Senior Account Manager

VML South Africa; Riyadh; Hybrid; SAR 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading advertising agency in Riyadh is seeking a Senior Account Manager to cultivate and expand relationships with key clients. This role requires overseeing advertising campaigns from conception to execution while ensuring strategic alignment and client satisfaction. The ideal candidate has 3-5 years of account management experience in an agency, strong communication skills, and fluency in Arabic and English.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of experience in account management within an advertising agency.
• Proven track record managing and growing a portfolio of advertising clients.
• Ability to lead complex projects on time and on budget.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary strategic contact for client accounts.
• Oversee the lifecycle of advertising campaigns.
• Mentor junior account team members.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Budget management

Bilingual (Arabic and English)

Education

Bachelor's degree in marketing, Advertising, Communications, or related field

Job description

Department: Client & Business Leadership

Last Updated: 8/24/2025

Requisition ID: 11559

Who We Are:

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse.

Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences.Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.

Job Summary:

The Senior Account Manager is a critical leader within our Client Services team, responsible for cultivating and expanding relationships with a portfolio of key advertising clients. This role acts as the central conduit between the client's marketing objectives and our agency's creative and strategic output. The Senior Account Manager is a strategic partner to clients, understanding their brand, business challenges, and competitive landscape, while also being an internal champion for the client's vision. They are adept at guiding complex advertising campaigns from brief to execution, ensuring strategic alignment, creative excellence, and measurable results, ultimately driving client satisfaction, retention, and agency growth.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Client Partnership & Brand Stewardship:

• Serve as the primary strategic point of contact for assigned client accounts, building deep, trusted relationships with marketing directors, brand managers, and C-suite stakeholders.
• Develop a profound understanding of the client's brand, business objectives, target audience, market position, and competitive environment.
• Proactively identify client challenges and opportunities, translating them into actionable agency briefs and strategic recommendations.
• Champion the client's brand and business goals internally, ensuring all agency work aligns with their strategic vision and brand guidelines.
• Lead regular client meetings, including strategic reviews, campaign kick-offs, and performance debriefs, providing insightful analysis and actionable next steps.

2. Campaign Management & Agency Operations:

• Oversee the end-to-end lifecycle of advertising campaigns, from initial brief development and strategic planning to creative execution, media placement (if applicable), and post-campaign analysis.
• Collaborate closely with internal agency teams (Strategy, Creative, Media, Production, Digital, Analytics) to ensure seamless workflow, timely delivery, and high-quality output.
• Effectively translate client feedback into clear, actionable direction for creative and production teams, maintaining strategic integrity.
• Manage project timelines, budgets, and resources for assigned accounts, ensuring profitability and adherence to scope.
• Anticipate potential issues and proactively develop solutions to keep projects on track and client expectations managed.
• Act as the central communication hub between the client and all internal agency departments, ensuring clear, consistent, and timely information flow.
• Provide clear, concise, and inspiring briefs to creative and strategy teams, ensuring they have all necessary information to develop impactful work.
• Present creative concepts and strategic recommendations to clients with confidence and persuasive storytelling.
• Mentor and guide junior account team members, fostering their professional development and understanding of agency processes.
• Stay abreast of advertising industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitive activities to inform client strategies and agency offerings.

Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in marketing, Advertising, Communications, Business, or a related field.
• Experience:
• 3-5 years of progressive experience in account management specifically within an advertising agency.
• Proven track record of successfully managing and growing a portfolio of diverse advertising clients and campaigns (e.g., brand, digital, social, traditional, integrated).
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex projects from brief to launch, on time and on budget.
• Skills:
• Exceptional strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a strong understanding of marketing principles and brand building.
• Outstanding communication, presentation, and negotiation skills, both written and verbal.
• A keen eye for creative excellence and the ability to provide constructive feedback to creative teams.
• Strong financial acumen and experience managing budgets and scopes of work.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic agency environment, managing multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive.
• A collaborative spirit and a passion for building strong relationships with both clients and internal teams.
• Fluency in both Arabic and English (written and spoken) is essential.

#LI-EMEA

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

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When you click "Submit Application", this will send any information you add below to VML. Before you do this, we think it's a good idea to read through our Recruitment Privacy Policy . California residents should read our California Recruitment Privacy Notice . This explains what we do with your personal data when you apply for a role with us, and, how you can update the information you have provided us with or how to remove it.