Senior Account Manager (Maternity Cover, Fixed-Term)

Element Search; Abu Dhabi; Hybrid; AED 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Element Search is supporting a Dubai-based agency hiring a Senior Account Manager on a full-time maternity cover contract to lead a high-profile Abu Dhabi Government account. You will translate government directives into clear delivery plans across Social Media, Performance, Website, SEO/GEO, and Content Marketing, ensuring on-time, high-quality, budget-conscious delivery.

You will be the client's strategic advisor, coordinating cross-functional teams, managing approvals, and maintaining strong

Qualifications

• 6 to 8+ years of agency account management experience, leading integrated, multi-channel accounts; UAE or Abu Dhabi Government experience strongly preferred.
• Hands-on understanding of how Social Media, Performance and Media Buying, Web Development, SEO/GEO and Content Marketing work together.
• Comfort with formal protocol, layered government approvals and fast-turnaround announcements.
• Strong commercial acumen: P&L, retainer burn and margin management.
• Excellent organization, attention to detail and communication, at ease in executive-level client meetings.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary senior contact for the government client, managing complex expectations, multi-layered approvals and high-priority ad hoc requests with diplomatic confidence
• Lead weekly status meetings, monthly steering reviews and working sessions, both virtually and on-site in Abu Dhabi
• Coordinate and direct multidisciplinary teams across Social Media, Paid Performance and Media Buying, Website, SEO/GEO and Content Marketing
• Turn client briefs and government mandates into clear scopes of work, sprint plans and creative briefs
• Hold a high bar for quality across client presentations, campaign reports, digital deliverables and strategy documents
• Own the account budget: retainer utilization, scope burn, project profitability, billing, media spend reconciliations and vendor costs

Skills

Account management

Stakeholder management

Budget management

Leadership

Client relationship management

Job description

element MEA is supporting a leading Dubai-based creative and digital agency in appointing a Senior Account Manager on a full-time maternity cover contract, to lead a prestigious, multi-faceted Abu Dhabi Government account. The agency's identity will be shared with shortlisted candidates.

You will be the client's key strategic advisor and operational anchor: translating complex government stakeholder directives into clear delivery plans across Social Media, Performance and Media Buying, Website, SEO/GEO and Content Marketing, and making sure the agency's teams deliver on time, to a high standard and within budget.

The role

• Full-time, fixed-term contract (maternity cover) from mid-November 2026 to 31 March 2027, about 5.5 months
• Hybrid and remote-first: mostly remote during UAE business hours (Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM GST), with regular in-person client meetings, workshops and steering reviews at client offices in Abu Dhabi
• Reporting to the Group Managing Director
• You must be based in the UAE, with your own means of transport

Key responsibilities

• Act as the primary senior contact for the government client, managing complex expectations, multi-layered approvals and high-priority ad hoc requests with diplomatic confidence
• Lead weekly status meetings, monthly steering reviews and working sessions, both virtually and on-site in Abu Dhabi
• Coordinate and direct multidisciplinary teams across Social Media, Paid Performance and Media Buying, Website, SEO/GEO and Content Marketing
• Turn client briefs and government mandates into clear scopes of work, sprint plans and creative briefs
• Hold a high bar for quality across client presentations, campaign reports, digital deliverables and strategy documents
• Own the account budget: retainer utilization, scope burn, project profitability, billing, media spend reconciliations and vendor costs

What you'll bring

• 6 to 8+ years of agency account management experience, leading integrated, multi-channel accounts; UAE or Abu Dhabi Government experience is strongly preferred
• Hands-on understanding of how Social Media, Performance and Media Buying, Web Development, SEO/GEO and Content Marketing work together
• Confidence with formal protocol, layered government approvals and fast-turnaround announcements
• Strong commercial acumen: P&L, retainer burn and margin management
• Excellent organization, attention to detail and communication, at ease in executive-level client meetings

Nice to have

• Arabic fluency (written and spoken), a significant advantage for government client relations
• Familiarity with Abu Dhabi Government brand guidelines and protocol

Who should apply

This role is for experienced agency account management professionals. Applications from sales, business development, finance or other non-agency backgrounds will not be considered.