At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead global client accounts and drive new business growth in a creative agency.
- Company: Join Cheerful Twentyfirst, a top creative brand experience agency in London and New York.
- Benefits: Flexible working, competitive salary, and the chance to work with leading global brands.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team that values creativity and offers excellent career growth.
- Why this job: Make an impact in a dynamic environment while collaborating on exciting projects.
- Qualifications: 6+ years in client-facing roles with a knack for strategic thinking and problem-solving.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
A critical role for our fast-growing agency, the Account Director is primarily responsible for the retention and growth of an assigned portfolio of global client accounts. Additionally, you’ll support new business efforts, develop new agency solutions and assist with agency promotion. This senior client-facing role requires strategic thinking, commercial acumen and a consultative sales approach. The role will enjoy flexible working with a mix of time at home, with clients and at our offices in London. The role requires attendance at our London office every Wednesday with additional in office days as required by client needs. Regular domestic and international travel is required (up to 25–30% during peak periods).
About Us
We are Cheerful Twentyfirst; a creative brand experience agency based in London and New York. We specialize in strategic and impactful live events, with best-in-class creative and your audience at the heart of everything we do.
Client Services
- Lead an assigned portfolio of existing client accounts and secure confirmed business from those clients in line with agreed revenue and margin targets.
- Lead new business pitches for qualified new client accounts and secure confirmed business from those clients in line with agreed revenue and margin targets.
- Work with assigned clients to identify opportunities for new projects and secure repeat briefs for existing projects, both of which should meet the agreed agency qualification criteria.
- Collaborate with agency heads of departments to assign project teams that suit the client and project needs in terms of capabilities, experience, brand fit and capacity.
- Brief the assigned project team on project requirements and lead the internal discovery and ideation process.
- Lead the assigned project team through the project scoping phase to produce proposals that meet the needs of the brief, the brand, the timeline and the budget.
- Manage the client contracting process (Master Services Agreement, Statement of Work, Service Level Agreement and other contract needs as necessary) and secure POs as needed.
- Work with clients and the agency finance team to ensure projects are contracted, invoiced and paid in the agreed timelines to support positive agency cashflows.
- Provide ongoing support to the client and agency project team as required throughout the delivery phase.
- Lead the post project debrief process, identifying successes and opportunities for improvement, and support the project team and wider agency to act on lessons learned.
- Lead client account reviews at agreed intervals, tracking agreed metrics across all projects delivered for that client during that period, and identifying opportunities for improvements.
Client Strategy
- Be a respected and trusted strategic advisor to our clients, build positive relationships with relevant contacts and represent their brands within our agency.
- Build a detailed strategic understanding of our clients’ businesses, industry sectors, customers, revenue models and competitors, tracking these insights through account plans.
- Apply strategic thinking to define client communications objectives, profile target audiences, design solutions that optimise audience engagement, and measure their effectiveness.
- Contribute specifically to developing the content, messaging and engagement elements of our solutions, working with our internal experts in creative, video, production and logistics.
- Create measurement plans for our client’s projects, mapping agreed objectives to relevant metrics, KPIs and data sources, analyse reporting data to draw conclusions about effectiveness and make strategic recommendations for future communications activities.
- Demonstrate a strategic understanding of our agency channels and services and be confident in efforts to upsell and cross-sell where opportunities arise.
- Use your client and commercial acumen to contribute to the future agency strategy.
Commercial
- Be an ambassador for the Cheerful Twentyfirst brand and keep abreast of industry news, trends and insights relevant to our agency, our clients and our competitors.
- Attend and host clients at industry events, exhibitions, awards and networking functions and consider relevant industry association engagement.
- Identify and support opportunities to promote the agency and our offering through print/online PR and event speaker presentations.
- Record all client interactions and insights in the agency CRM. Track calls, emails, meetings and events and capture company, contact, opportunity and sales data ensuring all records are accurate and all necessary fields completed.
