Senior Account Director

The Delta Group; Bradford; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Delta Group in Bradford is seeking a Senior Account Director to lead a major grocery retail client within our print and marketing services business. You will own the client relationship, shape strategic delivery and drive growth across the account, working with production, planning, procurement and finance teams to optimise value.

The role requires senior leadership, large-scale programme delivery and a proven track record in retail communications, with excellent negotiation, governance and

Qualifications

• Established senior account professional with a strong track record managing major clients in print/marketing services.
• Commercially astute with strong client governance, pricing and forecasting.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and complex campaigns.

Responsibilities

• Own the senior client relationship with marketing, procurement, operations and supply chain stakeholders.
• Lead commercial discussions, tenders, pricing reviews and negotiations.
• Provide senior oversight of high-volume, time-critical print programmes and delivery to budget.
• Develop and implement an ADP and growth plan, identifying opportunities to expand services.
• Lead and develop the account team, fostering collaboration across the wider business.

Skills

Account leadership

Retail client experience

Print production knowledge

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder management

Job description

About The Delta Group

The Delta Group is a leading marketing services company helping brands connect with consumers in-store, outdoor, and online. With expertise in creative design, display production, and advanced technology, we streamline complex campaigns for consistency and responsiveness. Our end-to-end services enable brands to swiftly adapt to market changes, delivering impactful visual communications and effective strategies.

We’re owner-managed and independent, meaning that we have the agility of a small business but the resources of a large one. Our belief is that in a changing industry, we must be a company that can change with it.

We operate across 4 sites in the UK, providing in-house creative design, POS print, signage, warehousing and installation services, underpinned by our proprietary technology platform.

Our Client Services team are experienced and knowledgeable people, who aspire to make a difference every day. We value the long-term partnerships we have with our clients and work collaboratively to lead effective change and empower our clients’ strategic goals.

For more information about the Delta Group, please visit: https://thedeltagroup.com/

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced and commercially driven Senior Account Director to lead a major grocery retail client account within our print and marketing services business.

This is a senior client leadership role, responsible for developing a strong, strategic relationship with the client while ensuring the successful delivery of a complex, high-volume and time-critical print programme.

The successful candidate will be equally comfortable discussing long-term strategy with senior client stakeholders, commercial terms with procurement and detailed delivery requirements with production teams.

You will take ownership of the overall health, growth and development of the account, working closely with internal production, planning, procurement, finance, creative and operational teams to deliver excellent service, commercial value and continuous improvement.

This is an opportunity for an experienced account leader to become a trusted partner to a major retail organisation and play a key role in shaping how print and customer communications are delivered.

Key Responsibilities

Client Relationship

• Own the senior relationship with the client, developing trusted relationships across marketing, procurement, operations, trading, brand and supply-chain stakeholders.
• Act as the senior escalation point for significant commercial, operational and service issues.
• Lead regular client meetings, account reviews and strategic business reviews.
• Develop a detailed understanding of the client's business, objectives, promotional calendar and customer communication requirements.
• Ensure the client receives a consistently high level of service and proactive account management.
• Anticipate client needs and identify opportunities to add value rather than simply responding to briefs.

Commercial & Account Growth

• Take ownership of account revenue, profitability, forecasting and commercial performance.
• Develop and execute an Account Development Plan (ADP) focused on retention, growth and increased share of client spend.
• Identify opportunities to expand the relationship into new products, services and areas of the client's business.
• Lead commercial discussions, pricing reviews, tenders and negotiations as required.
• Work closely with procurement and finance teams to identify cost efficiencies while protecting quality and service.
• Develop compelling commercial proposals and business cases for new opportunities.
• Maintain a strong understanding of market conditions, production costs and the commercial drivers of the account.

Print & Operational Delivery

• Provide senior oversight of high-volume and time-critical print programmes.
• Work closely with production, planning and logistics teams to ensure campaigns are delivered on time, to specification and within agreed budgets.
• Ensure complex projects have clear ownership, timelines, contingency plans and escalation routes.
• Challenge existing processes and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, quality and cost.
• Support the resolution of production, quality, logistics and supply issues.
• Ensure client brand standards, specifications and service requirements are consistently understood and delivered.
• Ensure that relevant aspects of the Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) are discussed and reviewed with the client and delivered in a timely manner

Strategic Development

• Develop a strong understanding of the client's wider business and retail strategy.
• Identify emerging trends and opportunities across print, production, personalisation, automation and customer communications.
• Introduce innovative solutions that improve customer impact, operational efficiency or value.
• Work collaboratively with internal specialists to develop new propositions and solutions.
• Identify opportunities to simplify the client's supply chain and improve the overall customer experience.

Leadership

• Lead and develop the wider account team, creating clear priorities, responsibilities and standards.
• Coach and support Account Directors, Senior & Account Managers where appropriate.
• Management of the personal development of all team members, through appraisals, one-to-one meetings, mentoring and coaching. Ensure a succession plan is agreed with the HR Director, identifying and addressing any training requirements, where needed
• Build strong relationships across the wider business, ensuring the account operates as one integrated team.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

We are looking for an established senior account professional with a strong track record of managing significant clients within print, marketing services, production, retail communications or a related environment.

You will be commercially astute, highly organised and confident operating in a complex, fast-moving retail environment.

You will ideally have:

• Significant experience at Account Director or Senior Account Director level.
• Experience managing a major retail, grocery, FMCG or similarly complex client account.
• Strong knowledge of print production, materials, processes and supply chains.
• Experience managing substantial revenue and/or high-volume print programmes.
• A proven track record of building senior client relationships.
• Strong commercial and financial understanding, including pricing, margin, forecasting and profitability.
• Experience working with procurement and managing commercial negotiations.
• A strong understanding of SLAs, KPIs and client governance.
• Experience leading complex projects involving multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrable experience of growing and developing existing client accounts.
• Excellent communication, presentation and negotiation skills.
• The ability to remain calm, decisive and solutions-focused when operating under pressure.