Associate Account Director

VML; Detroit (MI); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

VML in Detroit is seeking an Associate Account Director, Web, to lead Ford.com workstreams and serve as the day-to-day client partner and agency lead for vehicle launches, campaigns, and site optimization.

You will coordinate with delivery, creative, UX, data, and technology teams to ensure successful campaigns and personalized experiences across Ford.com, including complex configurators and large-scale site updates. Hybrid work model offered with strong client-facing responsibilities.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in account management or client-facing delivery.
• Experience on a Tier 1 automotive account, vehicle launch program, or large automotive website is highly preferred.
• Strong understanding of web production lifecycles, CMS, DAM, UX/UI, QA, accessibility, and agile delivery.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the client partner and agency operational lead for Ford.com workstreams, aligning client priorities and production requirements across partners.
• Own and deliver Ford Vehicle Model Year Changeovers (MYCOs) and updates across multiple Ford vehicles.
• Own and deliver Ford.com launches for brand campaigns, sales events, and high-impact digital experiences, coordinating approvals and timelines.
• Create personalized digital experiences by defining audience needs and measurable engagement goals.
• Execute A/B tests and translate results into optimization recommendations.

Skills

Account management

Client partnership

Digital advertising

Leadership

Tools

CMS

DAM

UX/UI

Job description

Who We Are VML, part of WPP, is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave™ Reports, as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement & Optimization. In addition, VML’s specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world’s largest and most awarded health agencies. VML’s global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.

Who We Are VML, part of WPP, is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave™ Reports, as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement & Optimization. In addition, VML’s specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world’s largest and most awarded health agencies. VML’s global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.

About WPP WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.

VML is in search of an Associate Account Director, Web to lead client partnership and agency operations across critical Ford.com workstreams.

In this role, you will serve as a day-to-day client partner and agency lead for Ford.com workstreams, driving web experiences that support vehicle launches, model year changeovers, brand campaigns, sales events, personalization, testing, and ongoing site optimization.

What You’ll Do

• Serve as the client partner and agency operational lead for critical Ford.com workstreams, aligning client priorities, internal responsibilities, timelines, risks, delivery expectations, campaign timing, brand standards, and production requirements across integrated agency partners.
• Own and deliver Ford Vehicle Model Year Changeovers (MYCOs), partnering with delivery, creative, content, UX, data, and technology teams to manage the annual migration of vehicle content, asset development, and build-and-price configurator updates across multiple Ford vehicles.
• Own and deliver Ford.com launches for brand campaigns, sales events, vehicle reveals, and high-impact digital experiences, coordinating client approvals, stakeholder inputs, content readiness, development timelines, launch requirements, and post-launch follow-up.
• Create personalized digital experiences by partnering with strategy, UX, creative, data, content, and development teams to define audience needs, tailor site content, deliver relevant user journeys across Ford.com, and connect personalization efforts to measurable engagement and conversion goals.
• Execute A/B tests by coordinating test strategy, audience segmentation, creative and content variations, implementation requirements, performance tracking, and results analysis, then translate findings into optimization recommendations.

Who You Are

• Direct experience with Model Year Changeovers (MYCOs), complex digital retail configurators, large-scale site updates, or vehicle launch programs is a significant plus.
• Leadership style: A calm, structured, and solutions-oriented leader who thrives under pressure, manages tight deadlines and moving targets, and helps teams stay aligned through ambiguity.
• Comfortable working in integrated agency relationships, including collaborating across account, strategy, creative, UX, content, data, technology, media, client teams, and other client agency partners to keep workstreams aligned.
• Able to manage multiple projects at once, prioritize high-value tasks, identify tradeoffs, escape risks early, and keep teams focused on the work that matters most.
• Familiarity with interactive campaign planning and macro strategy development, including how digital experiences support broader brand, launch, and sales event objectives.
• General understanding of AI and how it can support daily duties, improve team workflows, strengthen operational efficiency, and enhance campaign or program delivery.
• Deliver clear, concise, and accurate messages verbally and in writing, tailoring communication for clients, internal teams, and cross-functional partners.

What You’ll Need

• 7+ years of experience in account management, client partnership, or client-facing delivery at a digital advertising, marketing, or digital product agency.
• Industry focus: Proven experience working on a Tier 1 automotive account, vehicle launch program, digital retail experience, or large automotive website is highly preferred.
• Digital expertise: Deep understanding of web production lifecycles, content management systems (CMS), digital asset management (DAM), UX/UI principles, quality assurance, accessibility considerations, and agile delivery methodologies.
• Data-driven mindset: Experience partnering with analytics teams to interpret web performance metrics in Adobe Analytics, evaluate conversion rate optimization (CRO) opportunities, and translate A/B testing results into actionable recommendations.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including the ability to align senior clients, agency partners, and internal teams around scope, timelines, dependencies, risks, and decision points.

The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. $75,000—$180,000 USD

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.

VML is a WPP agency (NYSE: WPP). For more information, please visit www.vml.com, and follow along on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.