Biddable Account Director in Manchester

Summary

A £50,000 permanent role with a confidential global media agency in Manchester. You'll lead Paid Social and Programmatic strategy across major consumer and eCommerce accounts, advise senior clients and develop a team. Hybrid working: at least three days a week in the Manchester office.

Why the role exists

The Manchester team needs senior biddable leadership across key client accounts, particularly Paid Social and Programmatic. This person will bring specialist expertise together and turn it into stronger strategy, better client conversations and better work.

Role overview

• There are plenty of Account Director jobs where "digital" means sitting in meetings talking about the work somebody else is doing. This isn't one of them.
• I'm working with one of the world's largest agency networks to find a senior biddable specialist for its Manchester team. The sweet spot is somebody who really understands Paid Social and Programmatic, but has moved beyond simply running campaigns. You can still get into the detail when you need to. But you're equally comfortable sitting in front of a major client, shaping the strategy, challenging the brief, leading a team and explaining why you're recommending what you're recommending.
• You'll work across major consumer and eCommerce brands, with access to the scale, data, technology and specialist teams you'd expect from a genuinely global network. I can't name the agency or clients publicly at this stage, but I'll happily tell you who they are when we speak.
• This sits within a substantial digital activation operation covering Paid Social, Programmatic, PPC, SEO, Affiliates and Commerce. You'll take senior responsibility for the biddable work across key client accounts, with a particular emphasis on Paid Social and Programmatic. There's plenty of technical expertise around you. Your job is to bring that expertise together and make sure it translates into better strategy, better client conversations and better work.
• Firstly, the scale. You're joining a global agency network with a UK digital activation function of more than 250 specialists, including a Paid Social team of 60+ people. So you're not joining somewhere that's suddenly decided it ought to "do a bit more digital". The capability already exists.
• Secondly, the clients. These are significant consumer and eCommerce brands with proper budgets, complexity and the opportunity to do interesting work.
• Thirdly, the progression. This is a big network. There are opportunities to develop within the Manchester operation, move across teams and potentially explore opportunities elsewhere in the wider international network. The agency also has structured career development, management training and global leadership programmes.
• There are more benefits, but I'm in danger of turning a job advert into a benefits brochure.
• If you're a Paid Social / Programmatic specialist who's reached the point where you want more client responsibility, more strategic influence and the opportunity to lead good people within a genuinely substantial digital operation, I'd definitely like to speak to you.

David's take

• I'm less bothered about the exact job title on your LinkedIn profile. You could currently be an Account Director, Senior Account Director, Biddable Director, Paid Social Director or Programmatic Director. Or perhaps you're operating at that level without having been given the title yet. What matters is what you've actually done.
• Experience with platforms and DSPs such as DV360, Amazon DSP, Yahoo DSP or equivalent would be useful, but I'm not going to turn this into a shopping list of platforms. I'm much more interested in whether you understand the work.
• The brief is also open to relevant experience gained within agencies, platforms, media owners, consultancies or in-house environments. So I wouldn't rule yourself out purely because your career hasn't followed the traditional agency route.

Responsibilities

• Leading biddable strategy and planning across major accounts
• Working closely with clients and wider planning, data, analytics and investment teams
• Turning client objectives into clear Paid Social and Programmatic strategies
• Helping shape the longer-term biddable roadmap rather than simply delivering the next campaign
• Challenging clients and internal teams when there's a better way of doing something
• Using data, audience insight and measurement to improve the work
• Working with platforms, publishers and technology partners
• Spotting opportunities to grow accounts and broaden the role of biddable media
• Managing, coaching and developing a team of specialists
• Keeping standards high without becoming the person who needs to do everything themselves

Must-haves

• Strong Paid Social and/or Programmatic experience
• Experience planning and delivering performance-led campaigns
• A proper understanding of data, measurement and performance marketing
• Enough platform knowledge to challenge and guide the work
• Confidence with senior clients and stakeholders
• Experience leading or developing peopleThe ability to turn fairly complicated digital/media thinking into something a client actually understands
• Commercial awareness: thinking about the client’s business, not just campaign metrics
• Experience working across multiple priorities in a busy agency or similarly fast-moving environment

Useful extras

• Experience with DV360, Amazon DSP, Yahoo DSP or equivalent platforms is useful, but not a checklist requirement

Benefits

• Hybrid working: at least three days in the Manchester office, with the remainder from home; flexible working around 10am-4pm core hours
• Work From Anywhere for up to four weeks per calendar year, subject to the policy
• 25 days' annual leave, increasing by one day for each full year of service up to 30; your birthday off; four mental wellbeing days; three-day Christmas office closure without using annual leave; option to buy up to five additional days
• Private health / healthcare benefits following probation and a 24/7 virtual GP
• Pension, group life assurance, and enhanced family and parental support
• Learning and development through the wider global network, including structured career development, management training and global leadership programmes
• Early Friday finishes: 4.30pm year-round and 3pm during the summer
• Cycle-to-work and EV schemes, retail discounts and wider wellbeing benefits

Salary or rate

£50,000 per year. The published pay range has been verified.

Location and working pattern

Manchester, Greater Manchester, UK. full-time. At least three days a week in the Manchester office, with the remainder from home

Interview process

• Two-stage interview process, including a task. David will explain exactly what to expect before you go into it.

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