Account Director in Leeds

As Account Director, you will lead end‑to‑end client success across your client or clients, ensuring they achieve their desired outcomes and maximise the value of working with Merkle.

You will be the main point of contact looking to understand their business, market and competitors, allowing you to build strong relationships through proactive engagement and delivering strong commercial performance.

You will partner with capabilities and Integrated Delivery teams to facilitate successful onboarding and delivery ensuring all teams have what they need to achieve client goals.

You will own the Key Account Plan focused on driving account growth through strategic planning, client engagement, and proactive problem solving.

This role is integral in strengthening dentsu's partnerships, ensuring delivery of client outcomes, and enabling long‑term client retention.

It is ideal for experienced account leaders who thrive on building trusted relationships, ensuring operational excellence, and driving measurable impact across digital, data, CRM, and CX engagements.

Responsibilities

• Lead account planning and execution across assigned clients, ensuring alignment with client objectives and dentsu's commercial priorities.
• Build and maintain mid‑senior client relationships, acting as the primary point of contact for delivery, performance, and commercial discussions.
• Collaborate closely with Strategy, Growth, Delivery, and specialist teams, ensuring coordinated delivery and consistent messaging.
• Contribute to onboarding, governance, and reporting processes, ensuring high‑quality standards and operational consistency.
• Lead renewal and retention conversations, supporting expansion opportunities and strengthening long‑term client partnerships.
• Monitor client health and performance metrics, identifying risks, improvement opportunities, and proactive interventions.
• Resolve delivery escalations, supporting teams to troubleshoot issues and ensure seamless client experience.
• Success Metrics
• Achieve strong client satisfaction, demonstrated through improved NPS / TRR, healthy relationship scores, and reduction in issues.
• Drive retention and renewal outcomes, meeting or exceeding targets across assigned accounts.
• Deliver revenue and commercial performance, including accurate forecasting, upsell support, and efficient delivery management.
• Support high‑performing delivery teams, evidenced by team engagement, skill progression, and consistent delivery quality.
• Maintain operational excellence, ensuring structured governance, clear communication, and timely delivery.
• Foster collaboration, supporting culture‑building, cross‑practice alignment, and knowledge sharing across teams.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in client leadership, account management, or delivery roles in digital, data, CRM, or CX environments.
• Proven ability to manage multiple client accounts and oversee day‑to‑day client operations.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with confidence engaging mid‑senior client contacts.
• Solid commercial acumen, including managing budgets, forecasts, and supporting account growth.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to handle escalations with composure and maintain strong client trust.
• Desirable: experience in multi‑solution engagements (digital, CRM, CX, media, or data).
• Desirable: knowledge of onboarding processes, governance frameworks, or client health measurement.
• Desirable: exposure to contract renewals, upsell motions, or revenue planning.
• Desirable: experience working with cross‑functional delivery teams in matrixed organisations.

This is a permanent role. The role can be based in Leeds, London or Manchester.

Benefits

• Competitive salary.
• Flexible benefits package supports health, wellbeing, and financial future, including company‑funded private medical insurance, virtual GP access, and an employee assistance programme.
• 25 days of annual leave plus extra days for birthday, wellbeing, and volunteering.
• Discounted gym memberships and retail perks.
• Electric car leasing and travel insurance.
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