8+ years of experience in client leadership or business development, preferably in an agency setting.
Proven track record of growing and retaining high-value client relationships.
Experience with luxury, beauty, or premium consumer brands, understanding their unique relationship standards.
Ability to navigate complex, multi-department client organizations effectively.
Strong command of CRM and sales tools like Hubspot and LinkedIn Sales Navigator.
Willingness to travel regularly and be based in New York.
Responsibilities
Own retention and growth strategy for $1M+ annual gross income accounts.
Build and maintain multi-threaded relationships within existing client organizations.
Generate referrals and introductions to new departments or brands within current clients.
Achieve AGI retention and brand retention targets for assigned accounts.
Collaborate with project management to ensure delivery quality without direct execution.
Travel frequently to foster in-person client relationships.
Report retention and growth metrics to the Chief Client Officer.
Benefits
Opportunity to work with prestigious brands like L'Oréal and Apple.
Focus on relationship-building rather than project execution.
High level of autonomy in a director-level role without direct reports.
Potential for significant bonuses tied to performance metrics.
Full Job Description
The Role
Gradient is looking for a Director of Client Growth to own retention and growth across our largest client relationships: brands and departments generating $1M+ in annual gross income, including L'Oréal, Suntory Global Spirits, and William Grant & Sons, plus fast-growing accounts like Monster and Apple.
This is a relationship and growth role, not a project execution role. You won't run the day-to-day delivery of client work; that's handled by our project management team. Your job is to go deep with the people and departments already spending with us, keep that spend, and grow it - including by opening doors to new brands and departments within those same client organizations. This role is built for a senior client partner who has earned trust inside luxury or premium brand organizations and knows how to turn that trust into expanded revenue.
What You'll Do
Own the relationship, retention, and growth strategy for a portfolio of $1M+ AGI accounts
Build multi-threaded relationships across brands and departments within existing client organizations
Generate warm introductions and referrals into adjacent brands or departments at existing clients, expanding Gradient's footprint
Own AGI retention and brand retention targets for your accounts
Partner closely with Gradient's project management team to stay close to delivery quality, without owning execution
Travel regularly to build in-person rapport with clients
Report on retention and growth performance directly to the Chief Client Officer
What You Bring
A track record of growing and retaining large, high-value client relationships at a senior level, ideally in an agency environment
Experience serving luxury, beauty, spirits, or other premium consumer brands, and fluency in the relationship standards and discretion those clients expect
Skill at navigating and expanding relationships across complex, multi-department client organizations
Comfort owning revenue retention and growth numbers, not just relationship management
8+ years of client leadership, account growth, or business development experience, ideally within an agency, with experience owning and expanding significant client relationships
Willingness to be based in New York and travel regularly
Strong command of CRM and sales enablement tools - Hubspot, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and similar platforms - to track pipeline, manage multi-threaded accounts, and report on growth metrics
Level & Compensation
Director-level individual contributor role. No direct reports.
Base: $150,000-$175,000
Bonus: 25-35% of base, tied to AGI retention and AGI growth on assigned accounts
