Client Director (12 Month FTC)

Dentsu is an integrated growth and transformation partner to the world’s leading organizations. Founded in 1901 in Tokyo, Japan, and now present in over 145 countries and regions, it has a proven track record of nurturing and developing innovations, combining the talents of its global network of leadership brands to develop impactful and integrated growth solutions for clients. Dentsu delivers end-to-end experience transformation (EX) by integrating its services across Media, CXM and Creative, while its business transformation (BX) mindset pushes the boundaries of transformation and sustainable growth for brands, people and society.

Carat is an important part of our world‑class offering – an award‑winning media, content and branding agency that uses its peerless understanding of the passions, motivations, and behaviours of real people to bring brands and their customers together. Carat is privileged to work with some of the most eminent companies in the world.

We’re hiring for a Client Director to join our Carat team in London working on the Co‑op account on a 12‑month fixed‑term contract to support during a period of maternity leave.

Purpose of the Role

As Client Director you’ll work across the Food part of the business, covering National, Live & Local, Membership & E‑commerce as well as collaborating with the planning leads across all other business units (such as Legal Services, Insurance and Funeralcare) to ensure we’re truly planning and behaving as “One Co‑op”. You’ll build trusted and productive relationships with senior client stakeholders and respond strategically to challenges to our media recommendations when needed. You will also support the Client Managing Partner in managing the commercials of the account, including staff utilisation, project pipeline development, sales conversion, budget forecasting & reporting, and financial management, and will be responsible for supporting the overall growth plan for the Co‑op business at Dentsu.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and oversee planning and media delivery at annual, quarterly and campaign cadences – ensuring that key planning principles are communicated and delivered against, while being able to adapt and respond to changing business and market dynamics.
• Lead strategic direction for your clients by working with the strategy/planning partner, client account directors and digital specialists.
• Set the agenda for the media Test & Learn plan & Innovation Roadmap, and work with the comms and activation teams to ensure that the plan is successfully rolled out.
• Consult on a local basis and work with global counterparts on digital transformation.
• Instil and maintain processes that deliver operational excellence for the account including management of forecasting documents, annual planning laydowns, financial management (invoicing and debt clearance), mid/end of year reviews and PRF Metrics.
• Working with the Client/Managing Partner to devise and implement TRR/Service Review action plans.

Qualifications + Skills

• Experience across both Brand and Performance marketing with solid experience across the full media channel mix is essential.
• Grocery retail experience would be ideal but is not compulsory.
• Able to generate brilliant insights from data and apply them across our strategy & planning.
• Ambitious, self‑starting planner who can work autonomously on projects if needed but also enjoys working within a team with a strong, collaborative working ethos.
• Strong team management experience; can effectively manage a team (including client account director, digital account director, account managers and account executives) and create a culture where everyone thrives.
• Background and experience in measurement projects such as attribution, MMM & econometrics would be useful for these accounts.
• We’re looking for a positive, can‑do attitude and the ability to work at a fast pace and be adaptable to frequent change.
• Above all we need bravery and bold thinking, and a constant finger on the pulse of media innovation and the changing landscape.

What We Offer

This is a 12‑month Fixed Term Contract to support during a period of maternity leave. The team is based in our London office but operates under flexible working arrangements. The team are currently in the office every Tuesday and Wednesday. This role will include occasional travel to the Dentsu Manchester office. As well as a competitive salary, you’ll enjoy a benefits package that you can tailor to your needs.

Inclusion and Diversity

At Dentsu, we embrace diversity and inclusion, valuing the unique perspectives and contributions of every individual. We believe that diversity fuels creativity and innovation, benefiting our employees, partners and communities. We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or any other protected characteristic. Beyond recruitment, we strive to create an environment where everyone feels respected, supported and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. We recognise the importance of work‑life balance and are open to discussing flexible working arrangements for all roles. If you need reasonable adjustments due to a disability or medical condition during our recruitment process, please contact us at accommodations@dentsu.com, quoting the reference number of the role that you are applying for. Your needs will be handled with respect and confidentiality ensure an inclusive and accessible experience.