Associate Account Director

An independent full-service advertising agency for specialist sectors. Storytellers first and foremost, nimble with a client first mentality, entrepreneurial, with a test and learn philosophy, imaginative in delivering commercially impactful solutions, and collaborate, assembling talented teams to tell stories.

The Associate Account Director will be the owner of the account, responsible for managing clients within the retail entertainment sector. The successful candidate should ensure that sales and margin targets are exceeded as well as ensuring that the client services team exceeds expectations and agreed KPIs. You will have a drive to grow all of the business's services and ensure that this is achieved through innovation, increasing 'share of wallet' to your fullest capability. You will also ensure timely, accurate and meaningful reporting both internally and externally.

Key Responsibilities

• To develop and maintain an agreed Account Plan
• To develop and maintain an agreed Annual Commercial/Development Plan (ADP)
• To understand and support the client’s marketing strategy, seeing and thinking from the Client’s perspective and demonstrating client intelligence in everything we do
• Maintain current and future knowledge of retail/shopper marketing, integrated marketing, advertising, social media and consumer and business trends
• To drive positive interactions within all facets of OUAT
• Monitor and measure client satisfaction
• To develop effective relationships with the key decision makers covering all areas of the OUAT proposition
• To review regularly (at least monthly) the performance of the account against the SLAs and KPIs within the account plan, resolve issues and report as required.
• To produce accurate forecasts and budgets as required for the Account and deliver these
• To produce reports as required
• To feedback market intelligence to the Group Account Directors and Agency Board
• Actively research the market to ensure we know if competitors are courting our clients and build awareness of market influences and developments affecting their environment
• To identify new commercial opportunities or ways by which the OUAT proposition can be developed and to communicate these to the sales team
• To develop the account team, ensuring that they have the necessary skills to deliver the account plan and ensure there is an involving and participative culture within the team and that opportunities for continuous improvement are identified and realised
• To effectively manage the overhead within the account team
• Ensure financial governance is maintained in pricing, margin analysis, credit control, recruitment, expenses, external spend, etc.
• Ensure quality of information to the business and in particular adherence to critical paths
• To resolve through the customer support team operational issues that occur within the account.

Key Attributes

• At least 5 years' experience of selling into clients/retailers/brands which may have been gained by working for an integrated marketing agency, working for a print and/or print management company, working for a brand selling into retail or working client side within a retailer.
• Previous experience of working with Blue Chip clients.
• Understanding and can demonstrate the power of POS/POP in the in-store marketing arena
• Positive, enthusiastic & charismatic demeanour.
• Used to managing and documenting account plans.
• Commercially astute.
• Competent negotiator.
• Able to manage complex projects to time and budget.
• Ability to generate new business organically or through new channels or contacts.
• Able to lead a team.
• Able to work on own initiative and with limited supervision.
• Excellent communicator both written and oral as well as being a great active listener.
• Possess a high degree of emotional intelligence.
• Natural participative leader of people, has a presence and gravitas.
• Self-motivated, dynamic, energetic, gets things done.
• Team player with a track record of developing high performance accounts.
• Ability to influence people.
• Computer literate and familiar with all Microsoft packages.
• New business exposure, understanding of print/press, understanding of retail marketing, understanding of digital and an understanding of AV are also desirable.
• A relevant degree to the industry is also desirable.

The Benefits

• 25 days' pay annual leave per year.
• 2 days per year additional leave to engage in charitable work.
• Employee Assistance Programme that offers support to employees with a wide range of concerns from mental health through to finances.
• Enhanced family leave pay.
• Season ticket loan.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Annual company away day and regular social events (often on our own rooftop terrace at the studio).