Account Executive

Jacknife Inc.; Toronto; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Jacknife is a Canadian branding and design agency seeking an Account Executive to join our growing team. You will act as a hands-on client partner, supporting strategy, shaping creative development, managing execution, and tracking results across multiple accounts.

Report to the Client Service Director and collaborate with planners, designers, and external partners to deliver sharp, culturally aware ideas. You’ll build strong client trust, translate needs into internal direction, and maintain

Qualifications

• 3–4 years of experience in an account management or project management role within a creative, branding, or marketing agency.
• Confident in client-facing settings, with strong communication and presentation skills.
• Knowledge of integrated channels including print, digital, social, environmental broadcast, experiential, and AI; branding and campaign work experience.
• Strategic mindset with practical problem-solving and a growth-oriented attitude.
• High emotional intelligence with ability to move projects forward and keep teams aligned.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day management of client relationships and project execution across multiple accounts.
• Translate client needs into clear internal direction and creative briefs.
• Build trust with clients and act as a key contact for project updates and approvals.
• Develop tactical briefs and contribute to strategic briefs for clarity of goals.
• Draft and manage project documents, scopes, estimates, and timelines.
• Own scopes end-to-end; escalate risks or changes to Senior Department Leads as needed.
• Monitor budgets and costs; report on financials and reconciliation.
• Coordinate with internal teams and external partners to ensure on-time delivery.
• Lead status meetings and support senior leaders with company scorecard preparation.
• Foster a positive studio culture with curiosity, accountability, and energy.
• Support close-out with learnings, post-mortems, and documentation.

Skills

Client relationship management

Planning and organization

Communication and presentation

Strategic thinking

Team collaboration

Detail-oriented

Proactive problem-solving

Tools

Keynote

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

HubSpot

FunctionPoint

Job description

Jacknife is an independently owned, proudly Canadian Branding & Design agency with boutique appeal and global reach. We are the Makers of the unMade™– a diverse team of creative problem solvers built to meet the challenges of modern business.

By using this simple formula, Good Work + Good People, we are able to deliver our company’s successful mission of building business value through the power of creativity.

Our team of talented individuals is truly interdisciplinary—consisting of strategists, designers, project managers, and creators from many creative fields, each bringing refreshingly unique perspectives to every project—because diversity makes life more interesting. And with interesting work comes interesting people with interesting problems to solve. What we’re not that interested in is the middle ground. Because innovation rarely comes from there, interestingly enough.

Together, we’re committed to creating innovative, dynamic, and progressive creative solutions that make organizations successful.

Creativity is not something we do for a living; it’s something we live doing.

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JOB DESCRIPTION

Jacknife needs you – a savvy Account Executive to join our growing team.

An Account Executive at Jacknife is a hands-on client partner in training; responsible for execution, translation, and momentum. This role is designed as a growth position, supporting the development of strong account management fundamentals with a clear path toward increased responsibility over time. You think strategically, move proactively, and aren’t afraid to roll up your sleeves. As an Account Executive, you’ll report to the Client Service Director and help lead the charge across multiple accounts - supporting strategy, shaping creative development, managing execution, and keeping an eye on results.

You’ll work shoulder-to-shoulder with planners, designers, and external partners to help bring sharp, culturally aware ideas to life. You’ll build trust with clients and act as a key point of contact. You’re curious, collaborative, and always looking for opportunities to add value.

At Jacknife, design is in our DNA—but we lead with insight, storytelling, and experience. You’ll bring both IQ and EQ to the table to make sure our work not only looks good, but works hard.

The right fit is important to us. You have that down-to-earth type of personality that gels with our creative team and connects with clients. We are fun to work with, and so are you. You’re confident, organized and an excellent communicator.

At Jacknife, we proudly uphold a commitment to equality and fairness. We stand firmly against any form of discrimination, respecting the rights and dignity of every individual, regardless of age, colour, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation – in compliance with all relevant federal, provincial, and local laws. Our dedication extends to fostering an inclusive and accessible work environment for all. Should you be invited for an interview and need accommodations, please don’t hesitate to inform us. Your comfort is important to us.

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ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the day-to-day management of client relationships and project execution across multiple small to mid-sized accounts. For larger, more complex projects or accounts, support work top-to-tail under the guidance of senior team members while maintaining accountability for assigned deliverables.
• Act as connective tissue between clients and internal teams, translating client needs into clear internal direction, and creative thinking back into confident, client-ready communication.
• Build trust with clients by demonstrating a strong understanding of their brand, category, and priorities, offering reliable support and identifying opportunities for incremental growth.
• Lead the development of clear tactical briefs and contribute to strategic creative briefs that align internal teams and clarify project goals.
• Draft and manage approvals for project documentation, including scopes of work, estimates, and timelines, ensuring accuracy and alignment with client expectations.
• Own assigned scopes of work end-to-end, exercising sound judgment around when to elevate risks, scope changes, or client concerns to Senior Department Leads.
• Monitor project budgets and track costs throughout the project lifecycle, flagging risks and supporting budget reconciliation and reporting.
• Create and maintain project workback schedules in collaboration with internal teams and external partners to ensure on-time delivery.
• Coordinate client feedback and approvals at all phases of the project to maintain momentum and alignment.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with strategy, creative, production, and external partners to keep work moving smoothly and teams aligned.
• Lead regular status meetings and participate actively in larger, strategically focused client sessions, helping prepare materials, coordinating internal teams, and ensuring Jacknife shows up well and ready for productive dialogue.
• Contribute to project close-out processes, including reporting, learnings, and post-mortems.
• Accountable for leading weekly work-in-progress (WIP) meetings and ensuring accurate documentation to support accounting reporting, while supporting the Managing Director with weekly company scorecard preparation.
• Accountable for driving the weekly Jacknife status alongside the Account Team, Managing Director and Creative Director to maintain alignment across work, resourcing, and priorities.
• Help foster a positive studio culture by bringing curiosity, accountability, and energy to the work and the team.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 3–4 years of experience in an account management or project management role within a creative, branding, or marketing agency. Client-side experience in brand, marketing, or partnerships is a bonus.
• Confident in client-facing settings, with strong communication and presentation skills. You know how to listen, guide conversations, and make people feel heard and aligned.
• A solid working knowledge of integrated channels and platforms including: print, digital, social, environmental broadcast, experiential, and AI, with hands-on experience managing branding, design, and campaign work.
• A strategic mindset paired with practical problem-solving skills. You bring a point of view rooted in strategy, while leaving room for creative exploration.
• High emotional intelligence and a natural ability to read the room, build trust, and keep projects and conversations moving forward.
• Exceptionally organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to juggle multiple projects, priorities, and personalities without losing momentum.
• A self-starter who takes initiative, finds clarity in complexity, and owns your role from briefing through delivery.
• You do what you say you’re going to do and you care about doing it well.
• Comfortable with the tools of the trade, including Keynote, Microsoft Office, and Google Workspace. Bonus points if you’ve worked with HubSpot or FunctionPoint.
• Genuinely curious about design, branding, culture, and the creative business, and motivated to grow your career in the field.
• You show up with good energy, a team-first mindset, and a desire to make the studio a better place to do great work.