Account Director

Oliver; Durban; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

OLIVER, part of the Brandtech Group, Durban-based Account Director role overseeing the account management team to ensure delivery of high-quality work. You will manage governance, budgets, and profitability while mentoring mid-level managers and collaborating with the operations team for smooth daily activity and continuous improvement.

You will lead key projects, define robust plans, monitor progress, and ensure client expectations are met or exceeded in a fast-paced marketing environment.

Qualifications

• 6+ years account management experience within marketing & advertising.
• Experience leading and mentoring project managers and teams.
• Strong ability to manage budgets and project profitability.
• Excellent client relationship management and stakeholder communication.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools.

Responsibilities

• Take overall responsibility for the Account Management team's project governance and best practices.
• Lead high-value projects with robust plans and budgets; coordinate delivery with team members.
• Review processes to improve efficiency, timing, and costs.
• Monitor project progress and act as escalation point to remove obstacles.
• Ensure profitability and delivery on time, on brief, within budget.

Skills

Team leadership

Project governance

Budget management

Client management

MS Office

Communication

Mentoring

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Established in 2004, OLIVER is the world’s first and only specialist in designing, building, and running bespoke in-house agencies and marketing ecosystems for brands. We partner with over 300 clients in 40+ countries and counting. Our unique model drives creativity and efficiency, allowing us to deliver tailored solutions that resonate deeply with audiences.

As a part of The Brandtech Group, we're at the forefront of leveraging cutting-edge AI technology to revolutionise how we create and deliver work. Our AI solutions enhance efficiency, spark creativity, and drive insightful decision-making, empowering our teams to produce innovative and impactful results.

Role: Account Director

Location: Durban, South Africa (hybrid, 3 days a week in studio)

About the role:

Working in partnership with our client, the Account Director will be leading and inspiring the account management team to ensure delivery to a high standard and to agreed scope, budget and timeframe, meeting (or exceeding) customer expectations. As an Account Director, you will be responsible for project governance across the team, as well as monitoring and tracking performance and profitability.

This role will include line management and so you will help to mentor individuals, so they are able to learn and flourish as individuals. As an Account Director, you will report into the Head of Delivery and work with the Operations team to ensure smooth day-to-day activities, and continuous improvements across the department and account.

What you will be doing:

• Take overall responsibility for the Account Management team’s project governance, defining and upholding best practice, while driving continuous project management excellence.
• Lead high-value, key projects, creating robust plans and budgets, working with other project team members to execute delivery.
• Proactively review processes and recommend changes which are likely to deliver efficiencies to timings and costs.
• Monitoring all project progress, to be a point of escalation for the Account Management team and remove obstacles before they impact any deliveries.
• Effectively monitor profitability across the department, identifying risks and implementing mitigation strategies to ensure projects are delivered on brief, on time and within budget.

What you need to be great in this role:

• The ability to lead the account management team to deliver high-quality work that is on time and within budget.
• The ability to parachute into situations, troubleshooting and coordinating resolutions to issues related to the delivery of projects.
• Understanding of the importance of prioritising work/shifting priorities as required to meet ever-changing client requirements and deadlines.
• Experienced and confident in creating and maintaining project documentation and processes.
• Be proud of your work, often taking on the final quality assurance to ensure delivery to the highest quality
• Have 6+ years account management experience within marketing & advertising.
• Be comfortable with mentoring project managers and managing resources.
• Have a good level of skill Microsoft Office.
• Proactively manage the team and your workload while being self-sufficient.
• Have a strong analytic mindset, and be solutions orientated.
• Contribute towards growing the client relationship through a high standard of quality work, working alongside the Client Service team, collaboratively.
• Confidently communicate and are comfortable presenting to senior clients or internal stakeholders.
• Ensure that all documents, guidelines and templates are accurate, useful and in use by the wider team.
• React quick ly in a fast-changing environment and have the mindset to adapt quickly to changes.
• Have a strong commercial understanding and be adept in the client's financial reporting systems.

Our values shape everything we do:

BeAmbitiousto succeed

BeImaginativeto push the boundaries of what’s possible

BeInspirationalto do groundbreaking work

Bealways learningand listening to understand

BeResults-focusedto exceed expectations

Be actively pro-inclusive and anti-racist across our community, clients and creations

Our recruitment process does not employ artificial intelligence for selection. We use AI to support efficiency and consistency, not to replace human judgement.Candidate evaluation and selection are conducted without AI-supported screening or decision-making. We are committed to a fair, thoughtful, and equitable experience for every candidate.

OLIVER,a part of the Brandtech Group, is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive working environment where all employees are encouraged to reach their full potential, and individual differences are valued and respected. All applicants shall be considered for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, neurodivergence, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by local laws.

OLIVER has set ambitious environmental goals around sustainability, with science-based emissions reduction targets. Collectively, we work towards our mission,embedding sustainability into every department and through every stage of the project lifecycle.