Associate Account Director

Monks; Sydney; On-site; AUD 160,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Monks, the global digital-first agency, seeks an Associate Account Director (Media Lead) to orchestrate strategy across a client portfolio in Australia. You will shape high-level media strategy, manage senior stakeholder relationships, and drive growth through AI-enabled, cross-functional programs.

You will lead budgeting, forecasting, and profitability analyses while fostering a high-performance culture, mentorship, and scalable processes across teams and technology partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in marketing, business, communications, or related fields.
• 6+ years in roles within media, marketing, or advertising organizations, with robust experience managing client portfolios, teams, and strategic initiatives.
• Proven success in developing and executing integrated media strategies, leading organizational change, and inspiring cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Oversee large, complex client accounts’ strategic planning, growth initiatives, and delivery. Cultivate strong senior stakeholder relationships and act as a trusted advisor to grow existing clients.
• Lead in formulating and executing the AUNZ media strategy, ensuring alignment across teams and influencing strategic direction for key accounts and internal initiatives.
• Build a cohesive, inclusive, and motivated team environment. Lead internal initiatives, promote knowledge sharing, and develop team capabilities through training and mentorship.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, profitability analysis, and operational efficiencies to ensure sustainable growth and resource utilization.
• Lead on AI adoption and manage resourcing, delivery, and financial management at the organisational or client level. Implement standard processes, lead retrospectives, and optimize workflows.
• Maintain in-depth awareness of media products, industry trends, and competitive landscape. Support development of collateral and thought leadership materials.
• Foster strong relationships across departments such as sales, strategy, and operations. Lead initiatives to align efforts and optimize client outcomes.
• Dedicate time to understanding market dynamics, sharing insights to inform strategic planning and client engagements.
• Demonstrate advanced decision-making, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and proactive problem-solving. Promote a positive, innovative, and high-performance culture.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Media strategy

AI adoption

Team leadership

Budgeting & forecasting

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher in marketing, business, or communications

Job description

The Associate Account Director (Media Lead) is a strategic leader responsible for optimising the overall health, performance, and revenue growth of a client portfolio, rather than managing day-to-day operational account delivery. Operating with an aerial view across multiple client relationships, the individual identifies macro trends, recurring client needs, commercial opportunities, and systemic risks that isolated account teams cannot see. The role involves high-level stakeholder management, cross-functional collaboration, AI adoption/usage and leading organisational best practices to drive growth, client satisfaction and team effectiveness.

Internally and externally, the individual is a critical orchestrator and feedback mechanism. Externally, this role owns the executive partnership strategy, maintaining long term business alignment through high-level "Top-to-Top" meetings with senior client stakeholders; internally, they collaborate with Capability Leads, Senior Leadership, and major Technology platform partners to translate portfolio insights into scalable, coordinated action plans. Success in this role is measured not by operational output, but by the quality of organisational decisions they enable, resulting in healthier portfolios, stronger cross-capability collaboration, and high-performing client teams capable of operating independently.

Role Responsibilities

• Oversee large, complex client accounts’ strategic planning, growth initiatives, and delivery. Cultivate strong senior stakeholder relationships and act as a trusted advisor to grow existing clients.
• Lead in formulating and executing the AUNZ media strategy, ensuring alignment across teams and influencing strategic direction for key accounts and internal initiatives.
• Build a cohesive, inclusive, and motivated team environment. Lead internal initiatives, promote knowledge sharing, and develop team capabilities through training and mentorship.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, profitability analysis, and operational efficiencies to ensure sustainable growth and resource utilization.
• Lead on AI adoption and manage resourcing, delivery, and financial management at the organisational or client level. Implement standard processes, lead retrospectives, and optimize workflows.
• Maintain in-depth awareness of media products, industry trends, and competitive landscape. Support development of collateral and thought leadership materials.
• Foster strong relationships across departments such as sales, strategy, and operations. Lead initiatives to align efforts and optimize client outcomes.
• Dedicate time to understanding market dynamics, sharing insights to inform strategic planning and client engagements.
• Demonstrate advanced decision-making, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and proactive problem-solving. Promote a positive, innovative, and high-performance culture.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in marketing, business, communications, or related fields.
• 6+ years in roles within media, marketing, or advertising organizations, with robust experience managing client portfolios, teams, and strategic initiatives.
• Proven success in developing and executing integrated media strategies, leading organizational change, and inspiring cross-functional teams.
• Strong ability to build and maintain C-level relationships, influence decision-makers, and manage complex stakeholder landscapes.
• Extensive experience in resource planning, project delivery, profitability analysis, and process standardization.
• Deep knowledge of media landscape, emerging channels, digital platforms, and industry innovations.
• Skilled in team management, coaching, mentoring, and creating a high-performance culture that attracts and retains talent.
• Excellent at delivering strategic presentations, thought leadership, and stakeholder communications.

About Monks

Monks is the global, digital-first, data-driven, unitary operating brand of S4Capital plc, where our culture centers on how we show up for the work and for one another. That begins with the commitment to strive for mastery—taking deep pride in our craft and creating work that sets the bar. In everyday execution, we drive momentum by choosing bold action rather than waiting for certainty. Above all, our teams are stronger together, bringing diverse perspectives into a unified team that communicates with clarity, trust, and mutual respect.
This commitment to craft and innovation translates directly into widespread industry acclaim: Monks was named a Contender in The Forrester Wave™: Global Marketing Services and a leader in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Global Digital Marketing Agencies. It ranks among Cannes Lions' Top 10 Creative Companies (2022-25) and remains the only partner featured in AdExchanger’s Programmatic Power Players list every year (2020-24). Named Adweek’s first AI Agency of the Year (2023) and The One Show’s inaugural AI Pioneer Organization (2025), Monks was also awarded Business Intelligence Group’s 2026 Excellence in Artificial Intelligence Award in the Human-Machine Interaction Team category. Additionally, Monks.Flow earned AI-based Marketing Solution of the Year at the 2026 AI Breakthrough Awards and a 2026 Global Generative AI Award in the Agentic Marketing Innovation category. Finally, Monks achieved a record-breaking number of FWAs and continues to hold the most of any partner.

We are an equal‑opportunity employer committed to building a respectful and empowering work environment for all people to freely express themselves amongst colleagues who embrace diversity in all respects. Including fresh voices and unique points of view in all aspects of our business not only creates an environment where we can all grow and thrive but also increases our potential to produce work that better represents—and resonates with—the world around us.

Monks does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits.