Global Media Activation Lead - Volvo

About Us

KINESSO is the technology-driven performance marketing agency that sits at the very heart of IPG Mediabrands, providing actionable growth for both our agency partners and clients. We turn 'action' into 'outcome' for our clients, leveraging our unique capabilities in optimization, analytics, AI, and experimentation. KINESSO has brought together the collective power of what was formerly Matterkind, Reprise, and Kinesso under one collective entity that will serve as the most powerful delivery engine in the industry. We have extensive offerings spanning performance marketing and data and technology. Fuelled by a deep understanding of consumer behaviour, we offer an end-to-end engine of planning and optimization while also delivering on data-driven strategy for social platforms, actionable growth in e-commerce, and creating curated marketplaces specific to each client's function and needs. The company has more than 6,000 employees operating in more than 60 countries. Learn more at .

Client Description

Volvo Cars – Driving Change Together
Many brands talk about purpose, but Volvo embodies it. Its values, deeply ingrained in its identity, drive its success. Volvo places its brand and purpose at the core of its business. The guiding principle, For Life, reflects its mission to provide freedom of movement in a personal, sustainable, and safe way.

Personal – For Life
Life is precious, and so is living. Volvo helps people embrace life, celebrating individuality and the freedom to be themselves. The company strives to simplify life, reduce stress, and enable joy and peace of mind. Rooted in Swedish values, Volvo prioritizes quality of life as much as life itself.

Sustainable – For Life
Volvo protects people and the planet, aiming for net-zero emissions and a circular economy. Its commitment to sustainability improves lives globally.

Safe – For Life
Since 1927, when co-founder Gustaf Larsson declared, “Cars are driven by people. The guiding principle behind everything we make at Volvo, therefore, is and must remain, safety,” Volvo has been synonymous with safety. It continues to pioneer the safest, smartest mobility technologies to protect lives.

Missions
Volvo’s five missions drive its business:

People: Empower employees to live the company’s values, positively impacting customers, partners, and society.

Product: Deliver people-centered, fully electric products by 2030.

Technology: Develop innovations benefiting people and the planet.

Customers: Foster growth through strong consumer relationships and omni-channel approaches.

Digital: Build secure digital infrastructure to enable scalability and efficiency.

Volvo Cars is advancing toward full electrification. Electric and hybrid models now make up nearly 50% of sales, making this a pivotal time to help shape the future of mobility with Volvo’s inspiring teams. Our job as Volvo’s global media agency partner – as part of a fully integrated team with Initiative - is to help them meet their ambitious sales and electrification goals in 31 countries worldwide.

ABOUT THE ROLE 
This role is responsible for continuously improving media plans to meet or exceed targets while keeping key Volvo Cars (VCC) stakeholders informed about live actions, pacing, and performance against planned objectives. This role slso oversees the optimization approach within the cluster activation teams across each regiona globally, and evaluates budget shifts between channels based on performance and strategic priorities.

Additionally, this role ensures that activation needs are highlighted and that all media efforts align with the VCC playbook and platform best practices. It requires close coordination with the agency’s Global Content Lead, as well as VCC’s creative and strategy teams, to drive effective campaign execution. This role also pushes continuous improvement of media plans to meet or exceed targets, keeping key VCC stakeholders informed about live actions, pacing, and performance against plans, overseeing optimization approach within the cluster activation teams, and evaluating budget shifts between channels in line with performance and priorities. This role also involves highlighting activation needs, adhering to the VCC playbook and platform best practices, and coordinating with agency Global Content Lead and VCC creative and strategy teams for effective campaign execution. The lead is also responsible for reporting performance according to the agreed schedule and ensuring follow-up on A/B tests in line with plans.

The Media Activation lead is also accountable for performance reporting in accordance with the agreed schedule and for ensuring that A/B test follow-ups align with the overarching plan, and providing (through collaboration with global data and reporting teams) recurring global insights on a quarterly basis. 

The role oversees two Craft specialists per channel (search, social, programmatic) within each of the regional biddable teams.

As a key senior role in the Volvo team, this role will be responsible for the excellence in planning and activation of performance media activity and collaboration across crafts in the Volvo team, all over the world.
Success within this role will be measured through multiple parameters such as innovative and effective media activity, commercial success of Volvo and the team’s contribution to it, operational excellence across the team, and team integration. 

KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Team management and development
• Resource management and allocation, including offshore hub management and solutions
• Identifying and implementing opportunities for improving efficiency and effectiveness
• Proactively identifying future risks and actively proposing solutions to leadership
• Standardisation and adoption of Quality Assurance controls
• Ensuring flawless execution of Media activities
• Ensuring the team deliver perfect financial management and adherence to IPG Mediabrands workflows and deadlines
• Ensuring clear understanding of products and services with agency partners, clients, and internal teams
• Identifying areas of efficiency improvement and creating clear project plans for adoption
• Supporting with Strategic responses and key client deliverables
• Developing and maintaining strong, positive relationships with key agency stakeholders
• Developing and maintaining strong, positive relationships with key client contacts
• Development of operational processes and workflows that increase efficiency and effectiveness while mitigating risk to our business
• Standardisation and adoption of Quality Assurance controls
• Maintaining strong, positive relationships with Media Owners, to driving value and innovation for our business and clients

ABOUT YOU

• Expert in Digital and Performance marketing
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Previous experience managing a large team
• Strong people management skills
• Experience managing offshore resource
• Track record of consistently achieving commercial and operational objectives
• Proven record of defining and implementing original approaches, processes, and ways of working
• Experience producing business cases
• Commercial experience with regard to scoping, staff plan development and negotiations  
• Experience driving the adoption of technology solutions
• Experience developing strong relationships with senior client stakeholders
• Expert in stakeholder management 

Employee Transparency

At IPG Mediabrands, we celebrate differences and believe this makes us stronger. IPG Mediabrands is an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to championing an inclusive culture that provides a sense of belonging for all our employees. We do not discriminate against any applicant based on age, disability, race, colour, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, belief, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Please reach out to our Talent Inclusion Specialist Jess at [email protected]if you would like to have a confidential conversation regarding any adjustments that would ensure our recruitment process is accessible for you. Please note requesting a reasonable adjustment will not affect your application.

THE PERKS

We aim to provide all our people with a supportive and fun work environment where you can develop your full potential and benefit from the broad range of opportunities within the agency. When you join us, we want to make sure you feel valued – and that you are rewarded for your fantastic work. So, we also offer a range of benefits: 

• Flexi–leave, with 25 days annual leave to be taken as the minimum. In addition to your holiday entitlement, the office usually closes between Christmas & New Year
• Free breakfast and free lunch 
• Early finish Fridays
• Core Hours (Mon-Thurs, flexible start/finish times)  
• Retail discounts
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice car scheme
• Wellbeing programme, including Headspace & flu jabs
• Interest-free season ticket loan
• Paid time off for Volunteering 
• Group Income Protection 
• Life Assurance 
• Private Medical Insurance or Health Cash Plan (dependent on level) 
• Group Personal Pension Plan with matched contributions from 3-6% 
• Generous Parental Leave & Pay  
• Independent mortgage advice 
• Financial education 
• Employee Assistance Programme 
• Free eye tests 
• Flexible benefits including Dental, Travel insurance, Cycle to Work, Gym Discounts and many more!