Senior Account Manager

Senior Account Manager / Account Director

About us

Proudly employee-owned, we are the UK’s leading specialist agency in Automotive, Technology & Sports Brand Communications. With a team of 60 creative comms experts, we look to help ignite people’s passions and make a real difference to our clients’ businesses.

From creatively brainstorming big integrated campaign ideas and managing projects, to unlocking media and influencer opportunities, identifying compelling news hooks, writing releases, engaging journalists, or telling stories creatively on social media, no two days are the same.

Located in Kingston upon Thames, we embrace a hybrid work model, with three days in the office and two days from home each week. We’d ask that you please consider your commute when applying and join a team where every day brings new opportunities to excel.

Position outline

We are looking for someone currently operating at Senior Account Manager level who is ready to take the next step in their career, or a proven Account Director, with a track record in conceiving, planning and delivering integrated comms campaigns.

We have a reputation for creativity, dynamism and the successful delivery of first-class results for our portfolio of clients and we are looking for a proactive individual capable of managing a team across two busy accounts, with strong copywriting ability, a creative storytelling mind, an ability to news jack and excellent client relationship management.

As the account lead for one of the UK’s largest car parts and accessories marketplaces, and a project lead for mainstream car manufacturer, the ideal candidate must be passionate about

communications and able to understand the often-complex nature of our clients’ businesses.

Located in Kingston-Upon-Thames, this job would be split between office (three days a week) and home – with occasional travel across the UK and abroad possible.

Reporting line & team

The role reports into, and will be supported by, the senior leadership team and will be responsible for directly managing the relevant Account Managers and their close-knit UK team as appropriate. The successful candidate will have experience of delivering impactful PR campaigns using a variety of tactics.

Key responsibilities

Job responsibilities will include – but are not limited to – the following:

Client management activities

• Build and manage effective client relationships.
• Develop, oversee and implement delivery of comms strategies, messaging, plans and timelines, driving forward key projects and ensuring objectives are met and budgets are adhered to.
• Devise innovative and engaging ways to drive positive media coverage across all media channels – print, broadcast and online.
• Continually drive creativity throughout the accounts and the wider company, delivering unique ideas for campaigns and activations that add value to the client proposition.
• Creating Thought Leadership content with key global Execs.
• Ultimate responsibility for all aspects of quality control across each account.
• Managing team members to ensure they deliver the highest quality communications support.
• Plan, organise and prioritise workloads of team members, with a particular focus on ensuring that actual resources used for individual clients correspond to the contracted resources, flagging any issues to senior staff members.
• As circumstances require, be prepared to carry out other day-to-day account work. For example, writing press releases, setting up media opportunities, etc.

Company management activities – team

• Provide professional guidance to junior team members to help them develop key skills and advance their careers.
• Undertake annual reviews and half-yearly appraisals for relevant team members.
• Act as solid and reliable support for senior team members.
• Solid communication skills with the ability to effectively manage upwards and down.
• Help to manage the team in producing market insights, including consumer, media and industry trends as well as being aware of competitor activity.

Company management activities – general

• Help to implement current processes and take initiative on improving processes within the team and wider company.
• Set up and run key meetings when required e.g. strategic planning sessions, brainstorms.
• Adopt a proactive approach to seeking out new business opportunities.
• Preparing and assisting with new business pitches/presentations, in collaboration with the agencies Leadership team.

Candidate profile

• Passionate about delivering high quality and effective communications with previous experience of consumer communications.
• Able to demonstrate the delivery of results in both the PR and digital spheres.
• Experience in and passion for the automotive industry.
• Experience of managing teams and a team player, happy to help with basic work when needed.
• Equally comfortable working autonomously and liaising closely with senior management. A self-starter who conducts themselves in a professional manner at all times.
• Ability to juggle conflicting priorities and work in a fluid and fast-paced environment.
• A strong communicator, able to manage upwards as well as prioritise their own work.
• Possesses the gravitas to deal with senior stakeholders.
• A strategic and creative thinker.
• First-class organisational skills and excellent attention to detail.
• Experience managing photo and video shoots.
• Tenacious, driven and resilient, with the appetite to build the Company business.

Some of the benefits we offer

We don’t just look at what you can bring to us. We look at what we can bring to you. Whether that be through internal or external training to help you develop, or programmes and initiatives to support your wellbeing through our wellbeing strategy, Thrive, your development and wellbeing is important to us.

Listed below are some of the benefits we currently offer, we say currently because we are always evolving them via employee feedback obtained through our regular staff survey:

• Company wide wellbeing programme (Thrive) including a:
• Company bonus and recognition programme
• £250 wellbeing allowance
• 25 days holiday
• Two flexi-half days off
• Private healthcare
• 4.30 finish on Fridays
• Training programme
• Breakfast on office days
• Personal, Team & Company Social allowances
• Flexible working (split between home & office)
• Social activities (Summer / Christmas parties (and some in-between))
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Dog friendly office
• Work/life balance mindset

Our company values

• We’re a dickhead-free zone: We’re a kind and compassionate bunch. We’re not about egos. It’s team first, and we want to work with like-minded people.
• We take the initiative: Proactivity and curiosity make great communicators, which is why we’re always on the front foot.
• We relish a challenge: Ground-breaking work isn’t easy. If it were, everyone would be doing it.
• We take pride in nurturing talent: Show the application and drive, and we’ll support you every step of the way.
• We want people to be themselves: Everyone is different. We believe you get the best out of people when they can be who they want to be.
• We do cool shit: We get a kick out of doing stuff that gets noticed.