Account Director at Crayon

Role Description

In your role as an account director, you will be responsible for supporting, guiding, counselling and growing your consultant team. They will look to you for mentorship so it is important that you demonstrate excellent people management, leadership and EQ skills. 

Account directors are leaders and are required to adhere to and promote the high standards of consultancy. You will direct and manage relationships with your clients and oversee their strategic planning, resourcing and revenue growth. You’re also responsible for new business management for both your team and the agency.

You will proactively report to your Business Unit Director or the company directors with regards to retentionstrategies for your clients and team, particularly regarding training needs, client risks and successes.

Salary

• R50,000 per month (negotiable based on experience)

Responsibilities

Account Management

• Research, develop and implement client PR plans and proposals, and manage the internal and external approval process
• Deliver high-level consultancy to ensure client business and communication objectives are met
• Oversee quality in all areas of client, media and internal correspondence and consultancy
• Proactively build relationships with clients and serve as a trusted point of contact for strategic counsel and senior PR consultancy
• Always professional and prepared for client and team meetings
• Understand and be confident advising clients on, and implementing, paid, earned and owned communication activities that have measurable results

Media

• Identify, build and maintain strong media relationships (including traditional and new media)
• Maintain awareness of media movements and developments within the South African media and influencer landscape
• Established knowledge of African and international media
• Established knowledge of influencers and celebrities relevant to clients
• Ensure media information is accurately recorded in media lists
• Proactively encourage your team to host media meet and greets, to build strong media relationships and identify media opportunities for clients

Writing

• Take a brief and demonstrate advanced writing, proofing and editing skills, ensuring exceptional quality of content written personally and by your team
• Follow the content development process guidelines and ensures your team adheres to them
• Work with your team to provide detailed, thorough briefs to the content team ensuring efficient, accurate content development
• Mentor team members by providing constructive feedback on areas of improvement related to content development
• Ensure that all content is error free when shared internally and externally. Quality assurance is of paramount importance and therefore should be monitored regularly

Client and Industry Knowledge

• • Demonstrate a thorough understanding of clients, and ensure that clients receive the best level of consultancy and attention
• Proactively research your clients’ industries and their competitors, as well as PR industry trends and changes, and share updates and learnings with team, clients and agency where relevant
• Encourage team to constantly increase their client, competitor and industry knowledge
• Remain one step ahead of clients’ business and that of competitors to provide strategic input and find opportunities. Knowledge is power!

Business

• Keep aware of clients’ levels of satisfaction with your team’s work and proactively alert the business unit director / company directors to any concerns
• Proactively manage team capacity and servicing levels with business unit director/company directors
• Proactively seek new business opportunities for your team and the agency, and grows existing client relationships
• Understand and manage all financial aspects of your team, including developing fee proposals, event budgeting, third-party invoicing, new client finance on boarding etc.
• Proactively network and keep abreast of industry trends, potential talent, and new business opportunities

Process

• Effectively manage your time and work flow to ensure deadlines are met
• Understand and manage internal finance processes i.e. raising POs, cost estimates, invoices, statements, late payment follow ups, and payment terms for all clients and new business
• Manage all administration required from your team and submit internal administration within specified deadlines (time sheets, annual leave, expense forms, mileage claims, POs, Yay Days)
• Make sure that all relevant client work is saved to the T: drive – and ensure client folders are up to date, and user-friendly
• Review your team’s timesheets and ensure that capacity levels are within reasonable levels of servicing.
• Ensure your team’s laptops are working optimally and are backed up, and that internet security is working effectively
• Maintain a 3G contract with a relevant mobile services provider so you can work remotely if/when required (covered by the company)
• Involve yourself in the recruitment process by interviewing candidates, and make successful hiring decisions
• Stay proactively involved in the on boarding new team members to ensure they settle in well
• Read and understand all HR policies, and adhere to them

People/Leadership

• Embody the company’s “People-first” ethos and instil these values when leading your team
• Mentor your team and identify area of growth and development to ensure the highest level of people management in your team
• Proactively implement retention strategies with team and motivate for training requirements with the business unit director / company directors
• Manage bi-annual HR review and annual increase process with business unit director and company directors
• Demonstrate clear leadership qualities including the ability to motivate, inspire, delegate, empower, and develop relationships with employees, clients, and suppliers
• Lead by example and maintain the highest level of professionalism during stressful situations, periods or circumstances
• Understand the value of work/life balance at the company and encourage and enable team to manage their work/life balance effectively

EQ (Self Development)

• Demonstrate empathy towards colleagues, clients and suppliers
• Communicate effectively and assertively with business leaders, colleagues and clients
• Continuously develop professionally by acquiring knowledge and tools to enhance self, team and the agency
• Provide constructive feedback, manage conflict and demonstrate conflict resolution and problemsolving skills
• Build team relationships that are based on integrity, honesty and trust

In addition to the above:

• Accountability and responsibilities increase with regards to owning and directing all specific areas of clients and team
• Take responsibility for driving, implementing and maintaining highest levels of quality, best practice, and consultancy internally and externally
• Manage your team as a business unit by monitoring their capacity, and profitability. Build all areas of business acumen to move to the next level

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years’ PR experience (preferably in a PR agency and at least two years’ experience as a Senior Account Manager)
• Previous experience in working with both consumer and corporate clients
• At least two years’ people management experience (more than one person / preferably a team)
• Strategising, developing and implementing 360-degree client plans
• Proficiency in writing, proofing and editing all written material including press releases, plans, reports etc. Client liaison and conveying client briefs to the team
• Working across multiple accounts
• A solid understanding of, and experience in the digital and social media landscape
• Established media relations
• Conceptualising, directing and implementing client events
• Excellent presentation skills