adconnection
Job description: Head of Strategy/ Strategy Director
May 2014
Reporting to: Lucy Stafford – adconnection MD & Catherine Becker – adconnection CEO
AdConnection is an independent media planning and buying agency.
We are 13 years old this year and had a record growth year in 2012 moving from 42nd to 33rd
in the Campaign Top Agencies List. We have an established and profitable agency with
loyal clients and team. We are a dynamic digital-lead and ambitious company.
About AdConnection
AdConnection is a fast growing, dynamic independent media agency, located in trendy
brand new offices on the Southbank, close to IPC, Borough Market and Waterloo.
It was founded in 2001 by Declan Reddington. Declan does not work in the business day to
day but has an active role in the company at board level as Chairman. The company is now
owned by Declan and Catherine Becker, who is CEO of the company. They have both
identified a need for a heavy-hitting digital-lead Head of Programmatic Buying to help them
drive growth and improve digital credentials as well as overall reputation of digital at the
agency.
We plan and buy all media across a range of sectors, including Travel, Entertainment, Retail
and Home Interest to name a few. We are very strong at TV and have a dynamic junior team
that have been very active in developing online, we just need a senior person for them to
look up and learn from. We also need to identify new skillsets to help us develop in this area
or train the existing team
We pride ourselves on having all the experience of a large agency, but with a small agency
service culture.
We have annual billings of around £22 million per year and a target of £30m for 2014. We are
above average in profitability for a media agency.
We look after clients like 888.com, Maplin, sofa.com, Poggenpohl, Wagamama and
Lovestruck to name a few.
We are a young, sociable team that go out for beers and evenings out within the team, with
our clients and with media owners regularly. We have a company trip each year which in
the past has included Valencia, Rome, Budapest, Amsterdam and Lisbon.
We are creating a new role in our agency to lead our strategy offering in order to take us to
the next level in terms of what we can bring to our clients. We are looking for an exceptional
candidate who has an unstinting passion for innovation and who understands the nuance of
what our clients, both existing and potential, need from us to deliver exceptional results.
YOUR PROFILE
You should be a passionate media strategist with 5 years experience who is already working
in strategy in a media agency or working in a strategic planning role, who has a natural flare
for strategy. You should have a passion for brands, emerging media and the opportunities
created by engagement / influence planning vs. interruptive planning. You will need to be a
creative and robust media thinker with fresh approach.
AdConnection Ltd., 86-88 Great Suffolk Street, London SE1 0BE, www.adconnection.co.uk
We are looking for an expert media planning leader that knows exactly what it takes to grow
existing and win new business.
THE ROLE
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Lead and transform existing client business with innovative communications
solutions working with the media teams to lift their implementation work out of the
'day-to-day' to create communications strategy for clients.
Create new opportunities for clients by bringing together data, people and
technology
Start new conversations, champion curiosity, challenge and bring others together
to find the most innovative solution to the task
Build strong relationships with partner client agencies (creative, PR etc..) and work
together to transform output on all your accounts.
Lead new business pitches
RESPONSIBILITIES
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Lead strategic thinking on multiple client accounts
Be a senior member of client teams
Help the company become a market leading communication agency and
famous for innovative and adaptive planning
Help manage and develop more junior members of the team currently one
media strategist
Work closely with media specialists – Digital, SEO, Social, ATL and BTL to create
compelling client-specific proposals, media plans and presentations
Make projections based on current trends and future expectations, and set
strategic goals for clients. Working with the rest of the management team, the
Head of Strategy ensures action and resource requirements are properly aligned
to allow for those goals to be met, and then inspires the workforce to achieve
them.
Continuously monitors clients’ and market performance to determine if strategies
need to be adjusted or new strategies should be introduced.
Attend client meetings as a senior resource to articulate our media strategy and
build a knowledge base of client needs and objectives
REQUIREMENTS
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5 years experience in media strategy and/or media planning and buying,
preferably with an agency or network
Proven expertise in the creation, planning, execution and leadership of client
business and media strategies (incorporating all emerging, digital and offline
channels) that deliver
Deep understanding of brand and direct marketing and how brands use various
on and offline advertising mediums to convey their messages to specific
audiences
Ability to think outside the box and develop creative media solutions
Outstanding leadership qualities including the ability to motivate teams and
influence others
AdConnection Ltd., 86-88 Great Suffolk Street, London SE1 0BE, www.adconnection.co.uk
SALARY:
Excellent leadership skills, written, oral and presentational skills: motivating
colleagues and inspiring existing and potential clients
Strong knowledge of a cross section of industry sectors
Creative instinct and ability to think laterally
Collaborative and adaptive to working with all disciplines within the agency
Dependent on experience
COMPANY BENEFITS:
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Annual Profit Share scheme (up to 15% of salary)
Company pension
27 days holiday (2 of these days must be taken during the Christmas break) with
the annual entitlement increasing by one day for every year served up to 30 days
Annual company conference
Fortnightly massages
Daily breakfast provided
Monthly & quarterly socials
Cultural allowance
Company phone & monthly allowance
All day coffee/drinks/refreshments
THE OPPORTUNITY
As a fast growing agency with a sound business foundation, we can offer the support and
investment to allow you to grow the agency and support the team. We are open to all ideas
and you will have a key role and contribution to the company.
 Autonomy, ability to help shape and grow the agency
 We have an appetite and the funds to investment (with the right business case)
 Entrepreneurial environment, no red-tape, quick decisions
 Ability to represent the agency at conferences, talks and in the press
RECRUITMENT PROCESS
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Initial interview with CEO/ MD
Second Interview with Board Director
AdConnection Ltd., 86-88 Great Suffolk Street, London SE1 0BE, www.adconnection.co.uk