Account Director

Havas Group; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global advertising agency in Manchester is seeking an Account Director to oversee key accounts in the healthcare sector. The ideal candidate should have extensive healthcare experience and a track record of delivering strategic communications. Responsibilities include managing client relationships, shaping strategies, and leading a creative team. This is a temporary position requiring hybrid working, with office attendance three days a week.

Benefits

Hybrid Working

28 days annual leave + Bank Holidays

Enhanced family leave benefits

Wellbeing programme

Life insurance

Volunteer days

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience at an AD level in a similar role.
• Experience managing large budgets up to 5 million.
• Ideally, AI certifications from platforms such as Coursera or LinkedIn Learning.

Responsibilities

• Build meaningful and trusting relationships with clients.
• Shape strategies and judge creative concepts.
• Manage and support the team effectively.
• Ensure financial health of accounts.

Skills

Healthcare experience

Experience in a creative or med coms agency

Line management experience

Brand and strategy experience

Experience taking creative briefs

Budget management expertise

Pitch experience

Experience with Generative AI tools

Job description

Agency:

Havas Lynx

Job Description

This is a maternity cover - 12 months FTC

Healthcare experience is a must due to the nature of the clients

Are you passionate about creating advertising that not only informs but also transforms lives within the healthcare sector?

At Havas Lynx, a global advertising agency at the forefront of healthcare communications, we combine unmatched creativity, extensive expertise, and a deep understanding of the pharmaceutical and healthcare field. Our communications resonate deeply with audiences and adhere to the highest standards of healthcare advertising.

Committed to driving meaningful change—a change built on a foundation of rich experience, inspired by innovation, and confirmed through our proven track record—we work in close partnership with healthcare professionals, patients, carers, and leading pharmaceutical brands to navigate the complex challenges of today's healthcare landscape. Our approach blends strategic insights and deep scientific acumen with cutting‑edge creativity and digital innovation, crafting campaigns and solutions that significantly improve people's lives.

We’re a team of over 400+ people in Manchester and London, with a history spanning over 35 years and an ever‑evolving future. You can get a feel for the #LYNXLife through our YouTube #LYNXLife playlist, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Everything this company achieves—every life it saves, every penny it makes, every policy it changes, every award it wins—is down to everyone who works here.

Please note that this role is based in Manchester, and our current hybrid working arrangement requires office attendance on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

Summary of our role

The role of Account Director will see you take ownership of your accounts, with a focus on client satisfaction, business development, profitability and staff performance. As an Account Director, you will ensure that your clients receive the highest individual attention and that we deliver projects on time, on budget and on brief. You will lead the consultation on key strategic communication ensuring contextual suitability, exceptional creative work and industry‑first innovation and quality in all campaigns. You will lead and inspire your team in their professional and personal development.

What you’ll be doing:

• You will build meaningful and trusting relationships with your clients ensuring you position Havas Lynx as their strategic partner.
• You will immerse yourself in your client’s business and industry in order to be best placed to deliver quality campaigns and lead your team by example.
• You will be instrumental in shaping the strategy and judging creative concepts in relevance to the original brief.
• You will have a proactive approach to identifying and initiating business opportunities with new and existing clients.
• You will take ownership for the management of your team; leading by example and supporting their individual needs.
• You will manage the wider production team; ensuring your team work cohesively to ensure that work is managed accurately in terms of timescales and budgets.
• You will be responsible for the financial health of your accounts, proactively identifying and resolving any issues and escalating these to the Client Services Director when appropriate.

This role would be a good fit for you if you have:

• Experience at AD level in a similar role in a creative OR med coms agency (7 years)
• Healthcare experience is a must as this is a medical team
• Line management experience for a small team
• Some brand and strategy experience or at least working on more strategic projects
• Experience taking creative briefs for global clients
• Expertise in leading large budgets up to 5 million
• Pitch experience
• Ideally, you have experience working with Generative AI tools and data, along with AI certifications from platforms such as Coursera, Section AI, or LinkedIn Learning

What you can expect from us:

A supportive and challenging environment in which you will have the opportunity to learn, grow, and make an impact that matters. We put a huge investment into #LYNXLife and our #LXAcademy internal programmes. It’s a unique initiative that aims to reward hard work, reduce pressures, and ensure that we can all enjoy our time at Lynx. Our strategy is to build capabilities internally and inspire the best talent, so we can continue to deliver on our mission.

You can also expect a whole host of benefits, including:

• Hybrid Working – 3 days in the office (flexible working options are available for in‑office days)
• Starting holiday allowance of 28 days annual leave + Bank Holidays, with increasing allowance connected to length of service
• Option to buy, carry or sell holidays
• Early Friday finish throughout the year
• Seasonal working hours
• Enhanced family leave, pay and return to work benefit scheme
• Extensive L&D support
• Sabbatical opportunities
• Season ticket interest free loans for travel
• Cycle to work scheme
• Life insurance (4x salary)
• Company pension scheme
• Fully compensated company events
• Volunteer days
• Wellbeing programme including sports clubs, discounted gym memberships, free onsite flu vaccinations, extended lunch breaks on Wellness Wednesdays and much more
• +Medicash healthcare benefit
• 24/7 access to a free, confidential and independent Employee Assistance Programme

Get in touch to find out how we can make an impact that matters together.

Contract Type:

Temporary

Here at Havas across the group we pride ourselves on being committed to offering equal opportunities to all potential employees and have zero tolerance for discrimination. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applicants irrespective of age, sex, race, ethnicity, disability and other factors that have no bearing on an individual’s ability to perform their job.