Senior Account Manager

Mscsports; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 300 000 - 400 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading sports marketing agency in Johannesburg is seeking a Senior Account Manager. The successful candidate will maintain and expand client relationships, manage sponsorship activations, and ensure client satisfaction. This role requires a minimum of 4 years of experience in large-scale events, proven project management skills, and a strong understanding of hospitality and sport. Ideal candidates are strategic thinkers with excellent interpersonal skills and a passion for the industry.

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 years of experience in large-scale Sponsorship Campaigns and Events.
• Proven Event and Project Management skills.
• Knowledge in Hospitality and Sport.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and expand client relationships.
• Manage execution of sponsorship activations.
• Develop and execute brand strategies.

Skills

Event Management

Project Management

Client Service / Care

Budget Management

Presentation skills

Education

Relevant qualification

Job description

Reporting to: Group Account Director

Direct Reports: Account Manager, Account Executive and Interns

Purpose of this position:

Responsible for maintaining and expanding our client relationships, managing the execution of sponsorship Activation, media accounts, and ensuring client satisfaction.

Job context:

The Senior Account Manager is primarily responsible for:

Managing and Implementing Sponsorship/Brand Activations & Media Accounts as appointed to you. Duties include but are not limited -

Client Relationships:

• Establishing and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders
• Actively participate in client conversations and conduct and control client meetings e.g., take the lead in talks about particular items you oversee.
• Meet regularly with client's teams to plan and progress account activity.
• Gather, share, and act on client feedback on campaign work to build satisfaction, recognition of agency value, and feed credentials/effectiveness award entries.
• Utilize your experience to respond to situations and, where possible, limit the involvement of more senior members of the Client Services team.

Strategy:

• Acquire an awareness of marketing techniques and strategies that are acceptable and effective for your clients.
• Develop an understanding of why creative work has been developed and its relevance to a client’s strategy.
• Participate in brand strategy planning workshops.

Creative:

• Assist strategy in developing creative briefs, feeding in research/account/marketing knowledge.
• Brief creative teams in a simple, concise, yet inspiring manner, making sure they are always fully informed of the client's requirements.
• Ensure that the output is in line with the client’s brief, Mscsports’ standards, as well and all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
• Present and sell tactical creative ideas and work to clients on accounts that you are managing on a day-to-day basis.
• Challenge client thinking when appropriate, in line with campaign objectives and core creative idea/critique work in a constructive manner in line with the brief.
• Champion and demonstrate a passion for the agency’s creative output.

Delivery:

• Demonstrate organizational and time management skills to effectively manage work requirements.
• Ensure account team members are aware of all critical client deadlines to enable them to support you in prioritizing work.
• Take ownership of all accounts within your portfolio, referring upwards when necessary/appropriate
• Assist senior members with the full Client Management Service Portfolio
• Work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless campaign execution.
• Rights Implementation and Leveraging
• Drive operational efficiency and scalability.
• Manage and update project tracking tools (e.g., progress reports etc.) regularly.
• Prepare notes, contact reports and status documents, and share with the team.
• Financial Management – assist in drafting and management of Budgets, Reconciliation, and Reporting
• Take ownership of invoicing, following up on payment
• Risk Management – take ownership on closing off jobs and look at profit margins and financial growth when dealing with client sponsorships and budgets.
• Ensure all financial procedures are adhered to and understand and work diligently on Chase.
• Take client feedback throughout the development process and function as an intermediary between client and agency throughout the sign-off process.
• Ensure that both internal and external stakeholders involved in projects are informed of all developments, including time, budget, and delivery issues, at every stage of the sign-off process.
• Supplier management - ensure suppliers deliver to the required standard.
• PR & Media Management and understand social media.
• Hospitality
• Assist with ad hoc projects.

People:

• Foster good relationships with all internal departments and cross-functional teams
• Encourage teamwork and effective communication.
• As a senior member of the Client Services team, assist where possible with the coaching and development of more junior members of the team for example, Account Managers, Account Executives and Interns
• Proactively support your manager, bringing forward fresh concepts and challenging assumptions where necessary
• Consult senior team members for guidance and support.

Business Development:

• Play a key role presenting at pitch presentations.
• Work with other agency members to prepare responses to client requests for information and proposals.
• Ensure that clients are aware of all the services Mscsports can offer.
• Spot opportunities for new business and share them with your manager.

Media Solutions:

• Assist manager in updating and managing material chase lists (fixtures, flighting codes, material submissions, and proof of deliveries)
• Assist manager in ensuring media flights correctly through spot list and post-campaign briefs and checks
• Liaise with suppliers continuously renew opportunities and status of existing opportunities
• Accuracy check and analysis of post-campaign data
• General filing and administrative support (contracts, mandates, etc.)
• Accuracy check and analysis of post-campaign data
• Mailing out invoices and other types of administrative communication
• Ad hoc administrative tasks

Qualifications and experience:

Required :

• Relevant qualification
• Minimum 4 years of experience
• Must have worked on large-scale Sponsorship Campaigns and Events

Knowledge

Required : Comprehensive knowledge in -

• Project Management
• Event Management
• Hospitality
• Sport

Skills

Required :

• Proven Event and Project Management skills
• Budget management experience
• Client Service/ Care
• Planning
• Reporting
• Presentation

Personal qualities

Required:

• Open and friendly personality – Excellent people skills - You work well in a team and individual.
• A passion for the industry (either sports, events, or hospitality)
• Aptitude to multi-task effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Structured and deadline-driven
• Aptitude to multi-task effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Strong interpersonal skills
• You want to keep learning and are initiative-taking and disciplined.
• Solutions driven.
• Strategic-operational thinking
• Attention to detail.
• Possess an energetic, outgoing, and friendly demeanour.
• Happy to work on weekends and travel.

Should you not receive a response in 2 weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful.