About Ogilvy
Ogilvy, part of WPP, has been creating impact for brands through iconic, culture-changing, value-driving ideas since the company was founded by David Ogilvy 75 years ago. It builds on that rich legacy through Borderless Creativity – innovating at the intersections of its advertising, public relations, relationship design, consulting, and health capabilities with experts collaborating seamlessly across over 120 offices in nearly 90 countries. Ogilvy currently ranks as the #1 global agency network for creative excellence and effectiveness by WARC, signifying its ability to deliver creative solutions that drive unreasonable impact for clients and communities. Ogilvy is a WPP company (NYSE: WPP). For more information, visit Ogilvy.com, and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook.
About WPP
WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.
Business Director
Consumer PR
Business area: PR & Influence
Location: London, Sea Containers
Contact type: 12 Month FTC
Full Time/Part time: Full Time
Contract duration: Initial 12-Months
Reporting into: Client Partner
About Ogilvy
Ogilvy UK has been creating iconic ideas that deliver impact at scale for clients ever since David Ogilvy founded the company in 1948. The agency specialises in bringing together brand advertising, customer experience marketing, PR, influence and consulting, all fuelled by Behavioural Science. Our world-class award-winning creative campaigns deliver solutions for clients including Sainsbury’s, Lloyds Banking Group, Madri, Unilever and Mondelēz International.
Ogilvy’s influencer marketing practice is the largest globally; we are proud to be the most awarded influencer agency for six years running and the recipient of the Cannes Grand Prix for Social & Creator for two consecutive years.
Ogilvy UK also hosts the world’s biggest festival of behavioural science and creativity, Nudgestock – which is now in its 12th year. James Murphy is the CEO of Ogilvy Group UK, which includes Ogilvy UK and New Commercial Arts (NCA), a boutique creative agency he co-founded in 2020, recently acquired by WPP.
Our mission: We inspire brands and people to impact the world
How we do it: We innovate and operate at the intersection of people and capabilities
What we do: Borderless creativity
About this Role
As an Ogilvy Business Director, you will lead some of the largest brands within one of our flagship PR & Influence portfolio clients, across Global, Europe Wide and UK based projects.
You’ll understand the high-level conversation needed to collaborate with Senior Marketing and Communications Teams to ensure you are working towards aligned strategic objectives, and creating industry leading work. You will create highly effective working relationships with clients, colleagues and cross- agency teams.
You’ll get involved in new business in the UK and EMEA and spot opportunities for organic growth – both within PR and at the intersections of other Ogilvy capabilities – Behavioural Science, Advertising, Brand and Content and B2B.
You’ll be part of a PR agency-wide BD peer group - focused on realising the potential and excellence of the full team – and will have the full support of a senior team that delivers best in class award winning work.
A bit about you:
Building client relationships -
Is a trusted partner and adviser to senior clients, and well respected and valued by the senior clients. Has a thorough understanding of the client’s business objectives and aspirations and is able provide a sounding board that encourages deeper conversations around potential opportunities. Navigates issue resolution with clients and senior stakeholders
Making work we’re proud of -
Understands that their role is to lead and create the conditions for brilliant solutions to appear and thrive. Inputs meaningfully into the creative development processs and understands how different crafts around Ogilvy can play a part in a brilliant creative solution.
Will proactively identify potential creative opportunities and areas of growth for the business. And can turn this knowledge into a plan of action. Is a creative thinker in the broadest sense – applying that skill to improving the way the business is run, or how to strategically sell-in work.
Responsibility & accountability -
Responsibilities extend to a number of projects. Manages a team of people on these, defining their roles and responsibilities and holding them to account for their actions to ensure that the team delivers as required.
Is comfortable taking decisions on behalf of the agency and team, and does so understanding the ramifications. Is equally comfortable managing up and understands when this is needed.
Actively demonstrates to the client that they are accountable for the agency's performance, and the relationship.
Commercial Acumen -
Has an informed view of the commercial implications of both internal decisions and external influences, at a micro (project) and macro (account) level.
Can maturely engage with clients and internal stakeholders on commercial topics, and problem solve where needed to protect the interests of the agency and the relationship.
Collaboration -
Demonstrates a proactive and influential approach in ensuring senior stakeholders across the agency are engaged with the ambition and resource their team requires to support the ambition of work. Managing up as well as down.
Knowledgeable about how to manage key mid level stakeholders in the client organisation in order to protect and promote the agencies ambitions.
Works well with other crafts at Ogilvy, taking the time to understand the value they can bring and the role of earned within the wider agency mix.
Problem solving & decision making -
Is able to take a holistic view of the projects or activities they are working on in order to identify future opportunities and risks. Equally able to think on their feet and act decisively as required to problem solve fast. Understands where leadership support is needed.
How we help you Thrive:
If this sounds like the right role for you, we’d love to hear from you.
At Ogilvy, our people are at the heart of what we do: a creative agency that sparks game-changing ideas across culture and business through collaboration, integrity, and a celebration of self-expression.
We believe in building powerful teams with purpose - and we relentlessly curate transformative initiatives that make our commitment to fairness, and equity a reality.
Our ultimate mission is to leave a positive impact on the world, creating a better future for all, while supporting and uplifting the global communities we serve. This is central to our mantra of Borderless Creativity.
Ogilvy is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular 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.
If you need any assistance seeking a job opportunity, or if you need reasonable accommodation with the application process, please contact us at accommodations@ogilvy.com. Please note that this contact is only for candidates who are requesting accommodation. Emails for other purposes, including application status requests, will not receive a response.