Account Manager

Publicis Groupe Africa Pty Ltd; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 420,000 - 540,000; Full time

Job summary

Publicis Groupe Africa is seeking an Account Manager to handle day-to-day client communication and coordinate digital, social and integrated campaigns. You will support senior Client Leadership in turning briefs into actionable plans, ensuring deadlines and quality standards are met, with a focus on AI-assisted administration and client service.

The role involves collaboration with Strategy, Creative, Media, Production and Delivery to keep information accurate, aligned expectations and timely

Qualifications

• Diploma or degree in Marketing, Communications or a relevant discipline.
• Relevant account-management experience supporting digital, social or integrated campaigns and multiple stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of account workflow, budget tracking and presentation tools, including Chase or comparable systems.
• Hands-on experience using AI for account management or campaign coordination, with examples of practical use and validation.

Responsibilities

• Build dependable working relationships with assigned client stakeholders and understand their brand, audience and business priorities.
• Clarify briefs, deliverables, mandatory requirements and approval responsibilities with senior colleagues and the relevant specialists.
• Keep clients informed of progress, manage expectations and escalates concerns early with a clear explanation of the issue and required decision.
• Coordinate the campaign-building process with Delivery and specialist teams, tracking actions, review dates and dependencies.
• Check work against the brief, brand requirements and agreed deliverables before client submission, involving specialist reviewers where needed.
• Consolidate feedback accurately, record approvals and ensure the correct versions are used for production and final handover.
• Maintain clear status reports, contact reports, job records and organised files in agreed systems, including Chase where used.
• Track estimates, budgets and scope changes with senior colleagues; obtain required approvals before additional work or spend is committed.
• Prioritise tasks, follow through on outstanding information and support Operations and Client Leadership on relevant internal projects and events.
• Work constructively across disciplines and communicate changes promptly so teams can deliver a coordinated client service.
• Support presentations, reporting and reviews; translate feedback into practical improvements with the account team.
• Build digital and advertising knowledge, identify useful client opportunities and share them with senior Client Leadership.
• Use approved AI tools to support meeting summaries, brief checks, status updates and reporting; verify facts, commitments, dates and recommendations before sharing or acting on them.

Skills

Account management

Client relationships

AI in campaigns

Budget tracking

Education

Diploma or degree in Marketing, Communications or a relevant discipline

Tools

Chase

Presentation tools

Job description

Company Description

Publicis Groupe Africa is a leading marketing, communications, and business transformation network operating across 36 African countries, combining creativity, technology, and local insight to deliver integrated client solutions.

Publicis Groupe Africa is part of Publicis Groupe, the second-largest communications group globally, founded in 1926. The African network operates as a partnership of 44 communications agencies with offices spanning 36 countries, including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, and many others.

Its headquarters are in Johannesburg and Cape Town, providing a central hub for continental operations.

Overview

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Client Service | Digital and Social | Campaign Coordination | Delivery

THE OPPORTUNITY

Telecommunications is one of the most dynamic categories in the market, sitting at the intersection of technology, culture, connectivity, customer experience and everyday life. This role offers the opportunity to work with a leading telecommunications client and help shape the next generation of its agency partnership.

We are building a connected, future-fit model that brings together creativity, intelligence, data, technology, AI and world-class execution around the customer. It is an opportunity to influence the work and the capabilities we build, creating a partnership designed for today’s challenges and what comes next.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Account Manager manages day-to-day client communication and coordinates assigned digital, social and integrated campaign activity. The role supports senior Client Leadership in turning briefs into clear actions and ensuring work meets agreed requirements, deadlines and quality standards.

Working with Strategy, Creative, Media, Production and Delivery, the Account Manager keeps information accurate, expectations aligned and approvals moving. The role requires proactive follow-through, commercial awareness and practical use of AI to improve account administration and client service.

Responsibilities

CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS AND BRIEFING

• Build dependable working relationships with assigned client stakeholders and understand their brand, audience and business priorities.
• Clarify briefs, deliverables, mandatory requirements and approval responsibilities with senior colleagues and the relevant specialists.
• Keep clients informed of progress, manage expectations and escalates concerns early with a clear explanation of the issue and required decision.

CAMPAIGN COORDINATION AND QUALITY

• Coordinate the campaign-building process with Delivery and specialist teams, tracking actions, review dates and dependencies.
• Check work against the brief, brand requirements and agreed deliverables before client submission, involving specialist reviewers where needed.
• Consolidate feedback accurately, record approvals and ensure the correct versions are used for production and final handover.

ACCOUNT ADMINISTRATION AND COMMERCIAL CONTROL

• Maintain clear status reports, contact reports, job records and organised files in agreed systems, including Chase where used.
• Track estimates, budgets and scope changes with senior colleagues; obtain required approvals before additional work or spend is committed.
• Prioritise tasks, follow through on outstanding information and support Operations and Client Leadership on relevant internal projects and events.

INTEGRATION AND ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

• Work constructively across disciplines and communicate changes promptly so teams can deliver a coordinated client service.
• Support presentations, reporting and reviews; translate feedback into practical improvements with the account team.
• Build digital and advertising knowledge, identify useful client opportunities and share them with senior Client Leadership.

AI CAPABILITY AND FUTURE WAYS OF WORKING

• Use approved AI tools to support meeting summaries, brief checks, status updates and reporting; verify facts, commitments, dates and recommendations before sharing or acting on them.
• Demonstrate effective prompting, iteration and critical evaluation. Use only approved tools and data, protect client information and intellectual property, and retain human accountability for final work.
• Share practical learning, recognise tool limitations and measure improvements in quality, speed or effectiveness; escalates uncertain or inappropriate outputs.

MEASURES OF SUCCESS

• Responsive client service and clear management of expectations.
• Accurate briefs, approvals and account records with dependable follow-through.
• Campaigns coordinated to agreed scope, deadlines and quality standards.
• AI-assisted administration that saves time while maintaining accuracy and client confidentiality.

Critical Capabilities

• Client communication, presentation and relationship building.
• Organisation, prioritisation, quality control and commercial awareness.
• Effective prompting, AI-assisted administration and critical checking of outputs.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Diploma or degree in Marketing, Communications or a relevant discipline.
• Relevant account-management experience supporting digital, social or integrated campaigns and multiple stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of account workflow, budget tracking and presentation tools, including Chase or comparable systems.
• Hands-on experience using AI for account management or campaign coordination, with examples of practical use and validation.

Additional Information

Publicis Groupe Africa is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits any forms of Discrimination or Harassment. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our employees in line with our Employment Equity Plan.

All appointments will be based on qualifications, experience and best fit but preference will be given to candidates from designated groups.

PUBLICIS VALUES

Trust through respect, transparency and accountability. Talent through collaboration, development and high standards. Transformation through curiosity, continuous learning and improvements that create value for clients.