Integrated Account Director at GTB

Job description

Location: GTB Johannesburg, South Africa & Sub-Saharan Africa

Reporting to: Group Account Director, South & Sub-Saharan Africa

Job Overview

• Working directly into the Group Account Director, you will be part of a 4 person team, managing a number of different client relationships within Ford.
• You will have to manage complex campaigns across all communication platforms, working with the relative agency, or 3rd party, counterparts to create a ‘seamless’ delivery.
• As a result, you will need a solid understanding of integration, above and below the line.
• The Team
• The role is within the Ford South Africa Account Team, comprising of 10+ account management professionals from Account Executive to Business Unit Director Level.
• The team manage the relationship with Ford of Southern Africa, facilitating all of the agency’s campaigns and projects across the country for Ford covering Commercial and Passenger Vehicles.
• We Make Things Happen, Because We
• Work with Clients to create the best partnership conditions
• Tirelessly fight for the best briefs
• Welcome complexity and dissect it into manageable chunks
• Embrace and nurture great creativity
• Accept that change is good and necessary
• Do all this while remembering that the devil is in the detail
• Do all the above with one goal, to make things happen.

Roles and Responsibilities

Overall

• Responsible for the smooth week-by week running of the account and the effective management of all Client projects
• Develop positive, proactive relationships with Client and Agency team creating a stimulating environment within which the best work can develop
• Able to motivate, coach and manage the supporting account handling team.
• Client Management
• Exceptional Client management, with focus on developing Client relationships with the Client team built upon trust and mutual understanding
• Assisting Clients with the development of marketing and communication plans and the establishment of long and short term marketing/business objectives and goals
• Day to day responsibility and representation of the Client business within the Agency with accountability for successful implementation of campaigns, on time, on brief and to budget
• A deep understanding of the Client’s business and of the key broader factors and trends shaping their markets and categories. Continually enhancing knowledge of the Client’s brand, products and market place and looking for opportunities to engage in broader business dialogue with Clients. Developing a deep awareness of current business news and issues facing their business and industry sector
• Rapidly resolving and problem solving Client and Agency issues if they occur
• Identifying, evaluating and monitoring effective marketing opportunities
• Regularly seeking out ways to add value to the Client/Agency relationship.
• Ideas
• Develop and present ideas that deliver against your Clients’ marketing and business objectives
• Be responsible for the quality and control of all the Agency outputs including creative, planning, technical, written and oral communication, finances
• Develop new business and drive organic growth
• Challenge yourself and your team every day to be better and look to deliver more
• Help drive a sense of pride in the Client for GTB work
• Develop and drive insightful creative briefs and other strategies
• Evaluate and present creative work and effectively manage Client feedback
• Attend all training sessions that you are nominated for and develop and deliver sessions specific to your area
• Be responsible for award entry submissions.
• People
• Ultimate responsibility for the smooth running of the account, operationally, creatively and financially
• Lead by example and represent all the core values of GTB
• Motivate your account team during difficult times and confront and resolve conflict successfully
• Create the best possible environment to produce solutions
• Be responsible for ensuring the team have the right time and resources to deliver within the Client’s time frame
• Conduct the appraisal process for direct reports and have responsibility for career management and development of individuals who report to you
• Create a continuous learning culture within the team to ensure continuous improvement in all team activities
• Build relationships with other departments (or network where appropriate) to provide quality Agency product
• Ensure day to day co-operation between project team and other lines of the business.
• Business Development
• Develop proactive recommendations to add value to your Client’s business
• Develop and present fresh thinking
• Help provide relevant and compelling case studies.
• Financial
• Complete weekly timesheets and ensure all your team’s timesheets are up to date
• Ensure Client’s sign off on all estimates and appropriate filing of all estimates for tracking and compliance
• Be responsible for all projects and campaigns being brought in on budget and profitably – ensure on going monitoring of all costs and reconciliations
• Ensure efficient internal resource allocation and management, through monitoring monthly reconciliations
• Monitor the WIP with Finance and Line Managers and ensure that WIP can be billed as soon as possible
• Responsible for maximising the account’s billings and or income and for seeking out additional income opportunities and areas of growth
• Take overall day to day responsibility for financial matters on the account which includes proper and timely forecasting, management of the forecasting
• Contributes to the good financial management of the business improving profitability wherever possible.

Requirements

Personal Qualities

• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to the team delivering the best job.
• Demonstrate innovative thinking coupled with flawless execution of tasks
• Be a dependable team player with a sense of humour. Be personable and approachable
• Enthusiasm and dedication to supporting direct reports and line managers on campaign delivery
• The ability to multi-task, manage projects effectively and manage the expectations of others both internal and external is paramount
• Assertive, outgoing, confident with strong negotiation skills
• You will need to be flexible and determined to champion the values of the Agency. A passion for creativity is mandatory!
• Passion for Digital Technologies and how we can use these
• Demonstrate good self-motivation, strong sense of initiative and ability to work under pressure.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Proven track record in managing projects to time and budget
• Experience of working on a wide range of digital disciplines
• Proven track record in managing, developing and leading a team
• Excellent organizational skills are paramount
• Proven track record in meeting Client’s expectation by means of impeccable project management
• Enthusiasm and dedication to supporting line managers on campaign delivery
• Ability to listen and learn from others in every department you interact with
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior Agency experience working at Senior Account Manager or Account Director level
• Degree or equivalent marketing qualification
• Comprehensive understanding of general marketing practices (an industry board qualification – most desirable)
• Strong computer skills, with proficiency in Microsoft Office computer packages such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint.