{"absolute_url":"https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/wpp/jobs/8863749002","data_compliance":[{"type":"gdpr","requires_consent":false,"requires_processing_consent":false,"requires_retention_consent":false,"retention_period":null,"demographic_data_consent_applies":true}],"internal_job_id":6548606002,"location":{"name":"London, England, United Kingdom"},"metadata":null,"id":8863749002,"updated_at":"2026-10-15T05:12:28-04:00","requisition_id":"11686","title":"VP Development","company_name":"WPP","first_published":"2026-10-15T05:12:28-04:00","language":"en","application_deadline":null,"content":"\u0026lt;div class=\u0026quot;content-intro\u0026quot;\u0026gt;\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands.\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;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.\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;We work with the world\u0026#39;s most valuable brands and have global reach across 100+ markets, with deep local expertise.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Our people are the key to our success. We\u0026#39;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.\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;For more information, visit \u0026lt;a href=\u0026quot;https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwpp.com%2F\u0026amp;amp;data=05%7C02%7CErica.Durr%40wpp.com%7C9bf4566a65bc46a48ac008de749116ea%7C150b5e663d884dee83f6ed149b727a00%7C0%7C0%7C639076363668176216%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C\u0026amp;amp;sdata=Q9juosud56XGLThSFZ1NpPZd6FXpJPxV74OeRZWoh%2B4%3D\u0026amp;amp;reserved=0\u0026quot; target=\u0026quot;_blank\u0026quot;\u0026gt;WPP.com.\u0026lt;/a\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;br\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/div\u0026gt;\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h3\u0026gt;\u0026lt;span style=\u0026quot;text-decoration: underline;\u0026quot;\u0026gt;About the role\u0026lt;/span\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/h3\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p class=\u0026quot;isSelectedEnd\u0026quot;\u0026gt;We’re looking for a \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;VP, Development, Prototyping \u0026amp;amp; Innovation\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt; to lead the technical capability that turns ideas, research and emerging technologies into \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;validated prototypes, reusable technical assets and scalable solutions\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt; across Open Intelligence Solutions (OIS).\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p class=\u0026quot;isSelectedEnd\u0026quot;\u0026gt;This is a newly defined leadership role sitting at the intersection of \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;R\u0026amp;amp;D, product, engineering and emerging technology\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;. You’ll help determine which ideas are worth pursuing, prove their technical and commercial viability, and establish the engineering foundations needed to take successful concepts towards production.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p class=\u0026quot;isSelectedEnd\u0026quot;\u0026gt;You’ll be the bridge between research and delivery — ensuring that innovation moves quickly without compromising on \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;technical quality, security, governance, architecture or scalability\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p class=\u0026quot;isSelectedEnd\u0026quot;\u0026gt;A significant part of the role will involve emerging AI technologies, including \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;AI applications, agentic systems, AI orchestration and MCP tooling\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;, alongside cloud-native development, MLOps and platform integration.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h3\u0026gt;\u0026lt;span style=\u0026quot;text-decoration: underline;\u0026quot;\u0026gt;What you’ll do\u0026lt;/span\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/h3\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h4\u0026gt;Lead development, prototyping and innovation\u0026lt;/h4\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;ul data-spread=\u0026quot;false\u0026quot;\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Own the development and prototyping capability for Open Intelligence Solutions.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Turn strategic concepts, client opportunities, research outputs and emerging technologies into demonstrable prototypes and reusable technical assets.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Work closely with R\u0026amp;amp;D, Product and Engineering to assess technical feasibility and identify the fastest viable route from idea to validated solution.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Establish frameworks for prioritising, building and evaluating experiments, proofs of concept and technical spikes.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Create clear governance around the transition from \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;prototype → pilot → production\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Ensure prototypes demonstrate genuine business value before being positioned as scalable solutions.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h4\u0026gt;Shape engineering standards and architecture\u0026lt;/h4\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;ul data-spread=\u0026quot;false\u0026quot;\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Define engineering standards, reference architectures, code governance and reusable development patterns across OIS.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Raise standards around quality, maintainability, security and consistency across prototypes and technical accelerators.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Lead the architecture of solutions integrating with \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;WPP Open, data platforms, APIs and enterprise technology environments\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Work with Product, Enterprise Technology and Data Product teams to determine what should remain standalone, what should integrate into existing platforms and what should transition into formal product roadmaps.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Ensure technical assets can ultimately be governed, supported and scaled across the WPP network.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h4\u0026gt;Drive AI and technical innovation\u0026lt;/h4\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;ul data-spread=\u0026quot;false\u0026quot;\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Provide technical leadership for \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;AI application development and agentic systems\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Establish practical implementation patterns for AI orchestration frameworks and \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;MCP tooling\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Help teams experiment rapidly with AI-enabled capabilities while maintaining appropriate standards around architecture, security, data governance and operational readiness.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Develop reusable approaches to \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;MLOps, deployment automation and cloud-native development\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Reduce the friction between prototype and production by creating repeatable technical patterns, tools and processes.