Group Director, Client Partner

Summary

Join DEPT® as a Group Account Director and lead creative work for a portfolio of clients, acting as a business partner and thought leader. You will manage client relationships, develop strategies, and oversee financial aspects of client accounts. This leadership role requires experience managing teams, complex campaigns, and high-volume retainers. You will be responsible for team development, process improvement, and ensuring high client satisfaction and retention. The position offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including healthcare, 401k, PTO, and parental leave.

Requirements

• 10+ years experience in roles servicing clients in an agency environment
• Experience managing large client, social AORs and agency teams
• Experience managing complex campaigns and retainers (experience in organic and paid social preferred)
• Experience with campaign content production and budget management
• Experience in leading organic social efforts for brands/clients
• Experience in leading a high-volume, multi service retainer(s) for brands/clients
• Experienced in working on creator/influencer-led projects
• Experience working on a global brand
• Confident with both brand and conversion/direct-response campaigns
• Experience leading, motivating, and coaching teams of 10+ people
• Experience inspiring and able to create a proactive and energized team culture
• Must have strong delegation skills with the ability to coordinate activities between multiple projects without directly managing them
• Ability to communicate complex messages to a variety of audiences
• Ability to view the big picture, beyond your immediate role or department, and align projects with company strategy, values & goals
• Ability to solve problems through collecting relevant information for assessment, understand solutions & consequences in order to choose course of action
• Ability to connect each project to the business world, thinking through effectiveness, efficiency and consistency within all interdisciplinary projects
• Strong client relationship management skills, including experience working directly with directors, VPs and C-level clients on strategy development
• Excellent project management skills, able to find the most efficient ways of working
• Excellent organizational skills and high attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills; excellent presentation skills
• Advanced problem-solving skills
• Excellent time management skills
• Ability to react quickly within a fast-paced environment
• Ability to remain focused under pressure and work under tight deadlines
• Proficient in working with data

Responsibilities

• CLIENT MANAGEMENT Ability to work in partnership with senior clients to develop annual strategies
• Ability to establish themselves as true business partners, thought leaders and innovators at DEPT
• Responsible for holding recurring meetings with senior leadership on the client side focused on pushing their business forward, macro goals, industry trends/updates, and new opportunities to drive growth
• Responsible for being the primary relationship holder for the client within DEPT®
• Responsible for ensuring client satisfaction by regularly communicating with senior decision-makers
• Responsible for high client retention and growth
• Ability to be a point of escalation on their accounts and effectively solve issues that arise, whether internally or with clients
• Ability to reach out to clients directly when service issues arise
• Ability to lead new business pitches and proposals alongside leadership and growth team
• BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE AND COMPLIANCE Ability to forecast, reconcile and monitor client revenue and profitability
• Ability to estimate, manage, monitor and reconcile client out-of-pocket funds
• Must have a strong understanding of scope management inclusive of how to track and manage, escalate scope pacing issues
• Responsible for financial management of client portfolio revenue, including updating relevant internal financial systems accurately and in a timely manner
• Ability to scope projects and retainers within budget and on brief
• Ability to productize our services within a proposal and SOW
• Ability to initiate conversations with clients around SOW adjustments
• Ability to author written SOWs, amendments, and other legal adjustments in partnership with contracts team as needed
• Ability to lead contract negotiations and oversee the implementation of commercial agreements
• Ability to proactively pursue cross-sell & upsell opportunities to drive innovation, strategy, and organic revenue growth
• Responsible for ensuring teams are operating effectively and efficiently towards clients goals while meeting financial revenue targets on accounts
• TEAM PARTICIPATION, DEVELOPMENT & STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP Ability to successfully work with all craft teams to effectively drive strategies and work that leads clients to the next level of their business
• Ability to lead, line-manage, motivate and inspire a team
• Ability to craft strategic responses to briefs and the ability to develop a POV on media, creative content, tech, and data
• Familiarity with DEPT's service offerings & department leads with the ability to participate in conversations for complex projects or new offerings & know who to to bring into the conversation within DEPT
• Ability to draw conclusions and actionable insights from analysis
• Responsible for ensuring delivery of work is to the highest possible standard
• Ability to contribute to the creative process by sharing their ideas and experience
• Ability to present work internally and externally to all levels of seniority
• Responsible for ensuring all teams within their portfolio identify core issues, proactively develop plans to mitigate issues from restructuring account teams, have hard conversations both on client and employee side, rally team to overcome challenges, and deliver high client satisfaction
• Ability to develop and lead process, training, and thought leadership to uplevel the way Account Planners service their clients and lead their teams
• Responsible for periodically reviewing team ways of working and identify opportunities for streamlining or improvement
• Responsible for consistently assessing team/client fit, ensuring we have the right talent matched up to the right clients - based on expertise, communication/working styles
• Responsible for ensuring new team members are properly onboarded to each account, not just with day-to-day knowledge & skills development, but by providing a full deep dive into each clients’ business and priorities
• Ability to determine resolution for any cross-channel issues including performance, tracking, QA issues, etc
• Ability to resolve any collaborative roadblocks between teams
• Ability to settle miscommunication or interpersonal issues within the group
• Accountable for high employee retention and growth
• Responsible for actively developing and managing direct reports’ growth

Benefits

• Healthcare, Dental, and Vision coverage
• 401k plan, plus matching
• PTO
• Paid Company Holidays
• Parental Leave