Associate Director- AI Strategist, Marketing

<div class="content-intro"><h3><strong>Who We Are</strong></h3> <p>VML is a global creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce to create connected brands that drive growth. Guided by a <strong>Human First</strong> philosophy, VML is known for its innovative work for brands and consistently ranks among the world’s leading creative companies, including the WARC Creative 100. VML’s global network spans 55+ markets with principal offices in Buenos Aires, Kansas City, London, New York, São Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore. </p> <p>VML is part of WPP, the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. Powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform WPP Open, WPP unites cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, creativity, production, enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel. </p> <p>For more information, please visit <a href="http://www.vml.com/" data-outlook-id="d4b7d1c3-8ad6-4b6d-ab45-d3cb5a3aebe1">www.vml.com </a>and follow along on <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__urldefense.com_v3_-5F-5Fhttps-3A_www.linkedin.com_company_vml_-5F-5F-3B-21-21JboVxjCXSME-21OhlpCfbkl1UcWPwns1-2DGtvHOzFh0QwHV49fsPgGw-2DVCCU1bCg8aQFI9vN-2Dy-2DVwaQcITH2j2XKzGKBIFRLYf2AUWVYY1dFGK6-24&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=zouFnm4jZMgDFaYF1uVcRY3rbgHWPca_luUrBUkT6Yc&m=QzcCgXCAOjzj5hiU48_CKOdHRSJ4_YpuqfviT9yjlzH5VrkzySTZ-WaQXlYAnj4W&s=jJ7q5V70u9oUx7ONPm5jC3IK8y6vxDilX6BGTlqlWlA&e=" data-outlook-id="a3ef68bf-16fb-4ebc-9ca9-406007d6cefc">LinkedIn</a> #WeAreVML.</p></div><p><strong>About Us</strong><br>The <strong>WPP | Ford Team</strong> is an integrated operating network made up of a dynamic multi-agency ecosystem that serves Ford Motor Company and its many diverse units around the world. This operating team provides a breadth of marketing experience for Ford across Communications, Marketing, Brand and Customer Experience, A.I., Creative, Production, Media, Strategy, Analytics, Commerce & Technology and more.</p> <p>Operated under a central leadership team, it draws best-in-class talent from leading WPP agencies including VML (Brand & Customer Experience), WPP Media (Media), GTB (Precision Retail Marketing), WPP Production (Brand Design & Production), Zubi & UWG (Multicultural), and Burson (Corporate Communications/Public Relations), among other key WPP specialists. WPP | Ford team members work in a highly integrated environment, with direct exposure across virtually every discipline of modern marketing.</p> <p>This role is embedded within VML as part of the WPP network.</p> <p><strong>About Ford and the Opportunity</strong><br>Ford is in a period of rapid transformation, modernization, and evolution. This exciting challenge is about more than just marketing vehicles. It's about lifestyle, experiences, technology and helping to build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. After 123 years, this iconic brand continues to evolve, focusing on services, experiences and software, in addition to vehicles.</p> <p><strong>The Role</strong><br>The AI Strategist connects the people who do the work (Shopper, Media, Web, Production, and Creative teams) with the people who build the tools. You'll spend time with marketers to understand how their work actually gets done, find where AI can make it better, and turn those opportunities into tools that last, not one-off fixes. You don't need to be an engineer. You need to be curious, resourceful, good with people, and ready to think like a builder.</p> <p><strong>What You'll Do</strong></p> <ul> <li>Embed with marketing teams to map how work gets done today, then spot where AI can remove friction or unlock something new</li> <li>Turn messy, real-world needs into clear problem statements and briefs for our AI Architect and Product Manager</li> <li>Prototype early ideas yourself using no-code and AI tools, so teams can react to something real instead of a slide</li> <li>Think beyond the immediate ask. Shape one-off requests into durable tools that can scale across teams and grow over time.</li> <li>Own the evolution of what you launch by gathering feedback, prioritizing improvements, and planning the next version</li> <li>Help build a roadmap that balances quick client wins with longer-term capabilities</li> <li>Keep builds connected so teams don't solve the same problem twice</li> <li>Shepherd ideas from first conversation to launch, and keep stakeholders informed along the way</li> <li>Log every use case so its impact can be measured</li> <li>Advocate for the business so AI gets built <em>with</em> the teams who use it</li> </ul> <p><strong>What We're Looking For</strong></p> <ul> <li>6–8 years in marketing, advertising, or agency environments (strategy, account, production, media, CX, or similar), with exposure to product, UX, process, or innovation work</li> <li>Genuine curiosity about AI, shown through personal experimentation. Tell us what you've built, tested, or broken.</li> <li>A self-starter who sees an opportunity and runs with it without waiting for permission</li> <li>A systems thinker who enjoys untangling workflows and figuring out how the pieces fit together</li> <li>A builder's mindset. You're ready to step into product thinking: treating solutions as living products with users, versions, and a roadmap rather than as finished deliverables.&