Role Description
There is a really exciting opportunity to join our brand new Team UTD, a fully integrated media and creative team working together on NatWest. This team is agile, fast‑paced and truly revolutionary in the operating model and way we work.
As the Head of Design (Planning) on NatWest, you are fully accountable for the Planning product for NatWest and hold the complete ownership of all planning outputs. You deeply understand the business opportunities, category dynamics, audience behaviours and how media consumption is evolving. You are passionate about not just paid, but how the total media ecosystem works together across OESP. Comfortable with data, culture and ruthless insight, you are at the forefront of bringing the next generation of planning across the full ecosystem to life. Working closely with the Head of Strategy and the creative teams, you’ll drive cohesive approaches that cover strategy to execution, responsible for driving innovation across our OESP planning product for NatWest.
You own the governance of planning, ensuring frameworks, tools and measurement is embedded into the planning team, supporting the team’s efforts to ensure brilliant OESP comms planning, design, flawless execution, and most importantly, delivery on KPIs and business results for your clients.
Key Responsibilities
* Builds and maintains executive‑level relationships (senior clients, media/data partners, industry leaders) and ensures the servicing function aligns with and drives these relationships.
* Accountable for the planning product delivered to NatWest across all franchises, and is adaptable in their understanding for brand, retail, B2B and UHNWI.
* Actively leads the articulation and evolution of the NatWest product: collaborates across media, analytics, creative and vendor teams to ensure best‑in‑class output.
* Is the voice for the consumer to NatWest, and delivers audience first planning.
* Responsible for POV’s on industry changes / news and outlining impact on clients.
* Understand and demonstrates expertise through channel trends.
* Drives innovation and experimentation
Internal
* Drives the Planning team on NatWest, motivating and developing our talent from Group Director through to Associate.
* Works hand in hand with the Head of Strategy and creative teams, and Client Leads
* Collaborates with the team to ensure all documentation provided to NatWest is of high quality and ladders up to our overall planning strategy.
* Is a senior collaborator in Team UTD and contributes to overall team culture.
* Alongside management of the NatWest planning team also manages a portion of the wider Initiative UK Design (planning) team, contributing to upskilling, training and building the community of planners across Initiative.
Commercial
* Drives commercial growth through identification of client challenges, unlocking mutual growth.
New Business
Contributor to new business as required
Desired Skills & Experience
* Extensive experience in integrated planning role in media, publisher / vendor, or communications discipline (digital, content)
* Have proven experience and expertise in strategic media planning across the funnel and the digital mix
* Hold excellent knowledge of the UK media landscape and put the consumer experience at the heart of activities and decisions
* A courageous leader and collaborator who can envision and energise large cross‑functional teams and drive effective media owner relationships
* Can demonstrate strong strategic and analytical thinking to assess and recommend opportunities
* Have people management experience and a passion for developing others
* Have mastery with media planning tools such as TGI, GWI, Facebook Campaign Planner etc
* Fully digital literate, and understanding of key owned, earned and shared media including SEO, social media and search. LLM knowledge a key advantage.
Employee Transparency
At IPG Mediabrands, we celebrate differences and believe this makes us stronger. IPG Mediabrands are an equal‑opportunity employer committed to championing an inclusive culture that provides a sense of belonging for all our employees. We do not discriminate against any applicant based on age, disability, race, colour, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, belief, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law.
The Perks
We aim to provide all our people with a supportive and fun work environment where you can develop your full potential and benefit from the broad range of opportunities within the agency. When you join us, we want to make sure you feel valued – and that you are rewarded for your fantastic work. So, we also offer a range of benefits:
* Flexi–leave, with 25 days annual leave to be taken as minimum. In addition to your holiday entitlement, the office usually closes between Christmas & New Year
* Free breakfast and free lunch
* Early finish Fridays
* Core Hours (Mon‑Thurs, flexible start/finish times)
* Electric vehicle salary sacrifice car scheme
* Interest free season ticket loan
* Paid time off for Volunteering
* Group Income Protection
* Life Assurance
* Private Medical Insurance or Health Cash Plan (dependent on level)
* Group Personal Pension Plan with matched contributions from 3‑6%
* Employee Assistance Programme
* Free eyetests
Flexible benefits including Dental, Travel insurance, Cycle to Work, Gym Discounts and many more!
J-18808-Ljbffr