Group Account Director

Job Title: Group Account Director 

Reports To: VP, Management Supervisor

OVERVIEW

Business-to-business (B2B) strategic professional responsible for providing strong strategic marketing direction, business acumen, vision and accountability for their assigned clients. Leads and directs the work of account service team members, and helps build strong team unity and collaboration. Responsible for uncovering client needs and and has significant input in developing marketing communications plans for clients. Responsible for overseeing the account team and the implementation of the marketing communications plans on a daily basis. Coach, mentor and develop account team members. Identify and support new business activities with existing clients and support new business activities as assigned.

RESPONSIBILITIES & SKILLS 

• Provide effective leadership for all aspects of accounts and client programs.
• Ensure that client goals and strategic objectives are met through effective marketing communications plans/programs.
• Collaborate with account leadership in client strategic planning process and forecasting monthly and annually
• Ensure strong, positive client relationships and inform account leadership of any potential client or team issues that present a risk to the business. 
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding for agency capabilities and offerings, ensuring clients have a clear understanding of how the agency can support their business and marketing/communications objectives. 
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of client needs, writing plans/proposals to address needs/opportunities.
• Collaborate with functional teams to ensure project quality and continuity to achieve client objectives. 
• Ensure account team has a thorough understanding of both client and agency processes and procedures, ensuring these are followed consistently.
• Identify and raise account team training and development needs, and provide solutions. 
• Demonstrate a passion for their clients’ brands – keeping an up-to-date understanding of the economics behind them, the customer and competitive insights that go into them, and the marketing strategPauy/channels that drive them.
• Accountable for account team members to meet billable time targets.
• Collaborate closely with functional leaders and client account team members to design solutions across all agency functions.
• Ensures that project costs and hours are tracked accurately based upon the client’s contractual relationship
• Oversees AS/Sr. AE/AE/AAE to provide guidance and review client activities, progress and recommend action.
• Effectively kick off projects and transitions work to functional team members with support from assigned Project Manager
• Lead the development of communications platforms for all assigned client projects with Account Executives and Functional Team Members to ensure all projects are Grounded in Truth
• Approve all work prior to presentation to clients and serves as an internal advocate for the client
• Review and approve all estimates, quotes, invoices for assigned clients
• Identify and pursue organic business opportunities with assigned clients through intelligence gathering, relationship development, and proposal development. 

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• B.S. in ag, food business, marketing, journalism, communications and/or related field is required.
• 10 – 15 years of experience in B2B marketing, communications, management consulting or similar field
• Agency experience required
• Agriculture and or crop protection experience required
• Proven track record of cultivating and growing client relationships
• 5+ years of experience leading an account service or cross-functional team

ROLE COMPETENCIES 

• Action Oriented 
• Building Effective Teams
• Business Acumen
• Conflict Management
• Directing Others
• Strategic Management
• Motivating Others
• Self-Knowledge
• Strategic Agility 

SUCCESS AT CURIOUS PLOT

Curious Plot is a marketing, communications and consulting agency driven to find what’s next for food and agriculture. We help set strategy, align teams, frame opinions and create demand for our clients. You will perform well with our company if your skills align with the following agency competencies:

• Composure
• Customer Focus
• Functional/Technical Skills
• Priority Setting
• Problem Solving
• Peer Relationships
• Dealing with Ambiguity