Head of Implementation

About the role

Leaders set direction and build the conditions for their teams to succeed. They hire, coach, and hold people accountable. Leadership work spans strategy, communication, and decision making. Effective leaders give clear context and remove obstacles for the people who report to them. Leadership roles are measured by team outcomes, retention, and delivery. Most organizations expect leaders to be visible, predictable, and generous with context.

Key facts

What you'll do

Flawless execution across biddable and cross-channel media shapes client outcomes and delivers consistent performance for every investment.

Sydney I&A alignment with organizational goals is driven by structuring, developing, and growing team performance and capability.

Exclusive insights and beta opportunities for the Australian market are secured by cultivating relationships with senior media publishers.

Requirements

The posting states a bachelor's degree requirement. A degree is mandatory for this position.

Proven leadership driving digital, data, and commerce transformation in media or comparable settings is essential, with a record of operational excellence and modernized media buying.

Expertise across programmatic, paid social, search, and retail media networks delivers data-driven campaigns at scale.

The ability to build, mentor, and restructure high-performing teams fosters an inclusive, future-fit agency culture aligned with organizational goals.

Senior stakeholder management skills build trusted advisory relationships with C-suite clients and navigate complex matrix organizations across agency and group structures.

Capability to lead adoption of data platforms and media technology translates intricate features into clear client value.

A history of contributing directly to commercial outcomes is required, including margin objectives, organic growth identification, and supporting new business pitches.

Experience in financial governance covers media audits, expenditure forecasting, and performance benchmarking against client KPIs.

Nice to have

Hands-on experience with WPP Open Media Solutions or comparable enterprise-level platforms is advantageous.

Established relationships with senior media publishers and a record of securing beta opportunities or exclusive inventory access are valued.

Experience designing retail media or commerce capability uplift programs for agency teams is beneficial.

Familiarity with WPP Commerce frameworks and first-party data integration for closed-loop measurement is an advantage.

Practical notes

The role is based in Sydney, Australia, and requires collaboration with the Wavemaker Sydney leadership team.

Typical interview steps

Leadership hiring usually includes a strategy case, a people scenario, and a values conversation. Candidates may be asked to turn around a struggling team or plan for growth. Past results are examined closely, especially how decisions were made. Interviewers dig into specific decisions you made and their consequences. Preparing two or three decision stories with numbers and lessons is the best use of time.

Good to know

Professionals in this field typically work with advanced data platforms and media technologies to manage high-stakes client portfolios. Success in this role depends on strategic thinking and cross-functional collaboration. The work environment emphasizes continuous learning and adaptability. Strong communication skills are essential for influencing stakeholders.

Questions to ask

Worth asking in any interview: how the team measures success, who the role works with daily, what the onboarding looks like, and what the company is trying to achieve this year. Asking what past hires did well is a strong final question. Keep the list short and pick the questions that matter most to you.

Career growth

Leadership careers move from manager to senior manager, director, and executive roles. Each step adds more scope and more responsibility for outcomes. The best leaders keep learning how to delegate, communicate, and decide. Leadership careers reward a record of building and developing people. The higher you go, the more your communication shapes the whole organization.