Account Director
The Account Director's role is to set the overall direction of accounts, responsible for the overall ownership, development, quality of work and campaign performance.
An Account Director has total responsibility for client accounts on a day to day basis, reporting to the Group Account Director or Board Director. He or she functions as the senior client contact (though if accounts are running well, the Account Director will have little day to day contact with clients and suppliers but will operate in a more advisory capacity) and takes responsibility for delegating tasks on each account.
Responsibilities include:
- Overview of projects managed by account teams to ensure that both client needs and agency standards are achieved; that work is in line with strategy, that legal requirements are met; that all operational aspects run smoothly; that work is completed on time and to budget; and that financial targets are hit or exceeded
- Setting the standards and developing the strategy against which the above will be judged
- Building excellent senior level rapport with clients and suppliers
- Pro-actively developing business to secure further projects from, and therefore financial development of, existing accounts
- Securing completely new business
- Business Planning - developing an annual strategy for each account (usually up-dated quarterly)
- Maintaining a thorough understanding of clients, their businesses and the marketplaces in which they operate
- Maintaining a thorough understanding of marketing services technology, for example, an Account Director is expected to be able to discuss fluently the technical issues surrounding subjects such as print
- Identifying new direct marketing approaches and opportunities whether for new or existing business
- Motivating and leading the account team and developing the skills of team members (through training, for example)
- Overseeing budget control, quoting and invoicing
- Being a complete advocate and ambassador for the company culture and structure
- Credibly challenging assumptions and thinking to ensure best possible consultancy
- Developing alternative and lateral solutions to briefs/issues.
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