Account Director

Role and Purpose 

The purpose of the role is to support the Media Director in planning and account handling, The Account Director creates the opportunity for strategy and digital specialists to contribute fully. The Account Director is also key when it comes to driving collaboration across DAN and in terms of building strong client relationships on a day to day basis.

Ideal requirements:

• Minimum 5 years of advertising and marketing experience
• Strategic thinker; the main force behind the development of integrated campaigns, providing business solutions that reinforce clients’ ROI
• True relationship manager; ability to build trust and engage with clients at the most senior levels
• Proven experience managing, developing and growing account teams
• Works well in an integrated agency team setting, collaborating with other agencies as well as with clients
• Ability to drive the brand planning process and oversee program budgets and timelines to ensure timely and efficient execution
• Demonstrated ability for growing business organically and profitably
• A dedicated work ethic and desire to always over-deliver for clients
• Credible, able to be an ally and advisor to key client decision-makers
• Entrepreneurial background or attitude, passionate about building a great agency

Key Accountabilities 

• Works collaboratively across DAN and across the network as needed – uses good knowledge of products and services to drive business value for clients and DAN.
• Executes these solutions through the communications planning process
• Project manages clients’ communications plans including timelines and budget;
• Reviews plans to drive greater margin and value through innovation and better and different ways of working;
• Manages team and client business to deliver KPIs e.g. service PRF and accurately tracks costs;
• Allocates team resources to ensure delivery of data and info required for pitches;
• Leads pitches
• Leads smaller client accounts;
• Builds strong client relationship as a trusted advisor to client;
• Leverages internal relationships;
• Acts as ‘gatekeeper’ for quality control;
• Coordinates invoicing and payments process in line with contractual terms agreed; Oversees processes to ensure smooth financial operations
• Provides accurate plan details and updates to clients;
• Sets example to the team to keep abreast of current and future industry thinking and trends;
• Manages Exec and/or Grads: reviews, feedback, development plans
• Presents regularly both internally and to clients.

 Digital – 40% Weighting

• Forms part of 1P&L however important to keep up to date with changes and new innovation
• Align efforts in full support of growing digital to at least 40% of Media Spend
• Fully understand the plan for achieving 40% of media spend in digital and contribute to gaining leadership position on digital
• Review current standard of skills and capability in the Digital arena, and up-skill to the required standard
• Understand and implement on how digital delivers ROI and with this understanding contribute
• Drive ownership and accountability for Digital with everyone in the team and develop capability (own and team) in digital & buying

Business Performance – 40% Weighting

• Have a clear understanding of the business targets and Revenue Plan
• Understand forecasting and how this role adds value to the business achieving financial targets.
• This means checking in regularly with leaders to understand how Buying impacts on finance targets with a view to remedying actions to ensure better alignment with set targets
• Partner with leaders and understand our client base and approach to acquiring new business
• Ensuring accuracy and clear understanding of client and DAN processes and to apply them effectively to ensure deadlines are met to cultivate a proactive approach to sustaining high performance and acceptable service delivery.

Talent, Tools, Capability and Skills Development – 10% Weighting

• Leverage off tools and capabilities available within the Global platform to aide operational efficiency in Zambia
• Drive and align with the DAN culture and values within the business
• Ensure effective application of knowledge and skills in Finance, Trading, Marketing and PR, Digital, by assessing the current level of own capability and identifying the need for personal development required to support business growth and achieve operational excellence
• Measure capability through clearly defined KPI’s for direct reports, follow through with robust performance management efforts to ensure performance is at the required standard
• Correctly apply the tools and processes available to assess performance and provide regular feedback clearly indicating requirements for the job (Personal Best), and recording objectives to deliver to and development goals/needs
• Support team development on:
• Competitive analysis, Negotiation, Understanding Revenue (Fees vs. Time) and  Profitability, PR Tool

Trading – 10% Weighting

• Responsible for understanding the Trading Agenda and how it impacts on Media buying
• Ensure we are using preferred suppliers and delivering to Client targets
• Be able to effectively use and apply the trading systems and process to support the role and provide insight day-to-day
• Understand why we do Trading deals and apply these principles in role
• Know who our preferred suppliers are and their rates
• Understand the full process in Trading and what this means for processes in Dan Zambia and impact on client need