Account Director - Experiential

POPLIFE; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

POPLIFE is seeking an Experiential Account Director to lead and grow a top spirits business, strategizing and executing experiential consumer and trade programs. You will manage senior client relationships, act as a thought leader, and drive profitability while mentoring a team and coordinating cross-functional groups.

The role requires a deep understanding of experiential marketing, Gen Z trends, and the spirits landscape, with travel on-site for events and a passion for culture, music,

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in experiential marketing and leading cross-functional teams.
• Experience creating brand experience platforms and selling in concepts.
• Proven track record of client leadership and growth in accounts.
• Experience in an agency environment; must be process-oriented and organized.
• Excellent people manager, mentor, and ability to recruit top talent.
• Experience managing large, complex program budgets.
• Bev/Alcohol experience required.
• Experience managing direct reports and cross-functional teams.
• Excellent written and persuasive presentation skills.
• Ability to multitask with attention to detail and meet deadlines.
• Willingness to travel and be on-site for events.
• Passion for culture—music, fashion, art, lifestyle.

Responsibilities

• Account Leadership: be the main contact with senior client partners and identify growth opportunities.
• Agency Leadership: collaborate with Strategy, Creative, Production teams from concept to execution.
• Executional Excellence: oversee all program execution including large-scale events, mobile tours, cocktail programming, and on-/off-premise events.
• Financial Discipline: manage program budgets, track expenses, and invoices.
• Team Mentorship: mentor direct reports and support career development.
• Communication: establish cadence with clients; lead weekly status calls.
• Reporting & Analysis: report KPIs, learnings, and program optimization to clients.

Skills

Experiential marketing

Brand experiences

Client leadership

Agency experience

People management

Budget management

Beverages/alcohol industry

Presentation skills

Problem solving

Travel / onsite events

Culture & lifestyle

Job description

OVERVIEW

POPLIFE is hiring an Experiential Account Director to lead and grow one of the most exciting Spirits businesses in the category. In this role, you will help strategize, develop, plan, and execute a variety of experiential consumer and trade programming. Account Director will be responsible for strategic, senior-level client relationships, acting as a thought leader and problem solver. They should be a cultural insider, with lifestyle and/or spirits related agency experience, and a solid understanding of the current experiential, Gen Z and spirits marketing landscape, in addition to emerging trends in music, fashion, sports and hospitality. The Account Director should be an effective leader with excellent communication and relationship building skills, who can manage multiple direct reports, clients and programs. Your goal will be to ensure high-quality service to our clients and that your assigned businesses run effectively and profitably.

GENERAL ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Account Leadership: Act as Agency main point of contact with senior client partners, have a growth mindset, always identifying new opportunities and solutions that will drive our client’s business
• Agency Leadership: Lead collaboration with cross functional agency teams, Strategy, Creative, Production, from program development to execution
• Executional Excellence: Oversee all aspects of program execution including Large-Scale Consumer and Trade Events, Mobile Tours, Cocktail Programming, On & Off- Premise events, etc. Assist with event logistics, including site visits, run of show, schedules, staffing plans, content etc.
• Financial Discipline: Oversee and track all revenue and gross profit associated with your accounts. Develop program budgets, track expenses and manage invoices for all assigned programs
• Team Mentorship: manage and mentor direct reports at various levels, support their career development
• Communication: Develop communication cadence with clients to ensure program deliverables and satisfaction. Lead Weekly status calls - internal and IAT
• Reporting & Analysis: report on program KPIs, key learnings, program optimization and provide strategic insight on clients’ programs

QUALIFICATIONS

• 8+ years of experience in experiential marketing, understanding how to bring brand strategy to life through impactful experiences working with internal account, creative and production teams
• Experience developing Brand experience platforms, writing, presenting and selling in concepts
• Proven track record of client leadership and account growth
• Experience in an agency environment; must be process-oriented and highly organized
• Excellent people manager, motivator and mentor with ability to recruit and retain high functioning employees
• Experience managing, tracking and reconciling large-scale, complex program budgets
• Must have Bev/Alch experience
• Must have experience managing direct reports and cross functional teams
• Excellent written and persuasive presentation skills
• Ability to mulit-task with attention to detail, follow through and consistently meet deadlines
• Demonstrate Problem solving skills
• Willingness to travel and be on-site for events
• Passion for culture - music, fashion, art, lifestyle