Senior Account Director (Marketing Activation), UK any in Wakefield

Purpose of the job

Our Senior Account Directors are responsible for the development and nurturing of key HH Global clients. The role is essential in strengthening relationships with the client, identifying growth opportunities for the business, as well as ensuring solutions are developed and delivered on time and against operational and financial business targets.

Key responsibilities include:

• Building strong relationships with regional client stakeholders
• Leading and delivering high profile projects
• Developing solutions that drive ROI
• Accountable for all project activities, working within a defined framework to achieve both service excellence and financial targets

We are looking for a hands-on, forward-thinking, energetic leader who puts clients first, is passionate about retail innovation, is eager to drive progress and make a meaningful impact. You would be responsible for a number of mid-market and tail spend accounts and have 3 primary objectives:

• To drive growth with face-to-face engagement with clients - empowerment and decision-making leadership that will see growth across the client group
• Develop talent in this team, connect our evolving proposition with clients who want to understand how we can address many problems statements
• Own the solution design and execution of a move to a centralized operation excellence model, leading growth and talented team members to drive growth outcomes whilst creating a scale buying operation (standardize, rate cards, AI, multi systems, streamlined ways of working), reduce administration and lead a truly effective delivery model

There is a UK based team of approximately 10 for you to lead. The role operates on a blended basis from any of our UK offices and will require a good deal of travel to meet and influence clients. The solutions we deliver for these clients are variable and dynamic, but include Retail Print and Point of Sale Materials, Branded Merchandise, Gifting, Brand Refresh tools and wider Marketing Activation assets - experience in this world would be warmly received.

Key responsibilities include:

• Client centric approach, great at building and retaining strong client relationships at all levels across a global organization
• Build a network/community across all markets to ensure we are seen as the go-to for all project-based activities
• Team management to ensure successful client engagement
• Work with marketing to ensure projects are built to drive awareness, celebrate success and showcase what good looks like
• Ability to proactively identify new business opportunities, gain stakeholder buy-in and bring ideas to life using the team around you
• Present at director/board level to internal and external stakeholders
• Responsibility for the financial performance of projects
• Adherence to reporting and operational requirements of the business and client
• Identify risks to the account and put in place strategies to manage them
• Identify areas of resource risk and develop team structures to ensure balance and delivery
• Drive and challenge the team, engaging the business SMEs, to deliver shared strategies that provide value
• Ensure that activities comply with the Company’s policies and procedures

Knowledge, skills + experience:

• Cross market project delivery and sourcing experience
• Strong project management skills; able to manage multiple projects simultaneously at pace
• Proven track record and experience in a strategic account management role
• Proficient in financial management of projects
• Experience in leading direct and indirect reports
• Previous experience managing complex strategic clients through change
• Highly skilled in presenting and negotiating with senior stakeholders
• Strong operational background
• Can anticipate internal and/or external issues which will impact own business units and teams and able to develop contingency plans to manage such issues

Essential criteria:

• Experience owning solution design and execution - moving towards a more centralized operational excellence model with reduced administration and increased effectiveness
• Proven experience of strategic and operational account management across multiple jurisdictions
• Evidence of setting and driving the strategic vision and direction of an account, balancing daily support needs with long-term strategies and successfully combining vision and reality into effective operational plans
• Seeking challenge, not routine
• Presenting as a hands-on, forward-thinking, energetic leader who puts clients first, is passionate about retail innovation, is eager to drive progress and make a meaningful impact
• Demonstrable ability to proactively identify new business opportunities within accounts, gain stakeholder buy-in and bring ideas to life using the team around you