POSITION OVERVIEW

This position provides leadership to all accounts across the Company by ensuring they are profitable and growing. Inspire the highest standards in all team members whilst directing the Agency’s longer-term relationship with the Client. As an Account Director, you are responsible for developing strong client relationships by acting as a partner in developing strategy and delivering quality creative work that meets the client’s needs and addresses their business challenges.

This is a senior-level position and manages Account Managers and Account Executives.

OVERVIEW OF ROLE:

• Serve as the primary point of contact on strategic, creative, and resource matters for clients.
• Work closely with senior management to develop integrated marketing strategies.
• Represent and champion the Client’s business within the Agency.
• Ensure the Agency allocates sufficient and appropriate resources to deliver projects effectively.
• Provide leadership and support to Account Managers and Executives, ensuring all projects are delivered to the highest standards, on brief, on budget, and on time.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Client Management

• Manage the smooth running of client accounts operationally, creatively, and financially, while remaining accountable to both the client and the General Manager Operations.
• Act as the client’s primary point of contact for strategic, creative, and resource-related matters.
• Set the strategic direction in collaboration with planning, data, and creative teams.
• Build and maintain strong, long-term professional relationships with clients.
• Develop a deep understanding of clients’ businesses, markets, industries, and emerging trends.
• Continually enhance knowledge of client brands, products, and competitive environments.
• Keep the Client Team Leader informed on client satisfaction, business status, financial forecasting, creative projects, timelines, and overall account health.
• Guide clients through the creative development and production process while negotiating realistic timelines and budgets that enable quality delivery.

Talent Management & Internal Relationships

• Foster positive working relationships across departments to encourage collaboration and teamwork.
• Lead, coach, mentor, and motivate team members to consistently deliver high-quality work.
• Support career development through regular performance reviews and professional coaching.
• Promote a culture of professionalism, honesty, respect, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Commercial Management

• Contribute to the Agency’s financial performance by improving profitability and maximizing revenue opportunities.
• Monitor billing procedures and proactively alert management to anticipated changes in billing, income, or potential write-offs.
• Drive account growth by maximizing billings and identifying additional revenue opportunities.

Project Management

• Set the creative context for client business by understanding brand communication needs and client objectives.
• Evaluate creative work critically and take responsibility for the quality of ideas presented to clients.
• Present and sell creative work with confidence, ensuring client buy-in and alignment.
• Oversee client approvals and ensure the approval process is managed efficiently.
• Inspire project teams through innovative briefing techniques while providing clear business context, vision, and strategic direction.

Minimum Requirements:

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in account management within an agency environment, including senior account management responsibilities.
• At least 5 years’ experience leading, developing, and managing high-performing teams.
• Proven experience managing integrated communication strategies covering Brand PR, Digital, Creative, Stakeholder Engagement, and related disciplines.
• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to identify innovative solutions and opportunities.
• Excellent project management skills with proven experience in project scoping, planning, and execution.
• Demonstrated business development success with a proven track record of winning new accounts.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and proposal development skills.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs):

• Lead the Agency’s media influence across multiple sectors through the development of measurable media influence programmes and team training initiatives.
• Provide editorial leadership by contributing thought leadership and editorial content alongside the Editorial team, measured quarterly.
• Lead assigned client accounts effectively while preparing and delivering monthly client activity reports, measured through client satisfaction and reporting quality.
• Drive integration across existing and new business while actively participating in new business opportunities and pitches.
• Complete strategic planning training through the company’s WARC platform within the required 10-week period.
• Mentor and coach at least one direct report, with progress measured quarterly.

• Manage the smooth running of client accounts operationally, creatively, and financially, while remaining accountable to both the client and the General Manager Operations.
• Act as the client’s primary point of contact for strategic, creative, and resource-related matters.
• Set the strategic direction in collaboration with planning, data, and creative teams.
• Build and maintain strong, long-term professional relationships with clients.
• Develop a deep understanding of clients’ businesses, markets, industries, and emerging trends.
• Continually enhance knowledge of client brands, products, and competitive environments.
• Keep the Client Team Leader informed on client satisfaction, business status, financial forecasting, creative projects, timelines, and overall account health.
• Guide clients through the creative development and production process while negotiating realistic timelines and budgets that enable quality delivery.
• Foster positive working relationships across departments to encourage collaboration and teamwork.
• Lead, coach, mentor, and motivate team members to consistently deliver high-quality work.
• Support career development through regular performance reviews and professional coaching.
• Promote a culture of professionalism, honesty, respect, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the Agency’s financial performance by improving profitability and maximizing revenue opportunities.
• Monitor billing procedures and proactively alert management to anticipated changes in billing, income, or potential write-offs.
• Drive account growth by maximizing billings and identifying additional revenue opportunities.
• Set the creative context for client business by understanding brand communication needs and client objectives.
• Evaluate creative work critically and take responsibility for the quality of ideas presented to clients.
• Present and sell creative work with confidence, ensuring client buy-in and alignment.
• Oversee client approvals and ensure the approval process is managed efficiently.
• Inspire project teams through innovative briefing techniques while providing clear business context, vision, and strategic direction.
• Lead the Agency’s media influence across multiple sectors through the development of measurable media influence programmes and team training initiatives.
• Provide editorial leadership by contributing thought leadership and editorial content alongside the Editorial team, measured quarterly.
• Lead assigned client accounts effectively while preparing and delivering monthly client activity reports, measured through client satisfaction and reporting quality.
• Drive integration across existing and new business while actively participating in new business opportunities and pitches.
• Complete strategic planning training through the company’s WARC platform within the required 10-week period.
• Mentor and coach at least one direct report, with progress measured quarterly.

• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to identify innovative solutions and opportunities.
• Excellent project management skills with proven experience in project scoping, planning, and execution.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and proposal development skills.

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in account management within an agency environment, including senior account management responsibilities.
• At least 5 years’ experience leading, developing, and managing high-performing teams.
• Proven experience managing integrated communication strategies covering Brand PR, Digital, Creative, Stakeholder Engagement, and related disciplines.
• Demonstrated business development success with a proven track record of winning new accounts.