Account Director

POSITION: Account Director

ROLE: Full Time 

LOCATION: Hybrid In-Office New York, NY 

EXPERIENCE: 8 years related experience 

START: July 1, 2026

ABOUT POPLIFE 

BORN OF CULTURE. LED BY EXPERIENCE.  If we said it started with a party we wouldn’t be lying. Back in 1999, POPLIFE created a weekly event series to connect with our friends - the artists, musicians and cultural innovators in our community. Fast forward to today, that little party evolved into a full-fledged, badass agency, built on bold thinking and cultural insight, that allows us to fuse brand objectives with creative authenticity, delivering impactful live experiences that live beyond the moment.  We are proudly independently owned with offices in Miami & NYC, and activation teams across the country.  Website: www.poplife99.com  Social: @poplife99

OVERVIEW

POPLIFE is seeking an experienced and strategic Account Director to lead and grow key client business, including a major alcohol beverage supplier. This role is responsible for developing and managing senior-level client relationships while leading the strategy, planning, development, and execution of a national IHub BA program, experiential marketing programs, consumer activations, and trade events. The Account Director serves as a trusted advisor, thought leader, and problem solver for clients, bringing a deep understanding of the experiential marketing landscape, emerging cultural trends, and the evolving spirits and cocktail industry. The ideal candidate has agency experience across lifestyle, spirits, and food & beverage brands, and a proven track record of leading teams to deliver impactful, innovative programs that drive client success. This role requires a collaborative and adaptable leader who can seamlessly navigate between account management, strategy, and production while overseeing multiple projects, clients, and direct reports. Strong communication, relationship-building, and organizational skills are essential, along with the ability to manage complex programs effectively and profitably. 

GENERAL ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as the primary agency lead and senior point of contact for client partners, building trusted relationships
• Provide proactive, insight-driven recommendations that support client business objectives and identify opportunities for growth
• Lead, mentor, and develop direct reports across multiple levels, fostering professional growth and high performance
• Provide guidance, coaching and support to team members while promoting collaboration and accountability across agency teams
• Develop key program materials, including decks, playbooks, training manuals, presentations and operational guides
• Lead, grow and manage national KAM program and trade advocacy initiatives
• Identify, recruit, onboard and manage external resources, staffing teams and vendors to execute programs successfully 
• Develop, manage, and maintain oversight of program budgets, revenue, profitability, and overall account financial performance
• Lead client communications through regular status meetings, IAT, presentations, and reporting, ensuring alignment, transparency and overall client satisfaction
• Develop and manage workback schedules and communication plans to ensure program milestones and deliverables remain on track
• Lead post-program analysis and performance reporting, evaluating KPIs, budgets, consumer engagement and ROI
• Deliver actionable insights, key learnings and optimization recommendations to improve future program performance
• Utilize data and market trends to inform strategic decision-making and continuously enhance client programs and agency offerings
• Lead strategy, development, planning and execution of experiential marketing programs, including large-scale events, mobile tours, cocktail development programs and on-and off-premise sampling activations
• Oversee aspects of program execution from concept through completion, ensuring operational excellence and high-quality delivery

QUALIFICATIONS

• 8 years of experience in experiential marketing and management, understanding how to bring creative vision to life working with production teams
• Experience developing Brand experience platforms, writing, presenting and selling in concepts
• Proven track record of client leadership and account growth
• Experience in an agency environment; must be process-oriented and highly organized
• Excellent people manager, motivator and mentor with ability to recruit and retain high functioning employees
• Experience managing, tracking and reconciling large-scale, complex program budgets
• Must have Bev/Alch experience
• Must have experience managing cross functional teams 
• Excellent written and persuasive presentation skills
• Ability to mulit-task with attention to detail, follow through and consistently meet deadlines
• Demonstrate Problem solving skills
• Willingness to travel and be on-site for events
• Passion for culture - music, fashion, art, lifestyle

COMPENSATION: 

• $100,000  USD – Commensurate to experience and location

TRAVEL:

• 20-30%

POPLIFE  reserves the right to change or modify the employee’s job description whether orally or in writing, at any time during the employment relationship. POPLIFE may require an employee to perform duties outside his/her normal description. POPLIFE is an equal opportunity employer and we love our inclusive and diverse workplace. We will ensure that qualified individuals with protected disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions of their role, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.