Account Director ( 4 Month-FTC) at Publicis Groupe

Overview

• As Account Director, you’ll be a driving force within the Client Service team, managing the delivery of memorable and effective transcreated campaigns for our client. All the while building and maintain strong relationships with both our clients and internal agency stakeholders. You will consistently drive excellence and have an excellent eye for detail.

Responsibilities

Your duties will include but are not limited to:

Leadership & Teamwork

• Strong team player
• Support team development and mentorship of junior account staff where required
• Actively look to maintain and build positive working relationships
• Manage up – ensure your seniors are abreast of all activity on the account and empower them to support you through open lines of communication

Client services 

• Drive client meetings when necessary, managing meeting protocols, agenda, etc.
• Ensure status is consistently up-to-date and correct
• Ensure that all meetings have thorough agendas, driving a productive outcome
• Ensure that contact reports are delivered timeously with key deliverables and then drive out those deliverables to the agreed timings
• Plan and participate in client review/approval meetings with team
• Develop a consulting / advisory capability with client and internal teams wherever possible
• Always be consistently responsive and accessible to your client
• Have tough and honest conversations with your client to enable service delivery excellence and to create trustwith your client
• Manage all kinds of personalities and always strive to get the best out of each individual
• Have an excellent knowledge understanding of the client, the agency, the strategy and the process to deliver efficiently and to the highest quality

Account Management, Project Management and Planning 

• Work together with your full team across Creative (studio), Production, Development, etc. to deliver high quality work
• Manage tight deadlines while adhering to processes
• Seamlessly manage multiple stakeholders under the guidance of your business lead
• Take full ownership of every job that comes through you – ensure that every job is measured against client requirements and on-brand
• Write briefs with full clarity on all requirements
• Consider the impact of any given change briefed by client on other elements in a campaign or other jobs in the system – this might be a timing impact, or it might require more work on other elements / jobs
• Communicate with excellence, maturity and intent when writing or speaking
• Have excellent self-management, with thorough to-do lists and personal organization which supports your ability to be efficient and effective in your job
• Have an opinion and be solution-orientated 

Finance

• Work with senior to finalise programme and budgets for client
• Assume accountability for financial aspects of cost management on client programmes
• Aware of financial status of accounts always
• Accurately review billing arrangements for clients
• Identify early account problems and act / advise solutions, in conjunction with seniors
• Support seniors to ensure smooth integration of new business and smooth running of existing accounts
• Understand what jobs are in scope and out-of-scope to ensure that costs are raised accurately and upfront as required
• Ensure that your billings are completed by billing cut off each month
• Ensure that client CEs are approved before any supplier POs are raised

Excellence in Digital Delivery

• Maintain the integrity of the creative strategy and work throughout the campaign
• Ensure that the right people have approved all work before it is sent to client
• Understand digital best practice, platforms and specs
• Ensure that the right people have been included in client meetings to support the outcome of the meeting and that everyone is prepared and aligned
• Keep abreast of what is happening in the market (broad communication trends and client competitor work) to add additional value to your client’s business
• Be prepared to work long hours as and when is necessary in order to deliver according to the deadline and to support the broader team

Culture

• Support company culture; actively seek new, smarter ways of doing things
• Be seen as an ambassador for the company
• Join in the agency culture to build strong relationships across the business
• You will be a strategic thought leader within the agency, expected to bring a mix of business acumen, brand expertise, and leadership skills to guide your team towards consistently achieving excellence. Your ability to create and execute integrated marketing solutions across a range of platforms will be key to transforming brands and building lasting client relationships.
• You will stay at the forefront of industry trends, with a sharp understanding of South African culture, consumer behaviour, and the digital landscape. Your expertise will drive the strategic vision of each project, ensuring that the work resonates with target audiences while aligning with both the brand’s and agency's objectives.
• Immaculate attention to detail, financial acumen, and a deep understanding of what it takes to build and sustain client partnerships will be paramount in this role. Your ability to lead and inspire your team while navigating the complexities of client needs and expectations will set you apart as a true leader.
• You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams—creative, strategy, media, and production—to develop and execute campaigns that make an impact. This role requires a confident communicator, a proactive problem-solver, and someone who thrives in a fast-paced, results-driven environment.

SOFTWARE & TOOLS
 Must have a working knowledge of the following platforms and tools:

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Chase Software