Account Director, Communications Agency

Our client, a communications agency, is seeking an Account Director. The candidate will report to a Director and will manage an Account Managers and Account Executives and oversee a range of arts accounts. The Account Director will be a senior voice in the company, ensuring the smooth running of client accounts and developing new business strategies alongside Directors.

Responsibilities:

• Development and direction of strategy for clients: identifying needs, opportunities, tools and methodologies to help clients achieve their goals.
• Generation of campaign roadmaps, plans and strategies to be presented to clients and to form basis of agency’s work.
• Communications counsel: advising clients on PR and broader communications routes and development of effective strategies to reach consumers through media, advocacy, social media, VIP and events.
• Business development: to build on existing business, success and reputation to grow the company’s offer. Work with the Directors to develop new business opportunities, writing high quality and creative proposals and taking part in pitch meetings.
• Networking within the art world to keep abreast of industry activity and trends and to maximise opportunities for new business. To be a vocal part of relevant arts communities in London.
• Management of team members, including Account Managers and Account Executives, to comprise leadership, nurturing of ideas and talents, assessment and feedback on work and motivation to help team achieve best results.
• Media outreach: to be a senior voice with the media on behalf of clients and to ensure the agency is in constant contact with all relevant editors, writers, bloggers and freelancers. Ensure that AMs are meeting company media familiarisation quotas. Press assistant or exec to support on research, straightforward pitching.
• Generate and run media familiarisation trips abroad for both internal/agency benefit and for both internal/agency benefit and for clients.
• Client management: ensure smooth running of campaigns, regular communication and efficient reporting. Provide insight and competitor analysis.
• Social media development: help the agency’s efforts to better promote itself through social media and generate ideas and strategies for clients.
• Outreach to third parties, potential partners and VIPs as part of strategic positioning and support for clients.

Desired Experience and Skills:

• Several years full time experience working in PR on arts accounts, preferably to include agency role(s).
• Excellent media contacts, preferably on an international level, within the art and design sectors.
• Ability to give expert counsel to clients: the ability to speak with authority, to lead meetings, react to difficult questions and the ability to inspire confidence in senior figures among our clients.
• Ability to perform at a high level in new business pitches and create top-level proposal documents and presentations.
• Passion, interest and regular familiarisation of the art industry in London and internationally.
• Drive and ambition to build contacts and to become known as an industry expert.
• An intuitive understanding of cultural trends.
• An ability to be strategic, creative, extremely well organised and commercially minded at the same time.
• Excellent people management and social skills.