Client Director, Sponsorship & Consultancy

We are looking for a Client Director to join the MKTG team to work on delivering and implementing some of the most exciting collaborations in Sport and Entertainment. As a Client Director in Sponsorship + Consultancy, your role is to provide strategic recommendations and manage all resources to ensure the client’s needs are met. You will support your Business Directors and VPs in delivery on accounts, managing the capabilities and team to ensure on‑time delivery and excellence in execution. You are viewed as a trusted advisor to the client and play a key role in developing your team.

The position requires an experienced Director to lead an account team and set the direction on activating two global F1 team partnerships. This role will be responsible for leading and managing the EU client relationships, activation plans, projects and client servicing team for a leading global financial services brand. It requires strong knowledge of sponsorships and partnerships in sport. Formula 1 experience is advantageous but not mandatory; we are looking for a first‑class operator who can understand our clients’ business across the financial services and payment sector.

The candidate will demonstrate experienced leadership and management of a dynamic client account, exceptional relationship management across client and rights holders and provide senior counsel, forward‑thinking and strategic solutions to set the direction and maximise rights, activations and value for the client.

• Client Servicing/Account Management: Build trusted senior‑level client relationships; lead and direct the client relationships, acting as a pro‑active partner; understand your client’s business and the wider industry competitor set; know what makes your clients tick, how to make them stand out and support them in achieving marketing goals; lead by example on client service excellence; have full ownership and accountability for client activation budgets.
• Project Management: Oversee and direct the client team to effectively and efficiently manage retained client work and project work; hold overall responsibility for ensuring the project delivers above client expectations; set timelines, expectations and meeting deadlines; manage resources across the client team and escalate pinch points, resource requirements and resource solutions.
• Administration: Ensure your client teams are completing timesheets to accurately report time spent on client retainers and projects; report on account time on a monthly basis in close collaboration with Business Directors, VPs and SVPs; have oversight and be accountable for money in and out of client activation jobs, accurately budget, reconcile and report on client budgets.
• New Business & Marketing: Play an important role in new‑logo growth across the agency by directing new‑business briefs/projects; participate in pitch teams; produce regular thought leadership in written, presentation and verbal format; represent the agency at webinars and conferences and seek opportunities to do so.
• Self‑Development: Be knowledgeable about the industry and strive for expertise; understand and confidently present sponsorship processes; be curious and focus on personal development through team management and leadership training.
• People Management: Act as a mentor and coach to your direct reports to help them develop in their role and career, promoting an inclusive environment; provide regular on‑the‑go feedback and structured 1‑on‑1s focusing on performance; discuss and agree clear performance objectives and L&D opportunities, supporting both business and personal ambitions.
• Culture & Values: Lead key culture initiatives and demonstrate the importance of our culture and values to the junior team.

What we’re looking for: You are excited by the prospect of working on award‑winning sports and entertainment sponsorship projects and are passionate about delivering brilliant solutions for clients. You have the technical knowledge of sponsorships and partnership marketing, attention to detail, and the drive to manage and lead large‑scale dynamic sponsorship accounts. You thrive in managing projects and are comfortable with the strategic thinking needed to develop campaigns, activations and integrated marketing solutions. You also thrive under pressure, enjoy working on sports/events and like to be part of a close‑knit team.

Previous F1 experience advantageous and strong knowledge or sponsorships and partnerships. Proven, consistent experience in marketing either agency side, client side or with a rights holder. Proven, consistent experience working on sports and entertainment sponsorships and activation programmes. Experience working with brands in the financial services / payment sector. Leading by example in client servicing excellence. Good understanding of brand ambassador management. Good understanding of the wider marketing landscape. Superstar project management skills. Strategic and logical thinker who can provide counsel to our clients and suppliers in delivering best‑in‑class solutions. Acumen to look at business performance for our clients and how this can be measured to make sponsorship assets more accountable. Team mentality, building high‑performing teams both through line management and brilliant project work.