Account Director- Freelancer

At Ogilvy PR we inspire brands and people to impact the world. We are looking for a candidate who is going to embrace modern PR principles and understands the power of earned first ideas. Someone who challenges the norm and embodies our philosophy of divine discontent (Never stop chasing brilliance attitude).

An account director should be an experienced, broadly capable project and account manager who handles a wide range of assignments, projects and/or clients with a high degree of success and independence. She/he has strong client relationships and is considered a potential company leader.

Concept:

An account director has demonstrated high-level professional knowledge and skills. She/he is able to manage a piece of a large account or a few smaller ones, with little top cover from her/his business director, director and/or managing director, as well as the staff assigned to the business. She/he should have strong project management, budgeting, counselling, programme, people management and business development skills with increased emphasis and demonstrated success in building business and people. She/he has the confidence and support of client contacts and strong relationships with the client organisation. An account director demonstrates the ability and wherewithal to deliver on our vision, performance requirements and growth projections. An account director has strong relationships with and the confidence of the client.

Account management:

• Monitoring account teams standards and deadlines

• Proposals and strategies to be developed and e-mailed to managing partner 24 hours prior presentation to client

• Makes contact with each client at least once a day via telephone, e-mail or sms

• Billings and all required documentation such as PO numbers and supplier invoices are completed by 23rd of every month

• Completes billings by 25th of every month

• Assists finance department with collections by 20th of every month

• Updating the billing sheet by 25th of every month

• Ensures OPR recognizes client birthdays

• Client coffee session to be arranged every second month with client and Managing Partner to be setup by 15th of every second month

• Meeting budget targets and tracking financial progress against each client 5th of every month

• Cost estimates to be managed through the right processes to ensure accurate mark ups and implementation only to commence once approved and PO received

• Tracking billed hours vs retainer /project income every Monday

• One on one team sessions to be held by 7th of every month

• Monthly session to be held 28th of every month with managing partner to discuss clients

• Quarterly client health reports to be completed by 7th of the month of the scheduled board meeting

• Collecting completed timesheets from your teams Monday by 10am

• New business participation should include the following from the AD;

• Research

• Attendance at brainstorm sessions

• Assistance with preparation and development

• Attendance at the presentation

• Monitoring the newspapers daily by 10am

Media:

• One on one media breakfast or lunch to be held by 28th of every month

• Top level media motivations to be drafted 24 hours prior the deadline

• Only ADs to brief external writers, with a comprehensive written brief with 48 hour turnaround time unless client specifically requested otherwise

• Media lobbying and securing additional coverage two per month

• Attendance at all client / media interactions and a media profile to be developed and sent to client 48 hours prior to the meeting

• Assist and alert client to any potential crisis or negative publicity

Projects and events:

• Pre events

• Ensure that a thorough and comprehensive proposal or plan has been developed which meets clients brief

• Management of budget and the teams throughout the duration of the event

• Sign off of the proposal and budget before implementation

• Management of 50% up front payment prior to implementation

• The event

• Management of client expectations at the event

• Overall management of suppliers and OPR team members

• Ensure all deadlines are managed and adhered to

• Management of payments for suppliers two days prior to the event

• Post the event

• AD to invoice all outstanding monies 48 hours after the event

• Management of reports and reviews from the event

• Thank you e-mailer to the media post the event

Professional skills:

• Adherence to office hours

• Punctuality for meetings both internally and externally

• Understands business trends in the industries to which he/she consults.

• Responsible for overall development of strategies and programmes based on team input.

• Directs development of range of materials developed by account team including client memos, press releases, speeches, articles, brochures, presentation and collateral materials.

• Efficiently and effectively plans and manages large-scale events.

• Develops and guides media relations strategy.

• Applies specialised industry expertise to client work.

• Has established a circle of industry editorial, investment community, professional and/or third-party group contacts.

• Has strong presentation skills and demonstrated ability to play a leadership role in a wide range of presentation settings.

• Anticipates and develops solutions to client needs and problems.

• Provides strong leadership in building effective, productive account teams.

• Makes use of O Village

• Has intimate knowledge of an integration process and has worked on fully integrated campaigns in the past. The compiles and creates a comprehensive PR plan and links into a 360 campaign.