Senior Account Manager (Advertising)

Pillango Placements; Gauteng; Hybrid; ZAR 350,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

Pillango Placements is seeking an experienced account leader for a hands-on role close to clients. You will coordinate strategy, creative and production teams across brand strategy, integrated campaigns, digital, TV and radio, with a focus on long-term client partnerships and high-quality delivery.

Based in Johannesburg or Pretoria, you will own and grow relationships with key accounts, manage briefs, scope, budgets, and profitability, and help spot opportunities to expand work while guiding

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in account management within an advertising, marketing or creative agency.
• Strong experience managing senior client relationships and multiple accounts.
• Solid project management, scoping, costing and retainer management skills.
• Confident written and verbal communication skills.
• Able to question briefs constructively and resolve gaps before work starts.
• Comfortable working across creative, strategy and production teams.
• Strong Excel skills and experience with agency workflow systems such as Chase.
• Based in Johannesburg or Pretoria and comfortable working in a hybrid setup.

Responsibilities

• Own and grow relationships with a portfolio of key clients, including a major automotive account.
• Act as the main contact for senior client stakeholders and understand their wider business and marketing needs.
• Review and challenge briefs to make sure objectives, scope, timelines and expectations are clear.
• Turn client requirements into clear internal briefs for creative, strategy and production teams.
• Coordinate projects from initial brief through to final approval and delivery.
• Run client meetings, internal check-ins and project status sessions.
• Keep project trackers and status documents accurate and up to date.
• Identify risks, delays and scope changes early and manage them proactively.
• Prepare project costs, scopes and retainer requirements.
• Protect account profitability through careful scope, resource and commercial management.
• Spot opportunities to grow existing accounts and develop additional work.

Skills

Account management

Client relationships

Project management

Communication

Excel

Education

Tertiary qualification in marketing/advertising/communications/business

Tools

Chase

Job description

This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys being close to clients, understands how agencies work, and knows how to bring strategy, creative and production teams together. The agency works across brand strategy, integrated campaigns, digital, TV and radio, with a strong focus on long-term client partnerships and high-quality creative delivery.

Duties / Key Responsibilities

• Own and grow relationships with a portfolio of key clients, including a major automotive account.
• Act as the main contact for senior client stakeholders and understand their wider business and marketing needs.
• Review and challenge briefs to make sure objectives, scope, timelines and expectations are clear.
• Turn client requirements into clear internal briefs for creative, strategy and production teams.
• Coordinate projects from initial brief through to final approval and delivery.
• Run client meetings, internal check-ins and project status sessions.
• Keep project trackers and status documents accurate and up to date.
• Identify risks, delays and scope changes early and manage them proactively.
• Prepare project costs, scopes and retainer requirements.
• Protect account profitability through careful scope, resource and commercial management.
• Spot opportunities to grow existing accounts and develop additional work.

Requirements

• 5+ years' experience in account management, client service or business unit leadership within an advertising, marketing or creative agency.
• Strong experience managing senior client relationships and multiple accounts or projects at the same time.
• Solid project management, scoping, costing and retainer management skills.
• Confident written and verbal communication skills.
• Able to question briefs constructively and resolve gaps before work starts.
• Comfortable working across creative, strategy and production teams.
• Strong Excel skills and experience with agency workflow or project-management systems such as Chase.
• Based in Johannesburg or Pretoria and comfortable working in a hybrid setup.

Education

• Relevant tertiary qualification in marketing, advertising, communications, business or a related field would be beneficial.
• Strong agency experience may be considered alongside formal qualifications.

Soft Skills

• Organised, dependable and comfortable taking ownership.
• Confident with clients while remaining practical and approachable.
• Strong attention to detail and follow-through.
• Calm when priorities shift or unexpected briefs land.