Account Manager

Inspired-Thinking-Group-; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Wellbeing Day

Smart Working 40% from home

Work abroad 90 days

Pension scheme

Medical cash plan

Electric car salary sacrifice

Employee of the Month £250

Referral bonuses

Job summary

Inspired Thinking Group is recruiting an Account Manager to coordinate POS and VM campaigns for the M&S Food account. You will work with M&S in-store teams to keep campaigns on budget and on time, supporting the Senior Account Manager and leading ITG delivery across administrative marketing elements.

You will manage briefs, artwork timelines, costings and print specifications, liaising with multiple internal and client teams to ensure seamless campaign delivery across Windows and Events.

Qualifications

• Strong people skills and customer focus.
• Experience working in an agency with advertising campaigns.
• Good knowledge of POS and VM processes.
• Basic print production knowledge and cutter requirements.
• Hands-on and proactive; not desk-bound.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Retail exposure is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Receive briefs from team leads or the client and communicate timelines, templates and costings clearly.
• Link briefs to M&S planning managers and maintain relationships between M&S Marketing and Planning teams.
• Lead pre-production meetings to ensure clear artwork briefs.
• Coordinate with ITG Artwork Production Team with realistic deadlines.
• Brief final artwork to ITG using pre-approved templates and ensure timely delivery.
• Manage production and artwork briefs, print specs and print allocations via Media Centre.
• Ensure printers are engaged on deadlines, workload and timing for PO and artwork.
• Keep M&S cost trackers up to date and report costs to ITG senior staff and marketing.
• Raise Purchase Orders well in advance of file-to-print dates and flag issues early.

Skills

Account management

Agency experience

POS knowledge

VM knowledge

Print production

Project management

Retail experience

Time management

Client liaison

Tools

Media Centre

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to coordinate and facilitate the production and delivery of Point of Sale (POS) & VM for Windows and Events for the M&S Food account. The Account Manager works directly with the M&S Marketing in store team, liaising with key stakeholders and is responsible for the keeping of all campaigns within budget and on time.

The role exists in support of the Senior Account Manager and is integral to the effective running of the marketing function within M&S Food, coordinating the delivery of all administrative elements of marketing campaigns and activity for Windows and Events. Working closely with various M&S teams, the role will involve leading the ITG team to hit key critical path deadlines so that artworks, production briefs and costs are approved by key stakeholders when required, in turn allowing for a seamless campaign delivery to stores.

Key Responsibilities:

• Receiving briefs from the team leads, or directly from the client (M&S Marketing) and clearly communicating timelines, creative templates that will be followed and costings.
• Linking all briefs back to the M&S planning managers and managing the relationships between M&S Marketing and Planning teams to ensure campaigns run smoothly and artwork can be approved in good time.
• Lead pre-production meetings for your business unit per campaign in support of your Senior Account Manager (prior to briefing artwork) to ensure M&S marketing have given a clear finalized artwork brief
• Maintain a great relationship with ITG Artwork Production Team (this team are based in Birmingham at ITG Head Office) and flag urgent or large campaigns in advance, giving them realistic deadlines
• Brief final artwork to ITG Artwork Production team using pre-approved templates, with enough time for them to complete the job well, especially during busy periods. Avoid bottle neck artwork periods by pre-planning and having open discussions with the wider team on when artwork is expected to be briefed.
• You will accurately manage information from the M&S business units, formulating full production and artwork briefs, producing detailed print specifications and maintaining print allocations for POS material via our tech system, Media Centre. Working in support of the Print Contract Manager when/if required.
• Ensure that printers have been engaged each campaign on deadlines, workload and realistic timings on when they will receive Purchase Order and final artwork
• Ensure all M&S cost trackers for POS are kept up to date, and costs are communicated regularly with ITG Senior Account Manager, ITG Senior Account Director and M&S marketing.
• Ensure Purchase Orders are raised in good time in advance of the file to print date and all issues are flagged in advance with the M&S team.

• First and foremost, you should be a people person. You should be able to demonstrate exceptional people skills and be a customer-focused fanatic.
• Previous experience of working in an agency environment with Advertising experience.
• Have a good knowledge of creative processes and a thorough understanding of POS and VM.
• Basic print production knowledge, with the ability to understand cutter requirements.
• Comfortable being hands on and proactive, this isn’t a desk only role. Some days you’ll be between stores, taking measurements, making things happen. Someone to take ownership and bring new ideas forward.
• You won’t be micromanaged here, the ability to manage your own time and deliver quality with speed is essential.
• You hold strong experience with project management and trafficking multiple projects in tandem, which may be at different points in the creative process.
• A background in retail would be an advantage but is not necessary.
• Attention to detail is an absolute key skill to uphold and deliver – you will be managing more than one project at one time so managing your time effectively is crucial.
• Comfortable in interacting with an enthusiastic and committed team – whilst being part of ITG, you will also be part of the wider M&S team working as one.

Work’s a treat!

Perks at ITG — alongside a competitive salary, here's what you can look forward to:

• Time off that works for you — 25 days' holiday + bank holidays, a paid Wellbeing Day, flexible bank holidays to honour cultural or religious observances, and the option to buy or carry over up to 5 extra days.
• Flexibility & lifestyle — Smart Working with up to 40% from home, and after 12 months, the option to work from abroad for up to 90 days a year.
• Family & life milestones — Enhanced family friendly leave, 3 extra days for your wedding/honeymoon, and an Employee Assistance Programme whenever you need support.
• Financial perks — Pension scheme, Corporate Medical Cash Plan, electric car salary sacrifice scheme, and tax-efficient payroll giving to your favourite charities.
• Growth & recognition — Funding for professional qualifications, monthly Employee of the Month awards (£250 bonus), and referral bonuses of up to £1,500.
• Community & wellbeing — Regular Wellbeing Workshops, 30+ Wellbeing Champions, a paid Volunteer Day, and an online perks platform with discounts on top brands, days out, and gym memberships.

We Value Diversity

We champion and welcome diversity in our workforce and ensure all job applicants receive equal and fair treatment, regardless of age, race, gender or gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or nationality.

We are not only committed to increasing the visibility and recognition of talent from under-represented groups within our organisation, but the wider industry too.

At the end of the day, we make sure we take time to look after ourselves, each other, and the planet, because we’re always stronger together.

ITG have a number of community groups available to employees and exist to offer a safe space for like-minded colleagues, with shared interests to connect, socialise and check in with each other.

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