Account Director Vacancy in Cape Town, Woodstock Dec 2024

Remuneration:	negotiable Basic salary
Benefits:	Medical Aid, Retirement Annuity
Location:	Cape Town, Woodstock
Education level:	Diploma
Job level:	Mid
Type:	Permanent
Reference:	#AD/OCT

Job description

Is responsible for managing the team and the account. As such, he/she must recognise his/her prime responsibility for ensuring the quality of the agency’s product, particularly the strategic and creative product, and for inspiring the highest standards in other team members. In so doing, he/she will contribute to the successful and profitable stewardship of clients’ Brands.
Key focus on this piece of business is integration with all business units – agility and the aptitude for problem solving is key
Build excellent relationships with clients, extending into social situations, and with all members of the agency team for whom he/she is responsible.
The Account Director’s leadership role on his/her business should also contribute to the department in a positive manner: by setting an example of best-practice account management skills.
A high aptitude for numbers, budgets and creating efficient processes will be of great benefit on this piece of business

Client

Has a deep understanding of the client’s business and of the key broader factors and trends shaping their markets and categories. Looks for opportunities to engage in broader business dialogue with clients.
Is respected by senior clients and considered a point of contact on strategic, creative and resource issues.
Builds strong and enduring relationships with clients, professionally and socially, particularly at the Marketing Manager or equivalent level.
Regularly seeks out ways to add value to the client/agency relationship (e.g. joint speaking appearances at conferences; effecting introductions to other members of agency management; agency presentations on broader industry issues).

Creative

Is responsible for setting the creative context of the business: knowing what type of advertising the Brand needs and understanding what the client thinks he/she wants, if these differ.
Is the Creative department’s day-to-day contact, providing an overall vision and direction for the creative work and ensuring it is set in the correct business context.
Is an excellent judge of creative work and is willing and able to argue a case in any client/agency forum.
Understands how best to present the agency’s work in a client forum to best effect.
Keeps the Executive Creative Director and Creative Group Heads apprised of all relevant client/account issues.

Finance

Contributes to the writing of Business Plans/fee proposals for the account.
Is responsible for maximising the account’s billings and/or income and for seeking out additional income opportunities.
Contributes to the good financial management of the business, improving profitability wherever possible, monitoring all billing procedures carried out by the Account Manager/Executive, alerting the Group Account Director and Business Director promptly to any likely changes to billing and income, any potential write-offs, etc.
Ensures that timesheets are always up to date and given to Finance timeously.

Traffic / Production

Is responsible for ensuring appropriate timescales on all major productions.
Is responsible for ensuring the right resource is allocated to the business in this area.
Is responsible for ensuring that the client understands the importance of having enough time for creative development.

Planning

Forms a strong and enduring relationship with his/her Planner on the business.
In tandem with the Planner, develops the most insightful advertising strategies and sharpest creative briefs possible.

Media

Oversees the team’s media output – carries out quality control and effective resource management.
Keeps abreast of all developments in areas of media and fosters the use of best practice – in media research, planning / buying tools, and methodologies etc.
Keeps the Media Director apprised of relevant client/account issues.

Management

Is ultimately responsible for the smooth running of the account – operationally, creatively and financially – and is answerable on these points to the client, the Group Account Director and to the Business Director.
Overall responsibility for the quality of implementation on all projects within their groups.
Creates the best possible environment in which to produce the best possible work. Is responsible for ensuring that his/her teams have the right time and resources to deliver this, within the client’s time frame.
Builds the respect and loyal commitment of team members, of the department and of the agency as a whole.
Effectively manages and coaches the more junior members of the Account Management team (AM’s, AE’s, BA’s) sensitively, positively and pro-actively.
Delegates effectively and appropriately – upwards to the Business Director, as well as downwards, and to other departments.
Involves the Group Account Director and Business Director appropriately on all relevant issues: status of business, brand health, creative projects, timings, etc.

Requirements

Post graduate degree or National Diploma, majoring in communication, marketing, advertising or other related Business Sciences
Financial and budget control ability
Marketing knowledge and experience
Outstanding people management skills
Committed team worker
Intellectual depth
Excellent written/verbal communication skills
Good interpersonal skills
Strong service orientation
Integrity, energy and creativity

Advantageous

Contact details
Wilmah Jani
Ogilvy & Mather Cape Town
0214671161
wilmah.jani@ogilvy.co.za