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h4\u0026gt;Build and lead technical capability\u0026lt;/h4\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;ul data-spread=\u0026quot;false\u0026quot;\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Lead and develop a team of senior engineers, applied AI engineers and innovation specialists.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Build a culture that combines \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;high-quality engineering with fast learning, responsible experimentation and pragmatic delivery\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Develop reusable templates, toolkits, standards and guidance that allow teams across OIS to build on successful prototypes without relying on a single technical owner.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Enable domain, product and delivery teams to adopt engineering standards while maintaining appropriate governance over architecture and production readiness.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Collaborate with engineers and specialists across software architecture, AI application development, rapid prototyping, API and platform integration, MLOps and product engineering.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h3\u0026gt;\u0026lt;span style=\u0026quot;text-decoration: underline;\u0026quot;\u0026gt;What we’re looking for\u0026lt;/span\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/h3\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p class=\u0026quot;isSelectedEnd\u0026quot;\u0026gt;We’re looking for an experienced technology leader who is comfortable operating where \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;innovation meets engineering\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt; — someone who can move quickly from an emerging idea to a working prototype, while understanding what is required to make it production-ready.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p class=\u0026quot;isSelectedEnd\u0026quot;\u0026gt;You’ll bring:\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;ul data-spread=\u0026quot;false\u0026quot;\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Significant experience leading \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;software engineering, technical innovation, R\u0026amp;amp;D or applied technology teams\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;A strong track record of taking concepts, prototypes or emerging technologies through to production or scalable implementation.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Strong software architecture and engineering expertise, with experience establishing standards and reusable technical patterns.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Experience working across \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;prototyping, platform integration, cloud-native development and technical delivery\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Strong understanding of modern AI application development, ideally including \u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;agentic systems, AI orchestration, MCP or similar emerging technologies\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Experience with MLOps, deployment automation and modern engineering practices.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;The ability to assess technical feasibility quickly and make pragmatic decisions about where to invest engineering effort.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Experience partnering with Product, R\u0026amp;amp;D, Enterprise Technology and senior engineering stakeholders.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Strong understanding of security, data governance and enterprise architecture considerations when taking experimental technology towards production.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;li\u0026gt;A passion for emerging technology and a pragmatic mindset — knowing when to experiment, when to iterate and when to stop.\u0026lt;/li\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;/ul\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;span style=\u0026quot;text-decoration: underline;\u0026quot;\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Who you are:\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/span\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;You\u0026#39;re open\u0026lt;em\u0026gt;:\u0026lt;/em\u0026gt; \u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;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.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;You\u0026#39;re optimistic\u0026lt;em\u0026gt;:\u0026lt;/em\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt; \u0026lt;span id=\u0026quot;628d56ad5d8a35dab853e65d9daa237c\u0026quot; class=\u0026quot;editor-module-hl-green-solid\u0026quot;\u0026gt;We believe\u0026lt;/span\u0026gt; in the power of creativity, technology and talent to create brighter futures or our people, our clients and our communities. We approach all that we do with conviction: to try the new and to seek the unexpected.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;You\u0026#39;re extraordinary:\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt; we are stronger together: through collaboration we achieve the amazing. We are creative leaders and pioneers of our industry; we provide extraordinary every day.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;span style=\u0026quot;text-decoration: underline;\u0026quot;\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;What we\u0026#39;ll give you:\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/span\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Passionate, inspired people\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt; – We aim to create a culture in which people can do extraordinary work.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Scale and opportunity\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt; – We offer the opportunity to create, influence and complete projects at a scale that is unparalleled in the industry.\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Challenging and stimulating work\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt; – Unique work and the opportunity to join a group of creative problem solvers. Are you up for the challenge?\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;span style=\u0026quot;color: rgb(236, 240, 241);\u0026quot;\u0026gt;#LI-Hybrid\u0026amp;nbsp;\u0026lt;/span\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;div class=\u0026quot;content-conclusion\u0026quot;\u0026gt;\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;We believe the best work happens when we\u0026#39;re together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That\u0026#39;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.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;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.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;h4\u0026gt;\u0026lt;strong\u0026gt;Please read our Privacy Notice (\u0026lt;a href=\u0026quot;https://www.wpp.com/en/careers/wpp-privacy-policy-for-recruitment\u0026quot;\u0026gt;https://www.wpp.com/en/careers/wpp-privacy-policy-for-recruitment\u0026lt;/a\u0026gt;) for more information on how we process the information you provide.\u0026lt;/strong\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/h4\u0026gt;\u0026lt;/div\u0026gt;","departments":[{"id":4060820002,"name":"Technology \u0026 Innovation","child_ids":[],"parent_id":null}],"offices":[{"id":4040357002,"name":"United Kingdom","location":null,"child_ids":[4133793002,4007815002,4098031002],"parent_id":4036713002}],"ai_disclaimer":null,"include_ai_disclaimer":null,"ai_opt_out_request_url":null}