Account Director

The Account Director is responsible for the development and nurturing of client accounts. This role is essential in strengthening relationships with the client and identifying growth opportunities for the business as well as ensuring solutions are developed and delivered on time and against operational and financial business targets.

The Account Director will take full responsibility for the strategic and operational management of the accounts under their responsibility and managing the performance of their team, ensuring all work is completed in line with the SLA. This individual also needs to be a strong leader who can focus on the vision and strategies of the account, balance daily support needs with long-term strategy and successfully combine vision and reality into effective plans.

We are seeking a candidate with in-depth experience of working with strategic clients to drive the Client Services team and deliver ongoing solutions to resolve Client challenges. The perfect candidate will have a deep experience with a proven track record for developing Clients, nurturing relationships and converting opportunities as well as team management experience.

Key responsibilities

• Play a leading role in the delivery of client satisfaction, including client liaison, management of internal resource departments and management of external suppliers.
• Delivering operational excellence.
• With the Senior Account Manager, manage the on and off-site Account Teams that operate in the areas of the clients' business under your direction ensuring compliance to company operating procedure.
• Manage the personal development of your team members through appraisals, one-to-one meetings, mentoring and training.
• Take ownership of and resolve issues, quality concerns or corrective actions.
• Develop effective growth strategies and manage the opportunities for these Clients.
• With the Global Account Director and the local clients, build client development plans for each year.
• Achieve and excel growth targets.
• Manage overall financial performance of the account, risk analysis and remedy.
• Identify risks to the account and put in place strategies to manage these risks.
• Contract review and renewal.
• Develop strong relationships with senior key decision makers.
• Regular MI reporting and production of account relationship plans.

Knowledge, Skills + Experience

• Extensive client service management experience, ideally with time spent working on the client site or sites.
• Extensive people management experience including performance management and team leadership.
• Experienced in taking responsibility for managing client service plans, KPI’s, budgeting, forecasting and leadership.
• Proven track record of operational management for client services departments.
• Significant experience in developing and maintaining client relationships.
• Able to present account planning and strategy for retention, growth and added value.
• Demonstrable track record of successful client and contract management.
• Can anticipate internal and/or external business issues and develop risk mitigation strategies.
• Experience of managing department financials.
• Have in-depth knowledge of Performance Improvement philosophy and implementation.
• Significant experience of managing work in a fast-paced retail environment.
• Previous experience of presenting to Senior Management.
• Strong experience of dealing with large P&L budgets.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, able to develop positive relationships at all levels, with all types of people up to Board level.
• Excellent communication skills – verbal, written, presentation – with clarity of expression.