Senior Account Director

Client Services serves as the business leader for the account. The team understands the client’s priorities, aligns work to business objectives, identifies growth opportunities, manages executive relationships, and ensures the agency is viewed as a trusted strategic partner. CS leads client conversations, drives decisions, manages escalations, and owns overall account health and revenue growth.

The Role

The Senior Account Director is responsible for setting the strategic direction and driving the overall success of a portfolio of high-value client accounts. Acting as a trusted advisor, this role combines deep client and industry knowledge with strong leadership to deliver meaningful business outcomes, foster long-term partnerships, and drive profitable growth. This individual leads cross-functional teams, ensures alignment between client objectives and agency delivery, and elevates the quality and impact of work across the account portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

Client Strategy & Account Leadership

• Lead strategic direction and account planning across a portfolio of large, complex accounts
• Develop a deep understanding of client business, industry landscape, and key performance drivers
• Ensure all agency work aligns with client objectives and delivers measurable business impact
• Identify risks and opportunities, proactively adjusting strategies to meet evolving client needs

Growth & Financial Management

• Drive profitable growth and retention through strong account stewardship
• Own scope intent, commercial framing, pricing alignment, growth opportunities, and financial stewardship in partnership with PM and Finance
• Identify and lead opportunities for organic growth, including expansion of services and deeper client engagement

Client Partnership

• Build and maintain strong, senior-level client relationships grounded in trust and transparency
• Serve as a strategic consultant, providing proactive, insight-driven guidance
• Lead client feedback processes and continuously improve client satisfaction and partnership quality

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Lead and align cross-functional teams to deliver seamless, end-to-end solutions
• Ensure client goals, business priorities, and scope expectations are clearly translated for internal teams and aligned with PM-led delivery planning, workflow governance, and execution discipline
• Guide onboarding of new clients to accelerate performance and integration

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team
• Set clear, outcome-based goals and manage performance against them
• Provide ongoing coaching, feedback, and development opportunities aligned to business objectives
• Support hiring and onboarding of top talent

Business Development

• Contribute to new business efforts, including research, strategy, and pitch support

What Success Looks Like in This Role

• Consistent profitable growth and retention across the account portfolio
• Strong, trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders
• Clear demonstration of strategic impact on client business outcomes
• Expansion of services and increased account value through organic growth
• High levels of client satisfaction and partnership strength
• Cross-functional teams are strategically aligned around client objectives, with PM-owned delivery plans enabling efficient, high-quality execution
• Engaged, developed team members with clear growth trajectories

Required Knowledge and Skill Set

• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to translate client needs into actionable plans
• Deep understanding of client business, industry dynamics, and marketing performance drivers
• Expertise in account planning, financial management, and forecasting
• Proven ability to drive organic growth and expand service offerings
• Advanced relationship-building and client advisory skills
• Strong leadership capabilities with experience managing and developing teams
• Cross-functional knowledge across media, creative, analytics, operations, and finance
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
• Results-oriented mindset with the ability to manage complexity and change

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of experience in account management or a strategic client-facing role (agency experience preferred)
• Demonstrated success leading, growing, and retaining client accounts
• 6+ years of people management experience
• Experience working in cross-functional environments within marketing, advertising, media, or communications
• Experience in media and/or research is a plus