Client Director

DENTSU; City Of London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A global marketing agency is seeking an experienced Client Director to oversee the day-to-day management of a key UEFA partner. In this role, you will provide strategic expertise, manage resources effectively, and nurture client relationships. The ideal candidate has at least 6 years of experience in the sport and entertainment industry and a proven ability to lead projects and teams, ensuring excellence in execution.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 6 years’ experience in sport and entertainment.
• Experience in marketing on agency side, client side, or with rights holders.
• Attention to detail and ability to manage activation programmes.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day management of a key UEFA partner.
• Oversee the client team, ensuring project delivery meets expectations.
• Act as a mentor and coach to team members.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Client relationship management

Project management

Team leadership

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Client Director to lead the client consultancy, and activation plans across men’s & women’s UEFA properties. Working with a leading global brand, this role will oversee the day‑to‑day management of a key UEFA partner, as well as providing strategic expertise and high‑profile client consultancy across the team.

Job Description

About Dentsu

Dentsu is an integrated growth and transformation partner to the world’s leading organizations. Founded in 1901 in Tokyo, Japan, and now present in over 145 countries and regions, it has a proven track record of nurturing and developing innovations, combining the talents of its global network of leadership brands to develop impactful and integrated growth solutions for clients. Dentsu delivers end‑to‑end experience transformation (EX) by integrating its services across Media, CXM and Creative, while its business transformation (BX) mindset pushes the boundaries of transformation and sustainable growth for brands, people and society.

MKTG Sports & Entertainment

MKTG Sports & Entertainment is an important part of our world‑class offering. MKTG Sports & Entertainment is a global integrated agency that harnesses the power of sports and entertainment to impact human behaviour through meaningful marketing solutions and experiences. Our key differentiator is “knowing people better than anyone else” and using deep consumer insights to establish powerful connections between sports properties and brands.

Across strategy, measurement, content, hospitality and events, we connect the sports and entertainment industry and companies around the work to deliver meaningful marketing solutions and experiences that are truly differentiated. The experiences that we create engage customers, build memorable brands and deliver value.

We are part of Dentsu Sports International, a newly formed global sports network comprised of MKTG Sports + Entertainment, dentsu Sports Analytics and dentsu Sports.

The role

Work with a leading global brand to oversee the day‑to‑day management of a key UEFA partner, providing strategic expertise and high‑profile client consultancy. Provide strategic recommendations and manage all resources to ensure the client’s needs are met. Support the Business Directors in delivery on accounts, managing the capabilities and team to ensure on‑time delivery and excellence in execution. Serve as a trusted advisor to the client and play a key role in developing your team.

Client Servicing / Account Management

• Lead and direct the client relationship
• Understand your client’s business and the wider industry competitor set
• Know what makes your clients tick, how to make them stand out and support them in achieving marketing goals
• Lead by example on client service excellence
• Have full ownership and accountability for client/account fees and activation budgets
• Understand and be able to report on the commercials of your client responsibilities

Project Management

• Oversee and direct the client team to effectively and efficiently manage retained client work and project work
• Hold overall responsibility for ensuring the project delivers above client expectations
• Be accountable for the client team setting timelines, expectations, and meeting deadlines
• Manage resources across the client team and escalating any pinch points, resource requirements or solutions to BD’s
• Have oversight and be accountable for money in and out of client fee jobs and activation jobs, accurately budgeting, reconciling and reporting revenue to BD’s

Business Growth

• Play an important role in client development and new logo growth by directing new client and business briefs / projects
• Work closely with BD’s on overseeing New Business opportunities and allocating resource where available
• Have an understanding of scope of work planning – outlining deliverables, fees and timelines

People Management

• Act as a mentor and coach to your direct reports to help them develop in their role and career, promoting an inclusive environment where everyone’s voice can be heard
• Provide regular on the go feedback and regular structured 121’s which focuses on performance
• Discuss and agree clear performance objectives and L&D opportunities, which supports both the business and your direct reports personal ambitions, identifying areas of strengths and weaknesses

What you bring

• A best‑in‑class operator in sport and entertainment, with a minimum of 6 years’ experience within the industry
• Experience working with UEFA is preferred, but not essential
• Experience in marketing either agency side, client side or with a rights holder working on sport sponsorships and activation programmes
• Technical knowledge of sponsorships and partnership marketing, as well as attention to detail and drive to manage and develop existing activation programmes
• Possesses the strategic thinking needed to develop campaigns, activations and integrated marketing solutions
• Thrives in managing projects and enjoys working on sports/events and likes to be part of a close‑knit team
• A strategic and logical thinker who can provide council to our clients and suppliers in delivering best‑in‑class solutions and client service excellence
• Acumen to look at business performance for our clients and how this can be measured to make sponsorship assets more accountable