Group Account Director

McBride PLC; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading sports and entertainment marketing consultancy in Central London is seeking a Group Account Director to strategically oversee high-profile client accounts. In this senior role, you'll leverage your expertise to activate partnerships and ensure efficient delivery across various projects. The ideal candidate has strong experience with senior-level clients, is an inspirational team leader, and possesses excellent communication skills. This position offers a flexible working model but requires office attendance at least three days a week.

Benefits

Flexible working model

Qualifications

• Strong experience working with senior-level clients (e.g. Director/CMO/CEO).
• Excellent communicator - calm under pressure, thoughtful and persuasive.
• Commercially astute - confident in managing budgets, scoping and profitability.
• Inspirational team leader - collaborative, empowering and invested in people's growth.
• Skilled presenter and strategic thinker - able to confidently sell in ideas and campaigns.
• Experience negotiating partnership agreements is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead partnership activation planning to deliver on client objectives.
• Formulate strategic, insight-driven solutions.
• Build strong relationships with senior clients and stakeholders.
• Guide and inspire internal teams, overseeing delivery.
• Integrate specialist services into client solutions.
• Manage budgets, client scopes, profitability and P&L.
• Lead presentations, proposals and new business pitches.
• Support negotiations on contracts and partnership terms.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Client relationship management

Commercial acumen

Team leadership

Presentation skills

Job description

McBride Sport Executive Search is proud to be partnering with a dynamic and industry-leading sports and entertainment marketing consultancy to identify a high-calibre Group Account Director to join their senior team. With an impressive track record of delivering impactful campaigns across strategy, insight, planning, creative, rights consultancy, activation, events, PR and measurement, our client has firmly established themselves as one of the most respected agencies in the industry. As Group Account Director, you'll take the strategic lead across a portfolio of high-profile client accounts. You'll serve as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, shaping partnership strategies and ensuring brilliant delivery across all elements of client work. This is a leadership role for someone who brings gravitas, commercial acumen, and a deep understanding of the sport and entertainment partnership landscape. Key responsibilities include:

• Lead partnership activation planning to deliver on client objectives and audience engagement
• Use your rights and sponsorship expertise to craft strategic, insight-driven solutions
• Build strong, trusted relationships with senior clients and stakeholders
• Guide and inspire internal teams, clearly defining responsibilities and overseeing delivery
• Collaborate across divisions to integrate specialist services into client solutions
• Take full commercial responsibility - managing budgets, client scopes, profitability and P&L
• Lead and contribute to high-level presentations, proposals and new business pitches
• Support negotiations on sponsorship contracts and partnership terms

Qualifications

Strong experience working with senior-level clients (e.g. Director/CMO/CEO)

Excellent communicator - calm under pressure, thoughtful and persuasive

Commercially astute - confident in managing budgets, scoping and profitability

Inspirational team leader - collaborative, empowering and invested in people's growth

Skilled presenter and strategic thinker - able to confidently sell in ideas and campaigns

Experience negotiating partnership agreements is a plus

Our client offers a flexible working model - however, this is a senior and collaborative role, and you'll be expected to work from their Central London office at least three days per week.