Director, Product Ownership

Director, Product Ownership

WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients, and communities. Working at WPP means being part of a global network of more than 100,000 talented people dedicated to doing extraordinary work for our clients. We operate in over 100 countries, with corporate headquarters in New York, London and Singapore. WPP is a world leader in marketing services, with deep AI, data and technology capabilities, global presence and unrivalled creative talent. Our clients include many of the biggest companies and advertisers in the world, including approximately 300 of the Fortune Global 500. Our people are the key to our success. We're committed to fostering a culture of creativity, belonging and continuous learning, attracting and developing the brightest talent, and providing exciting career opportunities that help our people grow.

Why We're Hiring:

We are seeking an exceptional and highly experienced Director, Product Ownership to lead and elevate our Product Ownership function within WPP Open. In this pivotal leadership role, you will be responsible for establishing and ensuring consistent best practices in backlog management, agile execution, and value delivery across all product teams. You will manage, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of Lead, Senior, and Product Owners, fostering a culture of efficient, outcome-driven delivery and continuous improvement. Working closely with Group Product Managers, engineering leadership, and the Head of Product Management, you will drive the successful and timely realisation of product value, champion operational excellence, and significantly contribute to the growth and professional development of our Product Ownership capability.

What You'll Be Doing:

Product Delivery Excellence & Strategy:

• Define and champion best practices for product ownership, backlog management, and agile execution across the entire WPP Open product organisation.
• Develop and implement robust processes, frameworks, and tooling to standardise and optimise the Product Ownership function, ensuring consistency and efficiency in delivery.
• Collaborate with Group Product Managers and engineering leadership to ensure seamless integration between product planning (from PMs) and execution (from POs), driving alignment and efficient value flow.
• Contribute to the overall delivery strategy by providing insights on execution capabilities, risks, and opportunities to the Head of Product Management.

People Leadership & Development:

• Provide direct line management, coaching, and mentorship to a team of Lead, Senior, and Product Owners, fostering their professional growth, setting clear performance objectives, and conducting regular reviews.
• Establish and oversee personal development plans for the Product Ownership team, identifying training needs, career paths, and opportunities for skill enhancement.
• Recruit, onboard, and retain top talent within the Product Ownership function, building a high-performing and engaged team.
• Cultivate a culture of continuous learning, accountability, and outcome-driven delivery within the Product Ownership team.

Execution Oversight & Optimisation:

• Oversee the quality and efficiency of backlog management and feature delivery across all product teams, ensuring alignment with defined product strategies and roadmaps.
• Drive initiatives to improve delivery predictability, speed, and quality, leveraging data and insights to identify bottlenecks and implement solutions.
• Act as an escalation point for complex delivery challenges, resolving cross-functional impediments and ensuring smooth execution.
• Champion the use of data and metrics to measure delivery performance and the realisation of intended value from executed features.

Stakeholder Management & Communication:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key senior stakeholders, including the Head of Product Management, Group Product Managers, Director of Product Design, and engineering leadership.
• Communicate the performance, progress, and strategic impact of the Product Ownership function to executive leadership, ensuring transparency and alignment.
• Advocate for the Product Ownership team's needs and contributions, ensuring their value is recognised across the organisation.

What You'll Need:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in product ownership or a similar delivery-focused product role, with a proven track record of leading and scaling agile delivery.
• 5+ years in a leadership role managing and mentoring Product Owners.
• Extensive experience in defining, implementing, and optimising product ownership processes, frameworks, and tooling across an organisation.
• Deep expertise in Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) and their practical application at scale.
• Proven ability to lead, influence, and align multiple cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders towards efficient and outcome-driven delivery.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts to executive leadership and inspire confidence.
• Strong skills in managing executive stakeholders, shaping expectations, and handling high-stakes conflicts diplomatically.
• A strong analytical mindset, with the ability to leverage data to drive process improvements and measure delivery performance.
• Demonstrated commitment to people development, with a track record of coaching and growing talent.
• Ability to understand technical complexities and effectively collaborate with engineering leadership.

Why WPP Open?

At WPP Open, you'll be part of a pioneering team building the future of marketing and advertising. We offer a collaborative and innovative environment where your leadership and expertise in product delivery will directly shape how we build and ship products. You'll have the opportunity to lead and mentor a talented team, drive significant operational impact, and grow your career within a leading global organisation.

Who You Are:

You're open: We are inclusive and collaborative; we encourage the free exchange of ideas; we respect and celebrate diverse views. We are open-minded: to new ideas, new partnerships, new ways of working.

You're optimistic: We believe in the power of creativity, technology and talent to create brighter futures for our people, our clients and our communities. We approach all that we do with conviction: to try the new and to seek the unexpected.

You're extraordinary: we are stronger together: through collaboration we achieve the amazing. We are creative leaders and pioneers of our industry; we provide extraordinary every day.

What We'll Give You:

Passionate, inspired people – We aim to create a culture in which people can do extraordinary work.

Scale and opportunity – We offer the opportunity to create, influence and complete projects at a scale that is unparalleled in the industry.

Challenging and stimulating work – Unique work and the opportunity to join a group of creative problem solvers. Are you up for the challenge?

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.