Job Title: Senior Business Director (Interim)
Location: Hybrid – Mondays and Tuesdays at clients offices (Dunton, Essex), ideally Thursdays at Mindshare's Southwark Office
Contract Length: 4–6 months (ASAP Start)
Contract Type: Inside IR35
About the Role
Mindshare is seeking an experienced Senior Business Director to join on an interim basis and lead the planning function for their Automotive client. This is a hands-on, senior-level role requiring both strategic oversight and strong planning execution across annual, strategic, and campaign planning outputs.
As the last point of quality control, you'll bring clarity, direction, and storytelling excellence to a fast-paced, performance-led account. You will provide rigour and logic to planning processes, working closely with both the media and creative teams in a truly integrated setup.
Job/Project Description:
We are looking for someone to fill in for a Business Director in the Connections Planning team at Mindshare, working on the UK’s largest automotive advertiser and one of Mindshare’s flagship clients.
This senior planning role involves leading the development and execution of integrated media strategies that deliver outstanding business results for the client.
The role is part of a unique ‘full service’ model, collaborating closely with creative and account management teams within the agency structure (primarily VMLYR), fostering a fully integrated approach across media, creative, and client.
Key responsibilities include:
Leading strategic planning and annual media strategy, developing strong audience insights and category understanding.
Overseeing campaign execution, annual budgeting, and ongoing
performance monitoring.
Acting as primary strategic liaison with VML teams for creative assets and delivery management.
Directing and mentoring the Connections Planning team, ensuring timely and high-quality outputs.
Managing campaign budgets, identifying risks, and ensuring effective KPI delivery.
Championing digital innovation and emerging media platforms.
Collaborating with central strategy teams to integrate local initiatives with broader strategies.
Key Skills/Experience required:
Proven senior-level experience in strategic media planning, ideally within automotive or comparable industries.
Deep expertise in performance marketing and experience working with large, high-profile brands.
Hands-on experience with planning/budgeting tools; strategic oversight without being solely a strategist.
Ability to simplify complex client requests and guide teams towards actionable solutions.
Extensive experience managing complex budgets, strategic planning, and team leadership.
Expert knowledge of audience research, insights, and planning tools (e.g., TGI, Touchpoints).
Skilled in designing sophisticated measurement frameworks.
Exceptional communication and relationship management skills, confident presenting to senior clients.
Passionate about driving strategic innovation and digital transformation.
Highly organised, proactive, and committed to team development and personal growth.
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