Agency Trading Director

Who we are

We're Future, a global leader in specialist media. Our people bring our trusted brands to life, helping millions of people discover expert content that informs, inspires, and drives action. As a pioneering multiplatform media powerhouse, we provide expert content and technology that build valuable communities across all channels.

Future is looking for an ambitious, commercially driven Agency Trading Director to lead and grow strategic relationships with the UK’s major media agency holding groups and leading independent agencies.

This is a senior commercial role responsible for Future’s agency trading strategy, high-value negotiations, revenue growth and strategic agency partnerships across our portfolio of 200+ media brands.

You will be a senior external face of Future and the central commercial lead for strategic agency relationships. The role combines commercial strategy, senior relationship management, negotiation, revenue delivery and business development, with a clear focus on increasing Future’s share of agency investment. 

Internally you will lead and drive collaboration and stakeholder management.

You will balance short-term trading and revenue delivery with longer-term, multi-million-pound partnerships across Future’s full proposition, including digital, print, branded conted content, social, programmatic, data, creative, events, commerce and media 360 solutions.

What you'll do

1. Lead Future’s agency trading strategy

• Develop and execute the UK agency trading strategy across assigned holding groups and major independent agencies.
• Own strategic agency plans identifying revenue, share and relationship-growth opportunities.
• Translate Future’s commercial strategy into clear agency priorities and long-term trading frameworks.
• Identify opportunities to increase Future’s share across channels, clients, categories and agency disciplines.
• Stay ahead of changes in agency structures, investment models, trading practices and the wider media marketplace.

2. Own senior agency relationships

• Be the senior point of contact for designated holding groups and major independent agencies.
• Build relationships across central agency functions including investment, trading, partnerships, commercial strategy, product, data, planning and procurement.
• Lead senior business reviews, strategic meetings, presentations and agency wide immersion sessions
• Represent Future at key industry events and senior agency forums.

3. Deliver revenue and commercial growth

• Own revenue targets and commercial performance across strategic agency relationships.
• Build and manage a strong pipeline of trading agreements, incremental revenue and new opportunities.
• Deliver accurate forecasting and proactively manage risks and opportunities.
• Lead negotiations that maximise revenue, profitability and long-term commercial value.
• Grow Future’s share across digital, print, branded content, programmatic, social, events, creative and other solutions.
• Develop new and non-endemic revenue opportunities by connecting Future’s audiences, brands and capabilities to broader client needs.
• Protect and grow existing commitments while identifying incremental opportunities.

4. Unlock the full Future proposition

Act as the strategic connector between agencies and Future’s wider commercial organisation, working across Client Direct, Agency Sales, Brand Partnerships, Branded Content, Programmatic, Data, Product, Creative, Commerce and specialist teams.

Ensure trading agreements unlock opportunities across Future’s broader proposition rather than individual products or channels. Use Future’s scale, data, audience insight, technology and specialist expertise to create a differentiated proposition versus competing media owners.

What you’ll bring

• Significant senior experience within the UK media, advertising or agency ecosystem.
• Established senior commercial agency relationships across UK media agencies and holding groups.
• Strong understanding of agency trading models, investment structures and commercial negotiations.
• Experience negotiating complex, high-value commercial or trading agreements.
• Strong understanding of the UK media owner and agency landscape.
• Experience across multiple media channels and commercial propositions.
• Ability to develop strategic plans and translate them into measurable commercial outcomes.
• Excellent communication, presentation and influencing skills.

What we offer

• Uncapped leave
• Enhanced parental leave
• Discounted rates with Dental care and Private Medical care
• When we hit our targets, enjoy a share of our profits with a bonus
• Refer a friend scheme - with payment following the successful hire.
• Well-being support with access to our Colleague Assistant Programmes
• Opportunity to purchase shares in Future, with our Share Incentive Plan
• Salary sacrifice Pension scheme up to 5% match
• Free drinks and snacks in our offices

The expected range for this role is £70,000- £80,000

This is a hybrid role, working three days per week from our London Paddington office.

Internal job family level Commercial 5

Inclusion and Diversity at Future
At Future, we’re working to attract, retain and foster diverse talent, educating our colleagues in the importance of diversity, and review our internal processes so that they remain as free from bias as possible. We recognise that, in order to reach diverse communities through our content, we must first ensure ours is a culture in which diversity can thrive.

Find out more about Our Future, Our Responsibility on our website.

If you need any reasonable adjustments, please let us know, and we'll be happy to support you.

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