At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead client services, drive retention, and coach teams to excel in marketing.
- Company: Create Engage, a dynamic marketing partner for ambitious consultancies.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, 36 days holiday, and clear career progression.
- Other info: Join a team that values high standards, autonomy, and genuine fun.
- Why this job: Shape client success and agency growth while enjoying a fun, collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership, strategic thinking, and strong client management skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 70000 £ per year.
Are you a leader who sets the pace, elevates client relationships, and drives standards across a client services function? If you’re comfortable steering the strategic direction of a marketing agency one moment and coaching your teams to be the best marketers they can be the next, you may have found your dream role. Is this the role for you? We’re looking for a strategic, commercially-minded Senior Account Director to own client retention, lead our client services function, and set the bar for delivery quality across the business.
This is a role for someone who thinks big and acts decisively. Someone who can zoom out to understand our growth trajectory, then zoom in to coach Account Directors, shape client outcomes, and ensure their pods are firing on all cylinders. At Create Engage, we don’t do passive management. You’ll lead from the front, set the operating rhythm, spot risks early, and challenge clients and colleagues alike with honesty and care.
Our clients are CEO-level leaders of founder-led consultancies. They don’t need a supplier managing deliverables, they need a genuine marketing partner who brings the agenda, tells the truth about the data, and pushes back when instinct is pulling them the wrong way. If you thrive in a dynamic environment, are calm under pressure, and want to shape both client success and agency growth, this role could be for you.
What will you be doing?
- Owning client retention and health: Take full responsibility for driving churn from ~50% to sub-20% within 12 months, with a clear system to measure and maintain client health across the portfolio.
- Embedding our Growth OS: Champion and roll out our Growth Operating System consistently across all client accounts, ensuring 100% of active clients are on the operating rhythm within 90 days.
- Driving client outcomes: Act as the senior strategic presence across all pods, joining Quarterly Marketing Reviews and key moments, and ensuring every client is challenged, not just served.
- Leading and developing Account Directors: Coach, develop, and hold your ADs accountable; build strategic challenge as a team-wide skill, not a senior privilege.
- Owning financial performance: Drive gross margin improvement from ~40% to ~60% through disciplined scope management, AI adoption, and process efficiency.
- Setting the operating rhythm: Define and enforce the weekly, monthly, and quarterly cadence that keeps pods aligned, accountable, and performing.
- Supporting new business: Contribute to pitches and proposals, and produce the client retention data and case studies that support commercial growth.
What’s in it for you?
- A competitive salary (£60,000 – £70,000 per year based on experience)
- Hybrid working – 2 days a week in our Bristol office
- 36 days holiday + annual company break
- A clear path to Head of Client Services as we scale
- A genuinely great place to work – collaborative, ambitious, and fun
What makes you the ideal candidate?
- You walk into client meetings as a marketing leader, not a service provider waiting for direction.
- You build high-trust, high-performance environments – giving honest feedback, tackling difficult conversations, and bringing energy and empathy in equal measure.
- You run your pods with commercial and operational rigour, thinking about margin, scope, and growth, not just delivery.
- You coach others to form their own views and own their recommendations independently.
- You are proactive by instinct, you don’t wait to be asked, and you follow through without being chased.
Key skills to succeed
- Leadership and coaching: Guide ADs, set standards, and build team capability
- Strategic challenge: Bring the agenda, interpret data honestly, and push clients constructively
- Client management: Build deep, trusted relationships with CEO-level stakeholders
- Operational excellence: Run a tight operating rhythm and manage performance across pods
- Commercial acumen: Protect margin, manage scope, and spot growth opportunities
- Quality ownership: Define, uphold, and improve delivery standards across the function
Who are Create Engage?
Create Engage is a marketing partner for ambitious boutique consultancies. We are not a traditional agency. We are an outsourced marketing team, embedded in our clients’ businesses, working as part of their team, not as a supplier responding to briefs. We do this through our Growth Operating System: a joined-up framework across Growth Strategy, Demand Engine, Pipeline Management, and Success Infrastructure that turns marketing into predictable, measurable momentum. Our five values are non-negotiable: We Make It Remarkable. We Delight With Detail. We Always Take Ownership. We Win As One. We Laugh Every Day.
Client Services Lead (SAD / GAD / HoCS) employer: Createengage
At Create Engage, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and ambitious work culture. As a Senior Account Director, you will enjoy a competitive salary, hybrid working arrangements, and ample holiday, all while having the opportunity to shape the future of our client services function. With a clear path for career advancement and a commitment to high standards and genuine fun, you'll thrive in an environment that values your leadership and strategic insight.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Client Services Lead (SAD / GAD / HoCS)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry folks on LinkedIn or at events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can land you that dream role.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by researching the company inside out. Understand their values and how they operate. At StudySmarter, we believe that showing genuine interest can really set you apart from the competition.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! You want to come across as confident and articulate. We recommend rehearsing answers to common interview questions and even some tough ones. The more you practice, the more natural it will feel.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interviews! A simple thank-you email can go a long way in keeping you top of mind. At StudySmarter, we think it shows your enthusiasm and professionalism.
We think you need these skills to ace Client Services Lead (SAD / GAD / HoCS)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Leadership Style:When writing your application, make sure to highlight your leadership approach. We want to see how you set the pace and elevate client relationships, so share examples of how you've led teams and driven standards in previous roles.
Be Strategic and Commercially Minded:This role is all about thinking big and acting decisively. In your application, demonstrate your strategic mindset by discussing how you've shaped client outcomes and contributed to business growth in past positions.
Emphasise Client Management Skills:We’re looking for someone who builds deep, trusted relationships with clients. Use your application to showcase your experience in managing CEO-level stakeholders and how you've navigated challenging conversations with honesty and care.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates during the process. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Createengage
✨Know Your Client Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into Create Engage's client base and understand their needs. Be ready to discuss how you can elevate client relationships and drive retention, as this role is all about being a strategic partner rather than just a service provider.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Prepare examples of how you've successfully coached and developed teams in the past. Highlight your ability to set standards and build high-performance environments, as this will resonate with their focus on leadership and accountability.
✨Demonstrate Strategic Thinking
Be ready to discuss how you would approach driving client outcomes and managing financial performance. Think about specific strategies you've implemented before that align with their goals of improving gross margins and maintaining client health.
✨Emphasise Your Commercial Acumen
Bring concrete examples of how you've protected margins and identified growth opportunities in previous roles. This will show that you not only understand the operational side but also have a keen eye for commercial success, which is crucial for this position.
