WPP Media | Planning Manager (EM), Japan

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WPP MEDIA | JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Title: Manager (Planning)

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Department: Planning

Reports To: Director/ Associate Director

Position Summary

Manage and optimize lower-funnel digital campaigns for world-class brands in Japan across Google, Yahoo! JAPAN, Meta platforms, and search, display, and social channels. You will oversee campaigns end to end—from planning and activation to reporting, optimization, and final analysis—ensuring performance meets KPIs through data-driven recommendations. You will also advise clients and support junior team members.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Performance

• Apply strong knowledge of Japan’s digital marketing and media landscape.
• Support the development of digital communication strategies and media plans, with a focus on lower-funnel performance campaigns.
• Use data and analysis to develop actionable recommendations and optimize campaign performance.
• Collaborate with creative and publisher partners on innovative campaign solutions.
• Build and manage relationships with key media partners and vendors.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Build trusted relationships with clients and act as a strategic partner in achieving their business objectives.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams—including channel leads, biddable and programmatic specialists, and localization teams—to ensure effective campaign delivery.
• Anticipate client needs and establish processes to meet or exceed expectations.
• Lead relevant sections of client meetings, business reviews, and performance presentations.
• Keep clients informed of the latest paid social best practices, platforms, content, and tools.

Campaign Operations, Measurement & Optimization

• Lead the planning, buying, negotiation, execution, and optimization of campaigns in line with client briefs.
• Partner with team leaders and strategy teams to develop high-quality campaign strategies, plans, and rationale.
• Oversee campaign setup, tracking, audience targeting, measurement, and third-party verification.
• Lead campaign reporting and analysis, translating performance data into actionable optimization recommendations.
• Maintain accurate campaign status updates and communicate progress to clients in a timely and structured manner.
• Brief media partners, review proposals, and ensure recommendations align with campaign objectives.
• Deliver competitive reviews and market insights to inform future campaigns.

Team Contribution

• Mentor and guide junior team members.
• Escalate significant performance issues promptly and support their resolution.
• Contribute to improving the quality and efficiency of the team’s work.

Qualifications & Requirements

Skills & Competencies

• Be an advocate of continuous improvement, enthusiastic and positive with a “Can Do” attitude Flags up any serious performance issues immediately and seek help to manage them accordingly.
• Deliver best practice day to day project management.

Key Performance Indicators

• Product: outstanding plan execution & operational excellence. KPI TBC
• Client: satisfaction, retention and growth, contributing to a high score for strategy and activation planning in agency evaluation. KPI TRR score
• Personal development: positive My360 feedback from manager, peers and clients.

Education, skills, and behaviors

• 5+ years progressive experience in digital marketing/media experience.
• 3+ years of senior experience on a similar role.
• Ideally Degree educated in a business, numerical or analytical degree e.g. economics, mathematics, statistics or engineering.
• Numerate and analytical.
• Bilingual preferred; Japanese and English; with fluency in one language and business communication in the other.
• PC literate (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
• The ability to delegate, up and downwards, to coordinate between groups and departments and to be able to sell strategies, initiatives and ideas convincingly

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP 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.