Account Director

Altair Media is a fiercely independent media planning and buying agency for clients who want to drive real business change. We exist to challenge convention, not to follow it. Our independence means we move fast, think differently and fight harder for our clients' success. Whether we are working with a brand that is entering a market, scaling up or dominating their category, we push their strategy further. Agile, flexible and always commercially focused, we’re a team of planners, strategists and media specialists who thrive on curiosity, creativity and accountability.

We partner with brands that shape culture and commerce from the arts and education to sustainability, behaviour change and B2B. Our ideal candidate will love the challenge of getting people to do something they didn’t know they really wanted to do - the whole point of advertising! We want you to have a passion for media planning and the innovations and developments in the space. We want you to love getting in the weeds and be open to challenging our thinking and approach to keep pushing to be the best we can be.

Everyone at Altair enjoys working across a diverse mix of sectors and for this role we are looking for someone who really knows the detail of a full media mix. They have a background in being hands on and knows how to set-up and run digital campaigns in platform, whilst understanding the role of above the line and love meeting media owners and trading the best packages for our clients. The ideal candidate is looking for a role where they can keep being a practitioner because they love it but are stretching to be more of a long term strategic partner for clients.

People choose Altair because it's where we can continue to be great at the job we actually joined the industry to do, not drift away from actually seeing the outcome of our planning because they are delivered by other teams. We’re entering a new phase of growth and looking for an Account Director who will lead on the running of their own client “pod” and make a visible impact to our clients and Altair Media. Your pod includes clients across B2B, Sustainability and arts, culture and heritage, making this a great opportunity to bring your sector knowledge and enthusiasm to the forefront.

The Role

This is a role for someone who’s ambitious, hands‑on and commercially sharp, someone who doesn’t just manage accounts but drives them forward. Taking charge for the clients in your pod and being part of everything from multi‑channel strategy to activation and buying, optimisation and performance reporting. You’ll have the autonomy and responsibility to run the planning and strategy on your client pod supported by a collaborative, high‑performing specialist biddable team. You will report directly into an agency director who will take ultimate accountability for the clients in your pod and support you in your growth as a director.

We’re pushing the boundaries of what an independent agency can do, so you’ll be part of a team that’s actively exploring how AI can supercharge the way we plan, optimise, and analyse media. You don’t need to be a data scientist, but you do need to be curious, confident, and excited about the tools that are reshaping our industry.

What We’re Looking For

• A commercially driven Account Director with proven experience managing campaigns across digital and traditional channels.
• Strong numerical and analytical skills with a sharp eye for performance data and ROI.
• Experience managing client relationships with confidence, clarity and commercial sensitivity.
• Ability to run client accounts smoothly with strong communication, organisation and time management.
• The ability to lead and inspire a small, cross‑functional team of media specialists.
• Curiosity about how AI, automation and data tools can elevate media strategy and efficiency and the drive to keep learning more.
• Excellent communication skills, written, verbal and presentation.
• A proactive problem‑solver who takes ownership and delivers, not just delegates.

At Altair Media, our motto is simple: We Make Amazing and that goes for our people too. We make sure that everyone who joins our team feels supported, challenged, and rewarded.

Benefits

• Genuine career progression and personal development plan
• Flexible working and remote‑friendly setup
• Competitive salary of £45-55k
• The chance to work directly with agency founders and senior leadership daily
• Heka wellness platform with company contribution
• Bike to work scheme
• Death in service life insurance cover

Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level

Employment type: Full‑time

Job function: Sales and Business Development

Industries: Advertising Services