---
title: 'Media Buyer at WPP Media'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/media-buyer-wpp-media-johannesburg-82vs6arg2c68'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-05'
---

# Media Buyer at WPP Media

- **Company:** WPP Media
- **Location:** Johannesburg, South Africa
- **Posted:** 2026-11-05
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-05
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/wppmedia/jobs/5473984008

## Job description

## About WPP Media

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. With exceptional talent, trusted data and intelligence, and world-class partnerships – all united by our pioneering agentic marketing platform, WPP Open – we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity, and deliver transformational growth.

WPP Media is WPP's AI-driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data, and partnerships to deliver creative personalisation at scale. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, clients see exactly where, how, and why their media investment is working.

For more information, visit wppmedia.com.

Job Title: Media Buyer Company: WPP Media South Africa Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Reports To: Client Lead

Purpose: The Media Buyer is responsible for effective negotiating, purchasing/booking and administration of time or space that is acquired across all media touch points on behalf of the client. The Buyer is responsible for ensuring the media appears on-time at the best cost whilst being accountable for managing all investment.

Buying/Booking

- Take responsibility for administration related to transactions with media owners, including providing relevant documentation i.e. applications/booking instructions, contracts, and confirmation instructions.
- Provide accurate and detailed information on the CI to the media owner and advise the various media owners of the creative agency supplying the material.
- Notify the team of unavailable spots/positions and suitable alternatives.
- Issue accurate and detailed material chase lists for all mediums to creative agencies.
- Digitally file bookings and related correspondence to be accurate, timeous, and logical.
- Create IO’s in Symphony to buy/bill Digital media.

Negotiation

- Negotiate over and above the Planners’ schedule for best deals possible. This includes negotiation of additional discounts at time of booking or placing of advertising in a better position.
- Negotiate compensation for non-placement and incorrect media placement.
- Every media placement booked should carry a discount or added value.

Billings

- Input data into the media administrative system for billing and budget control purposes.
- Ensure all rate stages, dates and positions are correct and loaded onto the billing system accordingly i.e., rate card rate, discount, net, AV, special loading, etc.
- Continuously inform the relevant stakeholder of any rate, position, or date changes.
- All media to be loaded and checked against media contracts and schedules.
- Balance flow plans with actual monthly expenditure.
- Co-ordinate with the finance department to ensure billing ensues correctly and timeously.
- Update flowplans to accompany the client’s monthly statements & invoices.
- Run monthly reports to assist Planners with updating flow plans, Schedules & PO Trackers.

Other

- Supply tear sheets to clients on any print bookings.
- Supply site bibles to client for OOH.
- Supply media costs on request.
- Maintain good media owner relationships.
- Assist on financial queries and the timeous resolution thereof.
- Assist in new vendor onboarding through ME-Suite

The Ideal Candidate

- Minimum 4 years’ work experience in a Buying role.
- Experience working at a Media Agency preferable.
- Strong understanding of the media landscape.
- Significant proven experience of working with multiple stakeholders, e.g., suppliers, advertising/marketing agencies, media owners.
- Good understanding of financial systems - commercial and budget awareness.
- Good administration skills, planning and organising skills.
- Sound negotiation skills.
- Problem Solver
- Good communication skills both written and verbal.

Life at WPP Media & Benefits Our passion for shaping the next era of media includes investing in our employees to help them do their best work, and we’re just as committed to employee growth as we are to responsible media investment. WPP Media employees can tap into the global WPP Media & WPP networks to pursue their passions, grow their networks, and learn at the cutting edge of marketing and advertising. We have a variety of employee resource groups and host frequent in-office events showcasing team wins, sharing thought leadership, and celebrating holidays and milestone events. Our benefits include competitive medical, group retirement plans and employee mental health awareness days.

WPP Media is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to 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.

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.

Please read our [Privacy Notice](https://www.wppmedia.com/pages/privacy-policy#:~:text=WPP%20Media%20Privacy%20Notice%20for%20Recruitment) for more information on how we process the information you provide.

