Associate Director

Sandpiper Villagers; Singapore; On-site; SGD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandpiper seeks an Associate Director in Singapore to shape, direct, and oversee client programmes across APAC. You will lead strategy, new business development, and client counsel, reporting to Market/Divisional Directors.

The role emphasises leadership, relationship building, and delivering insights for high-profile financial services clients. Responsibilities include guiding teams, managing accounts, driving innovative campaigns, and maintaining strong industry networks.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, business or a related field.
• 12 years of relevant communications experience; agency experience is an advantage.
• Financial or professional services experience would be an advantage.
• Strong client servicing and account management skills.
• Excellent writing, presentation and communication skills.
• Creative thinker with entrepreneurial business acumen.

Responsibilities

• Lead client programmes and oversee delivery across APAC.
• Identify new business opportunities and pursue cross-selling with clients.
• Chair meetings, oversee billing and client servicing.
• Oversee strategy development and innovative campaigns.
• Develop relationships with clients and industry networks.
• Mentor junior team members and support training.

Skills

Client servicing

Account management

Writing

Presentation

Interpersonal skills

Entrepreneurial mindset

Creative thinking

Business acumen

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, business or related field

Job description

Sandpiper, one of the fastest growing reputation and policy management consultancies in the world, is seeking a talented and entrepreneurial individual to join our financial services practice in Singapore as an Associate Director. The successful candidate will be based in Singapore but will work for our clients across the Asia Pacific region.

Our team is trusted advisors to industry leaders and market disruptors. We combine strong regional market and industry understanding with global perspectives. Our expertise spans corporate communications, healthcare, financial services, and capital markets communications, professional services, ESG and sustainability, brand PR, media relations, public affairs and public policy, and technology.

Operating with one global P&L, we harness new technologies to deliver advisory backed by rigorous research and deep insights, and to meet the evolving needs of our clients quickly and effectively wherever they are in the world.

Our firm is built around a simple proposition: by hiring the right people to do smart thinking, and equipping them with the right technologies and tools, we deliver results and business benefits for our clients. Our clients are diverse, ranging from the world’s leading asset managers, insurers, and banks to disruptive technology firms that are reshaping the way commerce is carried out.

We partner with some of the world’s leading businesses and brands to develop effective, evidence-based communications strategies and programmes.

Overview

An Associate Director at Sandpiper shapes, directs, and oversees the delivery of client programmes, new business activities, and advises clients on content and the overall strategy of programmes. Typically reporting to a Market or Divisional Director, they are essential senior team members in the consultancy’s organisational structure. Specifically, to this role, the Associate Director will support client work and new business in Singapore and regionally.

At a general level, the responsibilities include the following:

• Have accountability for helping to identify and win new business and identifying cross-selling opportunities with existing clients across the global business and different practice areas.
• Manage, motivate, retain, and develop employees within the market and across the broader business.
• Be a role model for Sandpiper’s values and behaviours, including the company’s one P&L approach.
• Support with identifying and pursuing opportunities to grow existing business.
• Driving new business pitch development and leading presentations.
• Bring in and takes the lead on smaller opportunities and organic projects.
• Strives to deliver intelligence and insights for clients and colleagues.
• Interrogates new business briefs with tenacity to unlock further opportunities.
• Shares new ideas and deliver fresh thinking to briefs.

Client handling and account management

• Responsible for effective and timely delivery of all account actions.
• Oversee all client contact, taking the lead in client meetings, and leading day-to-day client counsel.
• Chair and facilitate meetings.
• Oversee billing and servicing on accounts when appropriate.
• Independently manage projects on larger accounts.
• Encourage the team to think about innovative ways to present ideas and work to clients.
• Foster and maintain peer level interagency relationships.
• Lead relationship building initiatives with clients.
• High level of written and verbal communication.

Marketing and innovation

• Support with contributing new content for digital channels for both clients and Sandpiper.
• Confident in articulating analysis of the overall shape and role of social media and other digital channels.
• Constantly encourages employees to refresh and innovate in terms of client work to reflect the changing digital/social media environment.

Strategy and innovation

• Works with clients and teams to articulate a brief and how to respond.
• Shows confidence in use of research, insights and planning tools available.
• Understands how to find, analyse, and apply insights to inform planning and strategy development.
• Develops proposal drafts and take the lead on strategy for smaller programmes.
• Understands and applies knowledge of emerging trends and technologies.
• Challenges clients and teams to think different and ensuring client programmes remain fresh.

Media and Industry relations

• Identifies opportunities for engagement/campaigning and can help to develop strategy, timings, and tactics.
• Contributes to issues and crisis management.
• Actively fosters knowledge of business, political, industry and media trends and personalities and advises teams and clients how to take advantage.
• Liaises with third parties when additional expertise is required.
• Has a good network and regularly contributes intelligence and insight on corporate, Political or digital/social issues.

People Management

• Manages and guides junior team members and provides on-the-job training.
• Assists with internal training provision and deliver internal training sessions.
• Line manager responsibilities and involved in recruitment.
• Shares insights with the team and encourages others to share their perspectives and experiences.
• Ability to help the team grow.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, business or a related field.
• 12 years of relevant communications experience, agency experience is an advantage
• Financial or professional services experience would be an advantage.
• Strong client servicing and account management skills.
• Excellent writing, presentation and communication skills.
• Good interpersonal and presentation skills
• Creative thinker
• Entrepreneurial with strong business acumen

Sandpiper is a multi-award-winning agency, with a senior team of consultants and advisors with expertise to advise on some of the region’s most high-profile remits.

If you want to work for the agency of the future, looking for a fresh challenge and want to shape the future of the communications industry, the Sandpiper team would like to have a coffee with you.