Account Director – Planning, Uber

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Overview of role

EssenceMediacom is looking for a planning specialist to join the Uber Media planning team, working across both Uber Eats (the highest spending part of the business) & Rides (the most established part of the Uber business).

Uber is a high-profile, dynamic and diverse account. This role is a fantastic opportunity for a quick-thinking and creative media planner to help in the development work across all media channels.

Uber is a brilliant client to work with – challenging EssenceMediacom to deliver best-in-class media strategy and creative thinking, whilst also looking to explore the new and different.

Uber’s market lead in rides means that it is facing challenges in maintaining its lead, and expanding its travel credentials with a new product launch on the horizon for 2023 (top secret!) which will involve significant budgets and require a fresh approach, starting from the ground up in building a media strategy.  Uber Eats sees the lion’s share of investment, and brings with it opportunities to create work that is standout amongst competitors, as well as driving preference across it’s always on campaigns.  Working across the upper & middle funnel in terms of campaign brand metrics this client offers the scope to be creative & to work collaboratively with partner agencies and EM specialisms alike.

Working on these accounts will give you the opportunity to work with and help develop some of the most dynamic and talented people at EssenceMediacom, from a variety of departments.

Reporting of the role

You will report into 2 Senior Associate Directors on the Uber account.

3 best things about the job

1. The work: The chance to lead Eats & Rides into new territories. Every day working on a fast paced, account is exciting both of which always present new challenges, giving the opportunity to create innovation and demonstrate real thought leadership.
2. The team: EssenceMediacom’s strength has always been our people. This team really reflects that. We’re a close team who want to work collaboratively with each other and produce brilliant, award-winning work for our clients
3. The client: this role includes significant exposure to a client group who are knowledgeable and keen to add more innovation to their media plans

Measures of success

In three months, you would have:

• Onboarded fully on to the accounts and met all the key stakeholders
• Built strong relationships with team and day to day clients.

• Worked closely with the Senior AD to deliver responses across both accounts
• Work with the Global Account team to deliver regional outputs that are key to the day to day running of the account.
• Become accountable for the quality and output of the work that is taken to the client and ensuring all responses and reporting has the level of detail required and timings and adhered to.

In six months, you would have:

• Become the ‘go to’ for day-to-day clients. Become their trusted point person.

• Played an integral part to deliver annual planning across Uber. Taking on responsibility for some of the product specific responses.
• Worked closely with the Senior AD to develop exceptional, award-winning planning work
• Recognised as a go-to source of energy and insight in the team

• Delivered a number of responses, with data and evidence led insights, ambitious innovation opportunities to push things forward
• Spotted a commercial opportunity for us to do things better, that would benefit the client and the business.
• Supported your team and developed the junior members of your team, ensuring they are performing at their full potential and looking out for their wellbeing
• Agreed objectives with your Senior AD to ensure constant progression.
• Contributed to EssenceMediacom culture in the team – great planners with clear goals, objectives, and development plans
• Got involved in wider business unit workstreams

In 12 months, you would have:

• Become a key stakeholder in your clients’ business. Delivering and executing their vision
• Supported the client business and contributed to its growth

Responsibilities of the role

• Being the key day to day contact for your clients to ensure best in class comms planning and client servicing for Uber
• Effectively collaborating with the wider EssenceMediacom Uber team to ensure efficiency and exceptional work
• Developing and executing annual planning and playing a key role to deliver any of the in year responses, projects/workshops
• Ensure detail, accuracy and quality of all deliverables
• Supporting and developing your team, setting and monitoring KPIs

What you will need

• Brand multimedia planning experience desired
• Experience managing clients and stakeholders
• Experience coordinating multiple stakeholders and agency partners
• A thirst for learning about technology, trends, media, people, brands and the industry
• An ambition and tenacity to make the ordinary extraordinary
• An ability to challenge the brief and client to understand what they really need
• Data-literacy – aware of the available resources and how to turn data into insights that shape clear strategic opportunities
• Attention to detail
• To have an opinion and be able to share it in a positive light
• Good storytelling skills – to give our ideas and thinking the best chance of coming to fruition
• Team management skills, including the ability to communicate clearly and manage workload

About EssenceMediacom

We are a global communications agency leading with breakthrough thinking, building explosive growth for brands, and helping our clients see the bigger picture. Our daring global network of 10,000 influencers help our clients breach traditional boundaries in media, uncover novel ideas, and unleash exponential growth. EssenceMediacom challenges conventional thinking to build, propel, and supercharge our clients’ businesses at scale and lead our industry in critical areas such as diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability.  

EssenceMediacom understands that our people are tasked with big goals: building breakthrough growth for brands and leading with breakthrough thinking in our industry. Our people are at the heart of this work because their ideas will enable us to decode the intersections of people, content, and technology to bring our aspirations to life. Our success is down to our eclectic, diverse, and talented people. EssenceMediacom is a place for us to grow our careers and expand our horizons. EssenceMediacom is committed to building an agency culture that supports our people, puts diversity at the forefront of our operations, and creates opportunity for all. This collective culture will be our “new power” where ideas are freely exchanged, and collaboration is actively encouraged in a place where you can innovate in our hyperconnected world.