Job Openings Group Account Director

About the job Group Account Director

JOB DESCRIPTION

  • Is to lead a particular piece of business, within a constructive and creative operating environment.
  • Should lead with innovative thinking, embedding an ethos and desire to push boundaries.
  • Is the leader of the Account Management team and is the primary manager of the account. As such, he/she must recognise his/her prime responsibility for ensuring the quality of the agencys product, particularly the strategic and creative product, and for inspiring the highest standards in other team members. In so doing, he/she will contribute to the successful and profitable stewardship of clients Brands.
  • Be an active and enthusiastic advocate of the Brand, in theory and in practice. This means both completing the procedural sides of Brand Stewardship and living and breathing the philosophy of stewarding each Brand worked on.Live the Brand.
  • Build excellent relationships with clients, extending into social situations, and with all members of the agency team for whom he/she is responsible.
  • The Group Account Directors leadership role on his/her business should also contribute to the department in a positive manner: by setting an example of best-practice account management skills.


Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

Client

  • Has a deep understanding of the clients business and of the key broader factors and trends shaping their markets and categories. Looks for opportunities to engage in broader business dialogue with clients.
  • Continually champions Ogilvy and partners and the work produced by the agencies.
  • Is a role model for the Ogilvy values and behaviours.
  • Promotes Ogilvy strategy both internally and externally.
  • Builds strong and enduring relationships with clients, professionally and socially, particularly at the Marketing Manager or equivalent level.
  • Is the Managing Partners first port of call on all questions relating to the business.
  • Regularly seeks out ways to add value to the client/agency relationship (e.g. joint speaking appearances at conferences; effecting introductions to other members of agency management; agency presentations on broader industry issues).
  • Able to open clients minds on links between communication ideas and desired business or brand results.

Creative

  • Is responsible for setting the creative context of the business: knowing what type of advertising the Brand needs and understanding what the client thinks he/she wants, if these differ.
  • Is an excellent judge of creative work and is willing and able to argue a case in any client/agency forum.
  • Understands how best to present the agencys work in a client forum in an innovative, fresh and inspiring way.
  • Ensures team briefing sessions are creative and inspirational.
  • Monitors creative output to ensure communication is on agreed brand strategy.
  • Able to recognise when an idea has potential to work across multiple touchpoints and to encourage to creative to go further than the brief.

Finance

  • Has the ability to write Business plans/project fee proposals, present and sell to clients.
  • Is responsible for maximising the accounts billings and revenue and for seeking out additional revenue opportunities.
  • Contributes to the good financial management of the business, improving profitability wherever possible,
  • Ensures that timesheets are always up to date and given to Finance timeously.

Traffic / Production

  • Is responsible for ensuring appropriate timescales on all major productions.
  • Is responsible for ensuring the right resource is allocated to the business in this area.
  • Is responsible for ensuring that the client understands the importance of having enough time for creative development.
  • Ensures team building and relationship management is present.

Planning/Strategy

  • Forms a strong and enduring relationship with his/her Planner on the business.
  • In tandem with the Planner, develops the most insightful advertising strategies and sharpest creative briefs possible.
  • Challenges the brand strategy within the context of the broader business, financial, cultural, and social environments.
  • Understands global and local competitor environment to best inform the strategist/planner and strategist on opportunities and threats.

Media

  • Oversees the teams media output carries out quality control and effective resource management.
  • Keeps abreast of all developments in areas of media and fosters the use of best practice in media research, planning / buying tools, and methodologies etc.
  • Keeps the Media Director apprised of relevant client/account issues.

Management

  • Is ultimately responsible for the smooth running of the account at a macro level operationally, creatively and financially and is answerable on these points to the client and to the Managing Partner.
  • Creates the best possible environment in which to produce the best possible work. Is responsible for ensuring that his/her teams have the right time and resources to deliver this, within the clients time frame.
  • Builds the respect and loyal commitment of team members, of the department and of the agency as a whole.
  • Inspires and energises individuals and teams to achieve their own and company objectives.
  • Delegates effectively and appropriately upwards to the Managing Partner, as well as downwards, and to other departments.
  • Involves the Managing Partner appropriately on all relevant issues: status of business, brand health, creative projects, timings, etc.

Ogilvy

  • Builds knowledge across the Ogilvy network through the sharing of knowledge, experience and market place insights.
  • Positively seeks or constructs learning and feedback opportunities for peers, self, team and clients
  • Demonstrates continuous personal and organisational improvements.
  • Creates a culture and environment where everyone has the opportunity to learn.
  • Ability to seek, identify and follow through on additional revenue streams. Bring these to the Managing Partner and Managements attention.


Requirements for the Position:

Education & Experience

  • At least 7+ years experience working in an Advertising Agency in Client Service with 2 years being in an Account Director role or similar.
  • Relevant tertiary qualification in Business Management / Marketing / Communication / Advertising.
  • Proficient in MS Office (i.e. Word / Excel / PowerPoint)
  • Thorough knowledge and experience in disciplines relevant to the business.
  • Strong leadership and managerial skills
  • Be able to take strategic control of all accounts
  • Be self-reliant and take total ownership of the portfolio
  • Have a strong overall business acumen
  • Self-motivated with a high energy level
  • Good presentation skills

Skills and Attributes/key competencies

  • Leadership
  • Able to manage a team
  • Team player
  • Active listening skills
  • Tactful and diplomatic in conflict resolution
  • Uses group input to make decisions when appropriate
  • Projects a level of experience and maturity that commands trust and confidence
  • Enthusiastic / confident / professional
  • Proactive
  • Attention to detail
  • Excellent time management skills
  • Exceptional interpersonal skills
  • Excellent presentation skills
  • Excellent organisational skills
  • Strong overall business acumen
  • Passion for client service delivery and hunger to achieve
  • Good time management skills

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