Planning Director – EA Full Time

Msixagency

Comms & Strategic PlanningLondon,England

Job Description : EU Integrated Planning Directo r, EA

Who are m/SIX?

m/SIX is the UK’s fastest-growing media planning and buying agency, having doubled in size in the last eighteen months to 150 people and £200m in billings. Our international network now comprises over 40 offices across 3 continents.

We have a unique proposition and ownership structure, which is fundamental to how we operate for our clients. We are majority owned by our partners within The &Partnership , but GroupM’s minority ownership means that we are able to offer a true ‘best of both worlds’ advantage. This means a progressive and entrepreneurial approach to business and culture, whilst providing full access to GroupM’s market leading pricing, data and technology assets. The&Partnership overall has a strong ethic of pitching in and getting our hands dirty, regardless of level. As such we are naturally less hierarchical and territorial than many other agency environments, particularly when it comes to working with creative teams.

As both The &Partnership and m/SIX we have therefore created new models and ways of working, which are leading the industry in defining the agency of the future. This means solutions built bespoke for clients’ individual needs, inclusive of all necessary disciplines and working to one bottom line. Creatives, strategist, analysts, investment and production teams working together, with data and technology at the centre. These teams are often implanted directly within the client marketing teams: in the UK we have fully embedded teams at News UK, Talk Talk and Toyota/Lexus. The impact of this has been transformational on our clients’ business.

The agency is designed to think audience first – to face into disruption. We use data signals to understand the flow of audiences and build communications systems that balance the need to build and convert demand. We turn real behavioural data into actionable human insight that informs all communications at both strategic & implementational levels. This means that we’re geared toward business growth, not just media growth. Our aim is always to become a valued board-level business partner of the clients we work with.

As a direct outcome of this progressive & transformational agenda, m/SIX has two ambitions. To be a top ten agency in every market in which we operate, and to be the most important place in the careers of our people.

Who is the client?

Electronic Arts Inc. aka EA is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. EA develops and delivers games, content and online services for internet-connected consoles, mobile devices, and personal computers. EA employ 9,300 people in 31 global locations across the world with more than 30 million registered players around the world. EA is recognised for a portfolio for critically acclaimed, high-quality brands including: The Sims, Madden NF L , EA Sports FC , F1, Battlefield, Need for Speed and Dragon Age.

EA believes the next 5 years will be more disruptive, more dynamic, and we’ll see more players come into gaming than the last 40 years combined. They strongly believe that data informs their communications strategy, it doesn’t drive, it doesn’t dictate, it doesn’t prescribe, it informs.

What is the role?

We are looking for a talented and experienced International Integrated Planning Director to join the embedded team, working on an exciting, innovation-led account. Your role will encompass supporting the Account leads in setting the direction for the client and for your team, encompassing smooth day-to-day running of the account and working with the client and agency planning team, market coordination, supporting strategic planning and digital teams, as well as pan-European and Global brand partnerships.

You will be able to take both your immediate team and local market teams on a journey with you to ensure best in class delivery, and you will be comfortable managing external and internal stakeholders at various levels.

More than anything, you’ll have an appetite to work at pace, with agility, whilst maintaining focus and quality at all times .

What will be your responsibilities?

• Build strong, trusted relationships with senior clients and internal stakeholders
• Be adaptable and able to fit the unique culture of the embedded team
• Be comfortable presenting to senior clients and helping the Client Lead & business director to run the client relationships.
• Set out the structure, process, tools and talent by market to service our current and future international requirements.
• We need someone who can work with the team to tackle a planning response across markets, as well helping to deliver the response logistically across all media channels – this is a role that combines strategic planning , full funnel delivery and best in class international market management.
• To oversee the financial aspects (including invoicing) of the account and contributing to trustworthy financial forecasting.
• To foresee and pro-actively resolve planning issues with clients and business
• Work with the team to identify key audience insights that drive our responses.
• To assist the client in the development of their objectives, by understanding the challenges and opportunities in their sector.
• Give strategic input into the planning and execution of the plans to support these objectives .

Who are you?

• E xperience in International Account Management
• Experience in Comms Planning and translating a strategy into media activation across all channels
• Experience team leader and manager, able to adapt to work with a variety of personalities and inspire great work from your team
• Confident presenter who can design and deliver great work for clients and tailor their narrative to their audience
• Experienced in running all aspects of an account – from team recruitment to stakeholder management and financial forecasting
• You are a good listener and able to collaborate with a wide cross section of people
• You have a solid history of working across a range of clients and are able to demonstrate how you have solved client business challenges with digital solutions – ideally Gaming and or Entertainment client experience would be an advantage.
• You exude the behaviours of the agency – Pioneering, Energetic and Honesty and are able to lead, inspire and motivate the team and wider network to consistent great work.

Where is the role based?

The EA team are part of one of our unique m/SIX embedded model teams, where we place m/Sixers to work directly with the client. The results of having client and agency working so closely together mean that the best work can happen, and our m/ SIXers have a unique experience of being an agency person ‘client side’. EA Guildford is the UK HQ, home to multiple business groups, including: International Publishing , Global Marketing , Development Services (Quality Engineering & Quality Assurance), as well as a number of corporate functions and also plays host to two development studios: Criterion Games and Ghost Games .

EA’s office (Onslow House) is in the centre of Guildford, a 5-minute walk from the main train station and only minutes away from the town’s shops, restaurants and bars. Guildford is located 27 miles southwest of central London. EA Guildford is a fun and friendly place to work, with top class facilities, including an onsite gym, games areas, café and our their very own Barista. The office environment is welcoming, diverse environment with highly talented professionals in a cutting-edge industry. Although you will be based in Guildford we will expect that you regularly return to the London office for meetings and training & development .

How will success in this role be measured?

• Objectives and a development plan will be set and measurement against set professional goals
• Line manager feedback on a consistent basis
• Internal/client stakeholder review and feedback