, customer behaviour, effectiveness and growth.
• Turn complicated analytical thinking into clear and compelling stories that clients can understand and act on.
• Bring a strong point of view, challenge existing thinking where appropriate and introduce new ideas and approaches.
• Balance individual market requirements with a broader European perspective.

Drive Commercial Growth

• Develop a deep understanding of client priorities and identify opportunities where data, analytics and intelligence can add further value.
• Shape new propositions, solutions and scopes of work around those opportunities.
• Support and lead pitches, proposals and senior new-business conversations.
• Work with wider VML and WPP capabilities to bring the right expertise together around client challenges.
• Understand the commercial aspects of the relationship, including scoping, financial management and account profitability.
• Help turn strong client relationships and great analytical thinking into sustainable commercial growth.

Connect Teams & Markets

• Work closely with local market teams to build a joined-up European approach to analytics and marketing intelligence.
• Bring together specialists across data, media, strategy, CRM, customer experience and technology to solve complex client challenges.
• Establish consistent ways of working and share best practice across markets.
• Connect local insights and intelligence to build a stronger regional perspective.
• Provide leadership and direction to cross-functional teams working across different disciplines and markets.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who can bridge the gap between analytics and the business someone who understands the data but is equally comfortable explaining what it means, what the client should do next and where the next opportunity lies.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Strong experience within marketing analytics, measurement, marketing effectiveness or marketing intelligence.
• Significant experience working within the automotive sector, with a strong understanding of its customers, commercial challenges and marketing landscape.
• Experience across areas such as MMM, media measurement, CRM/customer analytics, digital analytics or marketing effectiveness.
• The ability to translate complex data and analysis into clear strategic recommendations and compelling client stories.
• Strong senior stakeholder management and the confidence to advise, influence and challenge clients.
• A consulting mindset, with the ability to start with a business challenge and determine the right analytical response.
• Strong commercial awareness and experience identifying opportunities, shaping propositions and growing client relationships.
• Experience working across multiple markets, ideally within a European or global organisation.
• Experience bringing together cross-functional teams and different areas of expertise to solve client problems.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• The ability to operate effectively within a fast-moving and complex client environment.

Additional European language skills would be an advantage.

What’s in it for you?

Alongside a generous annual leave allowance and pension, you’ll have access to a wide range of benefits, including:

• Life Assurance
• Permanent Health Insurance
• BUPA
• Flexible hybrid working
• Enhanced family-friendly policies
• Well-being Programme
• Employee Assistance Support
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Eye Care and Glasses Vouchers
• Season Ticket Loans
• WPP Discounts

You’ll also have access to ongoing learning and development opportunities and support for your longer-term career development.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

VML is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, colour, religion or belief, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, military/veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability.

We believe in creating a dynamic working environment that values diversity and inclusion and are committed to recruiting a diverse slate of candidates.

If you require reasonable adjustments or additional support during the application process, our People Team will be happy to assist.