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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead agency partnerships and drive revenue growth in a dynamic retail media environment.
- Company: Join SMG, the #1 Best Marketing and Media Agency, known for innovation and inclusivity.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, wellbeing funds, extra days off, and year-round celebrations.
- Why this job: Be part of a fast-paced team that values growth, creativity, and collaboration.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in commercial teams with knowledge of the UK media landscape.
- Other info: Open to diverse talent; your unique perspective is valued!
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 ÂŁ per year.
Location: Hybrid, London twice per week with travel to client site in Bradford
Level: Director
About the Role
We’re hunting for an Agency Lead (Retail) to spearhead our brand-new Retail Media Network (RMN) team for a leading, northern-based UK retailer . You’ll be the very first SMGer through the agency door, forging powerful partnerships with UK media agencies, evangelising the value of retail media, and unlocking fresh, incremental revenue streams across CPG, entertainment, gaming, finance, travel—and beyond. In short: you’ll build the playbook, win the business, and scale the team that follows.
If you love variety, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and embrace change with energy, this could be your right role.
Why SMG?
At SMG, we hire for the future, which is fast-moving and changing shape . Do you have the potential to help shape our business? We’re looking for brilliant, diverse talent who want to grow with us—people who are curious, ambitious, and eager to learn, whether as specialists or across teams.
Our culture is everything. If you’re someone who stays honest, stays hungry, stays foolish, and has fun, you’ll feel right at home here.
We value those who take ownership of their growth and bring fresh perspectives. That’s why we’re committed to equity, inclusion, and building a place where everyone feels empowered to grow . At SMG, it’s not just about filling a role but building the future together.
We’re proud to be ranked the #1 Best Marketing and Media Agency and to have received World-Class accreditation from Best Companies.
- 10% discretionary bonus
- ÂŁ1,800 yearly wellbeing fund (on top of your salary!)
- Free Headspace subscription
- £500 yearly “Uni Fund” for learning
- 4 extra Wellbeing Days off per year
- Summer & Winter conferences + year-round celebrations
- 4pm finishes every Friday
- Flexible and hybrid working
Are We What You’re Looking For?
We move fast, adapt quickly, and like to challenge each other. We\’re looking for people who enjoy the buzz of change, the satisfaction of building something better, and the joy of working with a close-knit, values-driven team .
This isn’t for everyone, but if you thrive in this environment, we’d love to meet you!
A Little Bit About You
You’ll bring:
- Proven success leading agency or client-side commercial teams and smashing revenue targets in a fast-paced environment.
- Deep knowledge of the UK media-agency landscape—operating models, commercial structures, JBP creation, and data-licensing deals.
- Stellar influencing skills with senior stakeholders; able to juggle multiple projects while thriving amid ambiguity.
- Strong commercial guile and a track record of unlocking non-traditional budgets (brand, data, and new verticals).
- Bonus points for experience launching or scaling a retail media network, but not essential
Don’t meet every single requirement? We still want to hear from you. If you believe you’d thrive in this role, your unique perspective might be just what we’re looking for.
What You’ll Be Doing
Your days will be dynamic. You might find yourself:
- Building & leading agency relationships – upskilling media agencies on RMN value and embedding our proposition into their planning cycles
- Unlocking incremental investment – accessing brand budgets for CPGs and attracting spend from entertainment, gaming, finance, travel, and more
- Negotiating smart commercial deals – from data-licence contracts to multi-channel media agreements that satisfy retailer and agency objectives
- Shaping go-to-market strategy – crafting marketing, PR, and training programmes that put our RMN front-of-mind across the agency ecosystem
- Partnering for growth – working hand-in-hand with Innovation, Strategy, and Data teams to build a market-leading media estate
- Scaling the dream team – hiring, mentoring, and inspiring new talent as the agency revenue stream accelerates
Our Values:
Stay honest. Stay hungry. Stay foolish. Have fun.
Explore what that means to us here
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Client Director - Agency Partnerships employer: SMG
Contact Detail:
SMG Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Client Director - Agency Partnerships
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the UK media-agency landscape. Understanding the operating models and commercial structures will give you an edge in discussions and negotiations, showcasing your expertise to potential employers.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the retail media space. Attend industry events or webinars to connect with key players and gain insights into current trends, which can help you demonstrate your knowledge during interviews.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience in unlocking non-traditional budgets. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully navigated complex financial landscapes, as this is a crucial aspect of the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your leadership skills by highlighting any past experiences where you've built or scaled teams. This will resonate well with our values and the expectations for the Client Director position.
We think you need these skills to ace Client Director - Agency Partnerships
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience in leading agency or client-side commercial teams. Emphasise any achievements related to smashing revenue targets and your knowledge of the UK media-agency landscape.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your enthusiasm for the role and the company. Discuss how your skills align with the responsibilities outlined in the job description, particularly your ability to build agency relationships and unlock incremental investment.
Showcase Relevant Experience: When detailing your work history, focus on specific examples where you successfully negotiated commercial deals or launched new initiatives. Highlight any experience with retail media networks, even if it's not extensive.
Demonstrate Cultural Fit: Reflect on the company's values in your application. Share personal anecdotes that illustrate how you stay honest, hungry, foolish, and have fun in your professional life. This will show that you resonate with their culture.
How to prepare for a job interview at SMG
✨Understand the Agency Landscape
Familiarise yourself with the UK media-agency landscape, including operating models and commercial structures. Be prepared to discuss how your experience aligns with these elements and how you can leverage them to build strong agency relationships.
✨Showcase Your Commercial Acumen
Highlight your track record of smashing revenue targets and unlocking non-traditional budgets. Prepare examples of successful negotiations or deals you've closed that demonstrate your strong commercial guile.
✨Demonstrate Influencing Skills
Be ready to showcase your stellar influencing skills with senior stakeholders. Think of specific instances where you've successfully managed multiple projects and thrived in ambiguous situations, as this will resonate well with the fast-paced environment.
✨Embrace the Company Culture
Research and understand StudySmarter's values: honesty, hunger, foolishness, and fun. During the interview, express how these values align with your personal ethos and how you can contribute to a positive team culture.
