Account Director

Job Overview

Account Director (AD) plays a key role in maintaining the clients’ stability and influences their potential growth. 

AD will lead the day to day client engagement and develop strategic recommendations that address the client's business problems to solve in a marketing and consumer context. Manage a team of agency personnel to deliver on client needs and achieve favorable outcomes for the client that result in agency profitability / overall financial health. Work with Agency specialists to lead the client to new marketing solutions that they may not have considered in their own operations and planning processes.

Accountabilities

• Client communication
• Team management
• Account planning and resource management /forecasting

Core Duties

• In coordination with the line manager, responsible for ensuring client satisfaction and handling strategic issues or problem resolution of one-to-one marketing issues
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the marketplace and our client’s business including various media and distribution channels
• Proactive engagement with client to improve existing services, in order to drive profitable client relationships
• Be accountable for the security of our client’s business
• Manage and ensure quality of our services to clients
• Management and handling of key client briefs, projects and requests, including the refinement of the above
• Typical day-to-day management of clients and their requests including presentations, documentation, and client activity administration
• Ensure the excellence of projects; effectively manage and interpret client feedback; guide/lead Account Managers (AMs) and Account Executives (AEs) to implement projects smoothly and effectively
• Support line manager in developing initiatives for new business or expanding existing business
• Financial control of billings and third party costs
• Write/proofread major communications materials including executive internal memos, executive speeches, Q&A, sensitive topic statements, pitch docs or press releases
• Maintain high-level contacts within business and industry relations
• Lead major offline activities/events and overall quality control 
• Provide account planning and strategic support to key clients
• Provide clients counsel in the development of successful customer management strategies
• Lead the team to write communication plan/PR plan
• Understand industry/market trends and the success factors critical to the organization’s long-term sustainability and competitiveness
• Understand the offering of the 6 Capabilities
• Modify proposals based on changing business conditions 
• Drive the right client briefs for internal stakeholders, mainly strategy, creative and delivery teams 
• Take ownership of the quality of creative responses in conjunction with Creative Director 
• Ensure creative team motivation and working processes
• Oversee project briefings (both written and actual briefing) and client approval
• Provide creative judgement 
• Develop strong working relationships with AMs and AEs to ensure that once briefed the campaign/project moves forward smoothly
• Be the first stop in resolving problems raised by AMs and AEs
• Work with Business Director/Group Account Director to project future account team personnel requirements and overcome any existing issues
• Assume responsibility, and demonstrate proactive and energetic working attitude
• Take responsibility for management and motivation of account team members to allow them to achieve maximum potential
• Abide by the WPP Code of Business Conduct 

Qualifications

• 6+ years of related experience
• Industry experience preferred
• Team-leading experience
• Excellent writing skills, strong presentation capabilities (proven media relations skills)
• Strong verbal and presentation skills with the ability to speak knowledgably with high level executives internally and with clients
• Detail-oriented, organized and dedicated; proactive and enthusiastic with an ability to juggle multiple tasks and meet deadlines; a quick learner
• Knowledge of working software (Office 365, etc.) 
• Business to Native level in Japanese and English

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