The Account Director acts as the conductor of the broader agency team and work; orchestrating all aspects of the day-to-day business of their respective accounts. They can run an account with very little need for intervention and play an important role in the shaping of the culture + relationships with the client, external partners, and internally (amongst the team, within the department, and even the agency at large).
- Maintains and grows the relationship with the senior day-to-day client(s)
- Through the oversight of Account Executives and Account Managers, directs the day-to-day running of the entire account
- Maintains constant communication with the Group Account Director (GAD) or Managing Director (MD) on account status
- Demonstrates micro and macro knowledge of the client's business by continuous research of the brand, its categories and competitors
- Sells in advanced, fully integrated strategic concepts, drives initiatives
- Writes strong, insightful agency briefs based on sound rationale and previous experience
- Influences the development of the highest quality of creative work by sharing knowledge of the client/business/brand and demonstrating strong creative judgment
- Develops and cultivates strong relationships with brand leadership across all internal disciplines (Creative, Strat, Production, Comms, BA, etc.)
- Helps to devise short/long-term brand and advertising strategies in partnership with the leadership of the account/brand
- Flawless management of client budgets and finances, both with the clients and internal agency parties
- Identifies, addresses, and solves day-to-day account challenges, as needed
- Manages/oversees communication between W+K, client, and our partner agencies (media, retail, digital) to ensure seamless creative and media production and placement
- Attends large budget shoots and edits to ensure client approval and satisfaction
- Responsible for brand teams' professional development, performance reviews, and overall talent management of the team (along with the GAD and or MD).
- Continually looks for additional opportunities for the agency and value-add opportunities for the client
Knowledge & Skills
- 5+ years of experience as an account lead in an agency environment, with at least 2 years owning and growing large complex client relationships.
- Experience collaborating with teams across strategy, design, technology, environment, and content project types, and knowledge of/curiosity about best practices across emerging markets.
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills in a team and client setting.
- Ability to conceptualize and write clear statements of work for new interactive, digital, and branding projects.
- Ability to develop an environment of trust and respect not only for the client relationship, but in relationships with internal project teams.
- Proficient in Google Suite (Gmail, Google Calendar, Docs, Slides, Sheets, etc.) or other comparable programs
Education & Experience
- Bachelor's degree preferred, in Marketing, Communications, Advertising, Business/Commerce or a related field; or equivalent experience in a client-facing role.
- 5+ years of experience in an agency or in‐house environment, with a strong track record of client management, relationship building, and some experience in branding or brands.
- International experience strongly preferred
