PR and Communications Manager

Who We Are

VML, part of WPP, is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave™ Reports, as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement Optimization.

In addition, VML’s specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world’s largest and most awarded health agencies. VML’s global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney. About WPP WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands.

We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. com . Reporting into the Chief Growth Officer of VML UK, this role will lead communications and PR across the UK, building the agency’s reputation, strengthening leadership visibility and ensuring our best work, people and growth priorities are seen by the right audiences.

Marketing Communications Strategy • Proven experience developing and delivering long-term marketing, communications and PR strategies that support business growth, reputation and market visibility. • Ability to build a clear UK communications strategy aligned to growth ambitions, sector and capability focus areas and commercial objectives. • Strong understanding of how marketing, communications, PR, thought leadership and content can work together to drive agency profile, credibility and growth.

• Experience translating business priorities into compelling communications plans, with the ability to balance local market relevance with broader regional and global strategy. • Confidence acting as the key marketing and communications point person for UK, ensuring regular alignment with global marketing and communications leads. • Ability to build strong relationships with global, regional and local stakeholders to ensure UK plans are visible, connected and strategically aligned.

• Experience advising senior creative and UK Leadership Team on communications opportunities for major work, including awards, festivals, Cannes PR strategies and campaign amplification. Media Relations Reputation Management • Strong experience leading trade media relations, ideally within an agency, creative, marketing, communications or professional services environment. • Established understanding of the UK trade media landscape, with the ability to build and maintain productive relationships with key journalists and editors.

• Ability to guide and support media relations activity where required, ensuring consistency, quality and reputation management across the UK (and beyond to EMEA/Global as appropriate). • Experience developing senior leader contact plans with priority journalists across the UK. • Confident identifying proactive media opportunities that support business priorities, sector positioning, leadership visibility and agency profile.

• Strong judgement in handling sensitive or reputationally important communications, including crisis communications, issue management and escalation to global stakeholders where needed.