Our client is an international public relations agency based in central London. They have an opportunity for an Account Director to lead on of their award winning teams, working on a mix of consumer and ethical accounts.

The Role:

The Account Director has absolute responsibility and is fully accountable for the profitability, success and growth of their clients.

Account Team Management:

• Contributing guidance and ideas for the account teams to implement and develop client work.
• Demonstrate leadership to account teams
• Team time management - determine required course of action for account team and set deadlines allowing for consultation and feedback
• Timesheet Management - Ensure that your timesheets are completed on a timely basis and inline with contractual requires. Also ensure that your staff complete their timesheets
• Briefing/informing the team - communicate expectations/goals to team on an ongoing basis
• Communicate financial guidelines to team members to ensure profitability of the account and avoidance of over-servicing. Maintain ongoing progress reports for client and account team use
• Account profit management – ensure accurate quotations for all client tasks and communicate to team to prevent client projects and programmes are kept within budget
• Keep team motivated by communicating clear tasks and actions. Strive to inspire others by example, show commitment, enthusiasm and be available for support and guidance
• Provide team with guidance and ideas by giving innovative, creative solutions to problems. Be available to offer support in such areas

Line Management:

• Be a proactive mentor and advisor to ensure that your staff remain happy and motivated
• Retention management – endeavour to retain your staff by providing them with guidance and support and ensure that their training needs are met to ensure they can carry out their work to a high standard
• Appraisal management – conduct all appraisal and check-in meetings on time and in a professional manner. Offer support and guidance on an ongoing basis
• Attempt to share knowledge, offer advice and constructive feedback to staff to aid personal development team members. Liaise with HR to establish suitable training courses for individuals to attend
• Participate in the recruitment and selection of new staff from CV selection through to interviewing

Client Relations:

• Relationship development - be proactive at maintaining strong relationships with all client contacts, particularly senior people
• Provide strategic counsel to clients where possible, being able to assess problems and define logical and effective solutions for clients – acting as a true consultant on marketing issues to the client
• Generate creative ideas and solutions for pitching, events and the overall PR programme, develop the ability to sell such ideas to client
• Report on results - report account team results with completed time sheets to ensure that invoices are always accurate and produced on time each month
• Market knowledge- offer market knowledge and business intelligence to clients on a continual basis
• Develop the ability to predict possible problems on the account and be ready to deal with any crisis and action appropriately

New Business Development:

• Organic growth/project sell in from existing clients
• Finding leads - identifying potential new clients in complementary areas of business
• Create proposals or respond to RFIs for new business prospects
• Become a key player in new business pitches, develop the ability to become a proficient and convincing presenter. Help build confidence and support junior staff involved in new business presentations
• Conduct market/competitor research for new business pitches/proposals. Be able to grasp business issues outside of own area of expertise

PR Skills:

• Continuing to build new media contacts and sustain existing ones, selling in and teaching other team members how to.
• Client coaching
• Evaluation of results and reporting feedback to clients
• Ensure quality standards are maintained on all accounts
• Excellent presentation skills and the ability to coach clients effectively
• Create and present PR plans/proposals for ongoing PR programmes and projects
• Writing well structured, persuasive copy and helping others to do the same
• Driving the team and programme towards the desired objectives

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Qualifications - Degree educated; Masters preferred.
• Ensuring effective time management of company and client time
• Attending and contributing constructively to internal company meetings as a senior member of staff
• Setting an example to junior team members in respect of punctuality and absenteeism
• Maintaining exemplary levels of conduct at all times
• Intelligent and intellectually curious.
• A passion for making the world a better place to live in for everyone.
• Highly motivated.
• Analytical.
• Strategic thinking.

Package:

Good salary, 25 days per annum (rising to 30 days with service), Healthcare, Private Medical Insurance, Life Assurance, Health Insurance, Pension, Flexible Benefits (available to employees - after qualifying period e.g. Dental plan, retail discounts, travel insurance, health screening, childcare vouchers, additional pension and more), mobile phone, as well as social treats and events.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a market leading company. If you would like further details on this role please contact Jon Gawley on 01932 797996 or by email.

If this isn't quite the role for you, don't hesitate to contact us for a conversation regarding similar roles to be discussed in confidence. We would be pleased to provide advice and/or guidance for your next move.

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