Job Description
An experienced Account Director is required to join a busy award winning agency in the heart of Guildford.
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We’re naturally enthusiastic people who are always responsive to a challenge and a great collaborative partner for clients and their brands seeking effective change. We’re not egotistical like some agencies, just a close community of friendly people who keep it real and still have fun along the way.
If this sounds like you, get in touch!
Responsible to: Client Services Director
Salary: £45 to £55k (depending on experience)
An Account Director represents the ‘heart’ of the piece of business and is directly responsible for defining its culture and shaping its development. As AD you should demonstrate the ability to brief confidentially and eloquently to the creative team with a good level of reasoning and understanding.
To have the clear understanding of the agency process: including briefing, debriefing, estimating, presentations and rationale, implementation and invoicing whilst offering support to ensure agreed deadlines set by the client are met with correct hours logged accurately for billing. To play a key role in the development of any new business.
Essential/required skills and experience
- Must have 3+ years agency experience as an Account Director
- Must be experienced with writing new business proposals and strategies
- Experience and confidence in pitching and presenting to new and existing clients
- A good understanding and experience of through-the-line communications (on and offline) is essential - Branding, Brand Strategy, Marcomms, Corporate Comms, Digital and Internal Comms – the Chaos offering.
- Proven experience of growing an account and strong B2B experience
Qualities we are looking for in successful candidates
- Naturally inquisitive and confident to ask questions working under own initiative
- Leadership: you must be proactive in your approach to working with both clients and our internal teams, showing confidence to inspire and motivate a diverse team.
- Develop strong relationships with all Client peer group
- Awareness of when to escalate client enquires / requests to your senior manager.
- Consistent level of enthusiasm, passion and positive attitude
- Excellent organisational skills and proof / copy checking
- Accuracy and an acute eye for detail.
- Demonstrate the ability to multi-task and work well under pressure.
Primary Functions
New business development (30-40% of role)
- Work on new business proposals – digesting brief and crafting the agency’s response to that brief.
- Interrogating the brief and researching the client and industry.
- Prepare brand and competitor audits.
- Support the development of tactical and strategic planning, demonstrate strong research and marketing analysis skills and be capable of collating information for a brand audit.
- Present proposals and RFPs – and talk the clients through our recommended approach
Account Management (40-50% of role)
- Act as one of the principal day-to-day contacts on account to effectively direct queries received by the client
- Develop strong relationships with Client personnel, and have understanding of their brand and market sector, attend face to face meetings
- Ensure Client perceives agency as committed to their business and successful
- Taking a Client brief and the development of creative brief
- Preparing critical paths and updating project progress
- Attend regular meetings and dispatch contact reports within 24 hours of meetings and status reports on regular basis (as agreed with Client)
- Advise on and understand communication channels.
Internal management and processes (20% of role)
- Job trafficking on a day to day basis
- Solid understanding of ‘Synergist’ – project management and accounting system
- Internal liaison with the creative, finance and any other departments
- Preparing invoicing for Team Head sign off
- Undertaking additional activities as required to support the smooth running of the organisation
- Liaise with other Account Directors regarding workflow / overload in creative department
- Collating monthly forecast sheets from the account team, to be distributed to MD / Accounts and CSD on a fortnightly basis.
- Manage costs on client’s projects and the maximisation of project profitability
- Adhere to all internal sign off and administrative procedures
Personality
We are looking someone who fits our agency DNA…
- Enthusiastic – self-motivated and passionate about building brands and campaigns that wow and creative strategies that work.
- Responsive - quick to act, can respond to changing demands and deadlines and by working flexible hours when required.
- Collaborative - communicative and open-minded to work with others and has a strong sense of team and an appetite to share knowledge.
- Real - says it as it is, lives in the real world, isn’t egotistic or aloof but genuine and keeps it real.
- Fun - enjoyable to work with, cheerful, upbeat, sociable with a sense of humor.