Account Manager

Job description : As the Account Manager, you will be the secondary account relationship owner responsible for this client account, which includes relationship, financial and reputational management on the account.

You will report directly into the Group Account Director and Account Director on the account.

Key responsibilities & accountabilities:

1. Relationship Management: Owner of the client relationship at a client account and project level with Marketing Manager, Brand Manager and Marketing Assistants. Grow and nurture the relationship between client and agency, becoming a partner who makes a positive impact on our business and theirs. Responsible for maintaining, building and improving good relationships with clients and driving efficient ways of working. Effectively handle all required aspects of client communications at the project level. Manage client queries, expectations and requirements. Have a good understanding of the client team and client's business, products, services. Understand the key stakeholders, customers and new audiences the client wants to engage. Understand key changes, challenges and opportunities within your client's business. Drive a culture of creativity and make an impact within the agency and client teams.
2. Project and Account Management: Actively manage project timelines and resource planning in collaboration with your direct reports. Organise, manage and motivate the internal agency teams, keeping them updated with latest developments and opportunities within the account. Drive inter-departmental workings, alignment and good governance. Scope out small out of scope projects, deliverables and activities in collaboration with your GAD, AD and Project Management lead. Monitor project progress, update project timelines and schedule reviews and presentations. Develop reports including contact reports, status reports, and recon reports. Implement approaches and processes supporting overall company processes, led by Operations Director. Write creative briefs and debriefs with confidence and clarity around activities, deliverables and output to clients.
3. Financial Management: Meet overall profit margins, targets and growth targets assigned to the client account. Grow projects and manage scope creep on projects. Perform WIP adjustments, invoice, create purchase orders, develop credit notes and close jobs on client account on a monthly basis. Track monthly forecasts weekly and report on them once a month. Support the GAD and AD in the development of quarterly forecasting, budgeting and prelims. Price quote scope and hours management, tracking progress on jobs. Drive profitability on accounts, ensuring all out of scope work and scope creep is quoted for separately. Where applicable, supply clients with project or retainer (FEE) reconciliations on a monthly basis to manage costs and oversee your account management team. Manage personal and team timesheets, ensuring accuracy and completion on a daily basis. Attend weekly WIP adjustment meetings with Production accounts.
4. Reputation Management: Brief in the development of case studies and PR material for each big project, driving agency equity and credentials for the agency within each project. Drive award-winning opportunities within the client portfolio and specific projects, delivering award status to your GAD and AD. Drive diversity and inclusion around talent, within the agency and in the client accounts.
5. Career Growth: Learn and apply theories/methodologies within your day-to-day activities. Read, follow and research relevant content to grow your own knowledge. Attend formal agency-provided skills training sessions, taking advantage of the opportunities given to you. Drive your own success and growth by completing training sessions from the library of free sources. Support the GAD in the development of team objectives and career conversations. Participate in the weekly and monthly Impact Awards nominations to drive a reward and recognition culture across departments.

Role Specific Professional and Technical Skills:

1. Strong project management skills.
2. Good writing and delivery skills relating to internal and external communication.
3. Solid presentation skills at a Marketing Manager and Brand Manager level.
4. Ability to manage multiple projects.
5. Solid time management and organizational skills.
6. Good interpersonal skills to drive client, agency and wider Ogilvy network relationships.
7. Good negotiation skills and understanding when to charge clients for additional work.
8. Ability to interpret client feedback and debriefs.
9. Good understanding of local business operations and reporting pertaining to the agency.
10. Good understanding and experience in advertising, strategy and production processes.
11. Fully conversant with Microsoft (PowerPoint, Word, Excel).

Level of Experience:

1. Relevant degree in communications/business management.
2. More than 3 years agency experience, with 1 year in an AM role.
3. Advertising and digital experience essential.
4. Traditional media experience beneficial.
5. ATL and BTL experience beneficial, but not essential.

Job Behaviours:

1. Pervasively creative with a passion for impactful creative work and shaping the industry you want to grow in.
2. Adaptively connected, integrating with the larger Ogilvy group, teams and departments.
3. Relentlessly curious with a passion for learning, growing and thinking in ways that challenge others.
4. Divinely discontent, thinking in ways that challenge others.
5. Eternal craftspeople making the ads you want to watch, designing journeys you want to take and championing work you want your friends to see.