Client Account Director (Commercial) in London

Who we are

The Kite Factory is an independent media agency that gives brands the best in Heart, Art, and Science to craft creative media ideas that deliver. With a rich heritage in measurement, TKF combines data-driven insights and craft planning to deliver media effectiveness that drives measurable growth for clients like Skin+Me, ZSL London Zoo, Lovehoney, David Lloyd Clubs, WaterAid, White Claw, MedExpress and M&G Wealth.

We exist because we saw a gap in the market. A gap between ideas and measurement. Anyone can have a good idea, but they don't necessarily know how to measure it. Conversely, just because you can measure things, it's no guarantee you can have good ideas. Well, we do both.

We're a dynamic team of creative visionaries, professional achievers, and data enthusiasts, all driven by a passion for delivering tangible results. Now with over 100 media specialists, The Kite Factory has experienced remarkable growth over the past five years. We've celebrated multiple new business and award-winning campaigns, earning the prestigious title of Campaign's Independent Agency of the Year in 2023. Our workplace culture shines as we proudly rank among Campaign's Best Places to Work and hold IPA Platinum status, reflecting our unwavering commitment to the development and well-being of our people.

What we are looking for

We are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Account Director to join our dynamic client services team. Our Account Directors are the key to our Client Management team, consisting of brilliant individuals that have a passion and enthusiasm to understand their client's business needs and challenges and to work collaboratively to deliver exceptional outcomes.

The role offers a diverse range of work across a commercial and not-for-profit portfolio as well as across brand and performance and much more! In this role you will quickly establish positive relationships with clients, lead a talented team and oversee the strategic direction of your accounts whilst championing innovation and creativity.

We are seeking an individual who can effectively balance leadership responsibilities with hands-on involvement in campaign strategy planning, delivery and analysis.

Your role

This specific role will be to work on some of the most important and exciting clients at The Kite Factory within the commercial division of the agency – David Lloyd Leisure, one of the most important client partners who we've worked with for over 9 years, Skin&Me; a category disruptor within the hair and beauty subscription space, Celcius, who are looking to emulate the success they have had in the energy drink sector in the US and MedExpress – one of our newest, and biggest clients who are seeking to create long-term growth and domination in the weight loss and GLP‐1 medication market.

Your day-to-day role will involve directly managing a team, ensuring that all deliverables meet our high standards of quality and attention to detail. In addition to overseeing your team you will be the primary point of contact for clients, collaborating closely with the strategy and insight team, AV team and digital teams to provide strategic direction and guidance to achieve exceptional outcomes for our clients.

The purpose of this role is to lead client accounts with confidence, ensuring maximum satisfaction, strategic direction, smooth operations, and consistently excellent output. You will also play a key role in nurturing and developing junior team members within the client management team and across the wider business.

As a Client Account Director, you will be the primary senior contact for all your clients, building strong and lasting relationships. You will be accountable for team output and client satisfaction scores, while driving insight‐led, creative, and strategic solutions. Your role includes guiding clients on media marketing direction, delegating work effectively within the team, and mentoring account managers and executives. You will also contribute to new business pitches, deliver against commercial goals through trading opportunities, and lead presentations internally and externally with enthusiasm.

Key responsibilities

• Developing an in-depth understanding of your clients' business and marketing operations
• Taking full accountability for all client deliverables, including media plans, PCAs, and RTBs
• Acting as a strategic lead for your clients, ensuring both short-term and long-term objectives are met
• Leading and supporting your team of account managers and executives, fostering growth and high performance
• Playing a pivotal role in new business pitches, contributing ideas and insights that drive success
• Managing internal forecasting with precision, ensuring accuracy and providing clear narratives for any substantial changes

Skills and experience

Experience: Relevant experience within a media agency, 6+ years

Core skills

• Case studies and thought leadership
• "Sell" TKF products
• Ability to demonstrate growth opportunities
• Compelling storytelling
• Wider team development
• Organic pipeline management
• Public relations
• Tool development
• Manage relationships with key partners

Behaviours

• Tone setter
• Gravitas
• Persuasive
• Senior leadership mindset
• Credibility
• Headstrong
• Emotionally intelligent
• Empathetic

Our Culture

We're immensely proud of the vibrant culture at The Kite Factory. Our commitment to continuous improvement is reflected in our quarterly pulse surveys, which create a valuable feedback loop, allowing us to evolve and refine our agency's operations. Here, every voice is heard and valued. We've diligently built and embodied our core values: Think Freely, Aim Higher, Stay Smart, Get Involved, and Win Together.

Our people are our greatest asset, and the connections they forge with one another are the foundation of our success. To strengthen these relationships and foster a supportive and inclusive environment, we offer several committees that everyone is encouraged to join, including Social, Diversity & Inclusion, and Environmental Impact. These groups play a crucial role in shaping our culture and ensuring that we not only work together but thrive together.

What's in it for you

As well as working with the best people in the industry, we offer a competitive salary, a range of benefits, a huge focus on training and development with dedicated training time, partnerships with industry specialists, and the opportunity to progress and develop your career with the support of a fantastic team.

Inclusivity and belonging

At The Kite Factory, we welcome applications from all walks of life including those who are under‐represented in our industry. We're committed to creating a diverse and inclusive place to work where everyone feels they can belong and celebrate each other's differences. It's so important to us that all voices are heard and listened to so that we can truly create an inclusive place to work where our teams can thrive together.