Position Purpose (Role):
The Group Account Director leads and guides the development of overall client objectives and the ongoing strategic direction of the account. He/She is the lead client contact and oversees a single account or multiple accounts. The Group Account Director focuses on leading and developing positive client relationships at the highest levels, overall client satisfaction to achieve revenue growth of the account and AOR relationship, as appropriate. Leading, directing, and developing account team members.
The Group Account Director must be able to simultaneously manage a number of projects at a higher level than the Account Director and Account Manager, leverage knowledge and experience from project to project, identify common goals and ensure quality deliverables to clients that are on strategy.
The role of the Group Account Director is:
• Provide sound leadership to a team supporting one or more large accounts.
• To have a thorough understanding of client’s brand, market, business and culture;
• To have an imagination to devise novel solutions, bold strategies, new product and brand concepts, innovative technical solutions and transformational creative work ;
• To be a team leader that ensures flawless execution – high quality, timely and cost effective/on budget;
• To exceed the client’s expectations.
Major Job Responsibilities / Accountabilities:
• Works with account and project management teams to understand/interpret client needs, ensure overall client expectations are met and surpassed, develop account relationships to supplement relationships at the business unit and project management levels. Utilize understanding of the industry as well as client and internal resources to craft new types of solutions, products etc.
• Develop new client relationships and grow business relationships with existing clients. Work with company leadership to identify and develop opportunities in new areas. Lead and or contribute to proposal development and capabilities presentations. Grow client revenue by selling (up-sell / cross-sell) solutions and ideas in natural search, paid search, web development, market research, analytics and reporting and other iCrossing service offerings.
• Ability to take complex ideas and explain to clients
• Partner with clients to develop and write business plans including budget forecasts
• Partner with Project Management and Revenue management to develop full scope of work.
• Manage the overall client relationship by setting and delivering upon client expectations
• Ensure deliverables meet client's strategy and drive the account forward based on client objectives
• Lead regular client presentations and strategic discussions; be involved with, and sometimes lead, higher level negotiations with clients including but not limited to contracts, bid pricing, billing, and conflict situations (with the Project Manager, Managing Director or other iCrossing team members, as appropriate)
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the client's business, the marketplace, the customer, and all aspects of interactive marketing
• Define and develop measurement models for project success with clients
• Spearhead consistent review of project delivery, research, analysis, best practices, etc.
• Coordinate interaction of iCrossing strategic services department with clients where appropriate, and review all strategic proposals, presentations and formal documentation
• Lead development of internal annual business/marketing plan for client business and manage periodic account reviews
• Adhere to company guidelines such as timely completion of performance reviews and time sheets, regular and accurate factored pipeline reports and revenue forecasts and achievement of utilization goals
• Assist in the creation of standards (documentation/strategies/process) that become iCrossing best practices and the development of new sustained compensation agreements (retainer, AOR)
• Manage team strengths/weaknesses, needs, and resources. Foster positive interpersonal relationships among staff and contribute to project assignment decisions as needed.
• Leadership role in training, mentoring, providing continuous feedback and conducting performance evaluations with direct reports. Review salaries, promote, interview, hire, and terminate employees within the department. Provide detailed training and support for all positions.
• Work with Project Management to develop analytical business models to proactively manage resource allocation within the department. Organize and monitor workflow to develop strategies to efficiently manage higher peaks of workload.
• Work with company leadership and discipline leads to assess workload, set priorities and ensure that client needs are met.