- Provide agreed management reporting on revenue, costs, margins, overheads and agency time alongside analysis of successes and areas for improvement.
Team
- Collaborate with the commercial department colleagues to share successes, learnings and best practices wherever possible and provide guidance and training to the wider agency.
- Act with integrity and be a mentor to junior colleagues.
Skills and Competences
- Exceptional communication skills and able to develop and maintain excellent personal relationships with senior clients and external stakeholders.
- A strategic outlook with consideration for client objectives and online performance intrinsically written into every decision.
- A problem solver, curious in nature and able to independently offer pragmatic and effective solutions to problems.
- Analytical with a high attention to detail and able to spot trends and glean insights from raw data.
Qualifications and Experience
- Minimum 6 years’ experience in a client-facing role in a communication, brand experience, or event agency environment.
- A successful record of delivering client retention and growth, preferably also with prior experience of pitching for new business.
- Robust operational experience across one or more of our agency channels, including live and virtual events, moving image, exhibition experiences and content creation.
- An awesome attitude that always finds possibilities and solutions.
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally, anticipated 25-30% of the time at peak.
What we offer
We’re a global team that champions a culture of creativity and ideas sharing. As part of the team, you can expect to learn from the best, experience an array of interesting projects and work with leading global brands. We offer a competitive package and benefits. Among our 75+ awards, we were recently awarded Global Agency of the Year and best Creative agency for the 5th year in a row. We encourage applications from all backgrounds. Cheerful Twentyfirst are an equal opportunities employer and will make all reasonable adjustments required at interview and throughout the recruitment process.
To apply, please send a cover letter outlining why you are suitable for the role along with your CV to Careers@cheerfultwentyfirst.com.
Account Director employer: Cheerful Twentyfirst
At Cheerful Twentyfirst, we pride ourselves on being a dynamic and innovative agency that fosters a collaborative work culture, where creativity thrives and every team member's voice is valued. Located in the vibrant city of London, we offer flexible working arrangements, competitive benefits, and ample opportunities for professional growth, making us an excellent employer for those looking to make a meaningful impact in the brand experience industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Account Director
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential contacts on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your personality! When you get the chance to meet potential employers or clients, let your authentic self shine through. They want to see the real you, so don’t hold back on sharing your passion for the role and the agency.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company, understand their clients, and think about how you can contribute to their success. Bring examples of your past work that align with what they do, and be ready to discuss how you can help them grow.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining Cheerful Twentyfirst. Don’t miss out on the chance to be part of our amazing team!
We think you need these skills to ace Account Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Make sure to highlight your relevant experience and how it aligns with the Account Director role. We want to see your personality, so don’t be afraid to let it show!
Tailor Your CV:Don’t just send the same CV for every application. Tailor it to reflect the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the job description. We’re looking for specific examples of your client-facing experience and strategic thinking.
Showcase Your Achievements:When detailing your past roles, focus on your achievements rather than just responsibilities. Use metrics where possible to demonstrate your success in client retention and growth – we love numbers!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of applications and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us!
How to prepare for a job interview at Cheerful Twentyfirst
✨Know Your Clients Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into understanding the clients you'll be working with. Research their industries, competitors, and recent news. This will help you demonstrate your strategic thinking and show that you're ready to be a trusted advisor.
✨Showcase Your Success Stories
Prepare specific examples of how you've successfully retained and grown client accounts in the past. Use metrics to back up your claims, as numbers speak volumes. This will highlight your commercial acumen and problem-solving skills.
✨Be Ready to Discuss New Business Strategies
Think about innovative ways to pitch for new business and how you can contribute to agency promotion. Be prepared to share your ideas during the interview, as this shows your proactive approach and creativity.
✨Demonstrate Your Team Spirit
Since collaboration is key in this role, be ready to discuss how you've worked with different teams in the past. Highlight your mentoring experiences and how you've shared best practices, as this aligns with the agency's culture of learning and sharing.