## About WPP Media

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: WPP Media is WPP's global media collective that combines AI, data, and creative to deliver intelligent growth for the world's leading brands.
- **Entity Type**: Division of Public Company (WPP plc – LSE: WPP, NYSE: WPP)
- **Headquarters**: New York, United States
- **Founded**: Not publicly available (parent WPP plc founded 1971; WPP Media formed as a unified media collective in recent years)
- **CEO**: Brian Lesser (CEO, WPP Media)

## Core Business
- **Industry**: Advertising Services, Media Planning & Buying, Marketing Technology
- **Target Customers**: B2B and B2C enterprise brands across all sectors; global clients include major Fortune 500 companies
- **Mission or Purpose Statement**: "Intelligent growth for the AI era" – helping brands harness data, AI, and media to drive measurable outcomes.

## Products & Services
- **Open Media Studio (OMS)**: An end-to-end media delivery platform integrated with WPP Open, enabling scaled creative, production, data, commerce, and personalized media execution. (SaaS/Platform)
- **Open Intelligence**: An AI-enabled data solution that unifies fragmented data across ecosystems into predictive marketing intelligence, supporting privacy-first activation. (Data & Analytics Platform)
- **Data and Technology Consulting**: Consulting services for data strategy, technology architecture, advanced analytics, audience insight, cloud integration, and platform adoption. (Service)
- **Media Management & Delivery**: Expert activation, smart investment, strategic partnerships, and proprietary media solutions powered by AI and advanced analytics for personalized advertising at global scale. (Service)
- **Service and Strategy**: Dedicated teams offering deep sector expertise, creative strategy, and business outcomes aligned with client goals. (Service)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed separately (parent WPP plc market cap approx. £8 billion as of July 2025)
- **Key Metric**: $65 billion in managed media annually (from wppmedia.com)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: WPP is publicly traded; works with hundreds of global brands including many Fortune 500 companies. Key technology partners include major cloud and AI providers.
- **Growth Signals**:
  - 40,000+ media experts worldwide
  - 160 offices across 80+ markets
  - 1,600+ active job postings (LinkedIn, July 2025) with +8.7% monthly job growth
  - Strong investment in AI-first capabilities and privacy-forward data unification

## Competitive Advantages
- **Scale**: One of the largest media buying organizations globally, managing $65B in media.
- **AI Integration**: End-to-end platform (OMS + Open Intelligence) deeply embedded with AI for predictive analytics, automation, and personalization.
- **Integrated Ecosystem**: Unique ability to unify media, data, creative, production, and commerce under one roof.
- **Global Reach**: 40k+ experts in 80+ markets providing local insights with global execution.
- **WPP Network**: Access to 100,000+ experts across WPP's integrated agency network.

## Strategic Focus
- **AI-Driven Growth**: Embedding AI across all capabilities to deliver smarter, faster, more measurable outcomes.
- **Privacy-First Data Unification**: Building Open Intelligence as a secure, cross-ecosystem data platform that respects consumer privacy.
- **Talent Development**: Investing in AI-enabled learning frameworks and internal mobility to future-proof skills.
- **Sustainability & Inclusion**: Part of WPP's broader commitment to building better futures for people, planet, clients, and communities.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Described as open, optimistic, and extraordinary – with emphasis on collaboration, innovation, and challenging the status quo.
- **Growth**: AI-enabled learning framework, cross-team mobility across WPP’s global network of 100k+ experts.
- **Work Environment**: Hybrid/office-based roles across 160 offices; global opportunities in 80+ markets.
- **Perks**: Competitive compensation, performance-based rewards, access to cutting-edge AI tools, and work with leading global brands.
- **Team**: Join a collective of 40k+ media experts, data scientists, technologists, and creatives.

## Sources
1. [wppmedia.com](https://www.wppmedia.com/)
2. [WPP Media Company Info](https://www.wppmedia.com/company-info)
3. [WPP Media Careers](https://www.wppmedia.com/careers)
4. [WPP Media – What We Do](https://www.wppmedia.com/what-we-do)
5. [WPP Media LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/wpp-media)
6. [WPP Media Greenhouse Careers](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/wppmedia)

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