Freelance Advertising Account Director (2x Maternity Cover – ASAP & July 2025 Start)

We are hiring for two maternity cover roles, each for approximately 6 months. One position is available to start ASAP, while the other is set to begin in July 2025. We welcome discussions with applicants regarding their availability.

Role

• Lead and manage accounts
• Mentor and guide a team of Account Managers & Account Executives
• Key performance will be linked to the candidate’s ability to retain relationships with existing clients and extend the agencies scope through these relationships
• Day-to-day project management across all accounts, from conceptualisation through to production and submission
• Manage project budgets and be accountable for achieving profit margins on all group accounts
• Oversee resourcing and capacity management of design/creative teams

Key Responsibilities

Operations and Business

• Risk management of projects in execution and delivery phases
• Manage profitability of project costs against resource utilisation, able to provide solutions when required
• Responsible for P&L - sustaining account growth, diversification and profitability
• Constantly and creatively looking for opportunities to grow the business

Client Management

• Pro-active client development - drive business conversations to expand business/relationships and anticipate potential strategic & business issues and challenges
• Establish strong partnership connections with mid to senior clients as go to senior person for solutions and platform for transparency in raising off record ad hoc issues

Strategy

• Gatekeeper for strategic input, ensuring work and creative briefs align with client objectives
• Foresee and solve strategic problems and challenges for clients
• Act as an escalation point for the team in resolving issues. Supports the team in confidently navigating through problems
• In-depth understanding of industry trends and their impact on client and company’s businesses

Creative

• Partner to the creative team, collaborate confidently, responsible for pushing and selling the best creative solution and quality of work to solve the clients business problem
• Cognisant of recent award winning works/industry best practices especially relevant to the client industry

Digital

• In depth understanding of platforms - latest digital and social platforms, channels and format
• Know when to engage with specialists on client briefs and/or value-adding to the creative product
• Good understanding of building digital and social-leaning SOWs

People Management

• Lead effective cross functional interaction and create a conducive environment/culture for the team and client
• Supervise, train and manage performance of team members
• Provide clear and nurturing feedback to reporting team

Knowledge & Experience Required

• At least 7 years relevant experience with a sound knowledge of print, digital and content production processes
• Leadership experience in managing an account servicing team
• Sound financial planning and budget management experience

Skills Required

• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent relationship management and presentation skills
• The ability to multi-task and provide holistic leadership support across a range of clients

Attributes

• Team player with a ‘hands-on’ approach
• Responsible, with a ‘Can do’, willing and positive attitude to be a support system for our clients
• Ability to work under tight deadlines with multiple projects
• An ability to prioritise workload as well as an ability to pre-empt, identify and respond to problems
• Reliability, i.e. resilience, confidence, tenacity and maturity
• Personal, enthusiastic and committed – capable of gaining trust and respect from colleagues
• Experience working across the tourism, travel, luxury and/or automotive industry, an advantage