Group Account Director

DEPARTMENT: Account Leadership REPORTS TO: Managing Director TRAVEL: 40-50% FLSA STATUS: Exempt SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Yes As a Group Account Director, you have undisputed leadership presence, a proven track record of award-winning work and business growth across multiple accounts. You can represent the agency in the highest level, highest stakes meetings and industry events. You are ultimately accountable for the health of the business and the creative product. You have experienced more unique situations with clients and colleagues, more often, over more years, which obligates you to lead, to teach and to inspire. Specific Responsibilities/Duties BE A FEARLESS LEADER. Create an environment that promotes risk-taking and bravery. Lead by example. Get to know your team and practice empathy. Advocate, drive and champion agency initiatives. Set account goals and provide the direction and resources needed to succeed. Manage and prioritize across multiple areas of business and senior account leadership. Consider yourself the right hand of the Managing Director. Proactively offer your perspective and support to make our department the gold standard in the industry. Connect the dots between accounts. Make it your business to understand where the cutting-edge practices are happening and where brands are in need of help and support. You are a master of the art of managing up (to your Managing Director), down (to your team/direct reports) and sideways (to your peers/client team). CHAMPION INTELLIGENT AND INSPIRING STRATEGY. Partner with Group Creative Directors and Group Planning Directors in paying the price to solve the real problem. Lead high-level, long-term business and brand strategy for clients. Provide guidance and inspiration to ensure all team members and initiatives are delivering against goals. FUEL CREATIVITY. Creative is not a department. Run the wall: Engage in the work and partner with Group Creative Directors. Inspire and contribute ideas. Stoke the fires with senior-level clients. Talk to them about great ideas outside of their business, engage with them on creative sensibilities and our drive to create courageous solutions that make a difference. Presell work and manage client dynamics to ensure success. Champion great work inside and outside of the building. BE A TRUSTED CLIENT PARTNER. Our primary goal is to build our client's business. Create and maintain client/agency relationships at the most senior level (i.e., CMO, C-Level executives). Know their business, including successes and failures, and ensure the team does as well. Proactively help them be heroes in their organization. Be a confidant, and in turn have the frank conversations that remove obstacles from doing the best work. Most importantly, always do what you say you're going to do. Ensure the agency delivers. OWN FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. The agency's money is your money. Oversee P&L and look for growth opportunities. Educate your team on how the agency makes money. Contribute to the financial success of the agency. You should be a "go-to" lead on new business pitches and you should make it your mission to win every one. You should constantly be strategizing ways to increase revenue and profit on your existing accounts. REMAIN CURIOUS. Cultivate an insatiable appetite for understanding. Never stop honing your craft. Seek knowledge of changing culture, the marketplace and emerging opportunities and educate your team. As the lead partner to your client's brand, you must constantly think about what's next and lead your Idea Team toward your vision. Be a student of our business and your client's business. MAXIMIZE TALENT. Grow your ranks. Understand the strengths and opportunities of your team and help them succeed. Encourage safe risk-taking. Provide radical, generous, ongoing candor. Be a champion for the agency and constantly look for the next new rock stars. Diversify our teams to ensure we have diverse perspectives and voices within GSD&M. BE UNFLAPPABLE. You set the tone for every conversation; be the level-headed voice of reason. Demonstrate a commanding presence, but listen. Lead the conversation but incite participation. Organize the chaos and calm the waters. Never let your team see you sweat. Key Characteristics For Success: Lives by the GSD&M core values of Integrity, Community, Curiosity, Restlessness, Freedom & Responsibility, Winning Is a positive, proactive and collaborative team member Is a problem-solver Provides confident and level-headed decision-making as the agency's leadership voice on assigned accounts Builds strong, trusting relationships internally and externally Guides, advises and stimulates all team members in order to develop the agency's account leadership talent Minimum Qualifications BA required, MBA a plus; prefer concentration in advertising, communications or marketing. 10 years' agency experience (preferred) or related communication-industry experience that provides an understanding of advertising, marketing, paid and social media, creative, production, research, direct marketing, finance, etc. Preferred pharma/healthcare industry experience Strategic thought leadership Strong presentation and writing skills Strong listening and interpersonal skills Management/team-building skills Effectively and confidently balance the dual expectations and business goals of clients and the agency. Anticipate and address potential client issues, advising agency management in time for the agency to act proactively. Must be highly organized and detail-oriented in a production intensive environment Proficient in MS Office Suite or Mac equivalent