Saatchi & Saatchi

Group Account Director, Planning

Saatchi & Saatchi$120K — $140K *
Media
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years of Account Director experience, focusing on client management and team leadership
  • Minimum 3 years in a senior leadership role (Associate Director/Director)
  • Degree in Media, Marketing, Business, Project Management or related field
  • Direct client-servicing experience is essential
  • Strong storytelling and communication skills for high-level client interaction
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office and familiar with industry-standard tools (e.g., DDS, Prisma, DCM, DBM, Vividata)
  • Demonstrated ability to mentor and grow teams effectively

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the primary client lead, building strong relationships with key stakeholders
  • Understand client business challenges and provide proactive solutions
  • Lead the development and execution of media strategies aligned with client objectives
  • Manage client expectations to ensure satisfaction and retention
  • Oversee campaign planning, integrating audience insights and market trends
  • Drive thought leadership by identifying new opportunities and trends
  • Optimize client account financial health through budgeting and forecasting
  • Foster team collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning

Benefits

  • Strong leadership development opportunities
  • Professional growth support
  • A supportive work environment
  • Competitive benefits package
  • Commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace
Full Job Description
Overview

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Senior Director. This individual will be the face

of the agency, managing a diverse portfolio of brands. You'll need 10+ years of experience, exceptional storytelling skills, high emotional intelligence (EQ), and the resilience to

navigate complex, high-pressure environments.

This role is for an experienced Group Account Director at Zenith, the ROI Agency, within Publicis Media Canada. As the primary client lead, you will be responsible for building and

nurturing strong client relationships while managing media strategy development and

execution to meet client goals. You'll oversee cross-channel campaign planning, drive

thought leadership and lead a high-performing team. Additionally, you'll manage financial

health, including budgeting and forecasting, and identify growth opportunities for client

accounts. This role also requires a strategic focus on campaign performance, innovation,

and leveraging data insights to maximize ROI. The position offers strong leadership

opportunities, professional development, and a supportive work environment with

competitive benefits.

Responsibilities
• Serve as the primary client lead, fostering strong relationships with key stakeholders
• Act as a strategic partner, understanding client business challenges and proactively providing solutions
• Lead the development and execution of media strategies to meet client objectives
• Manage client expectations, ensuring satisfaction and long-term retention
• Develop innovative and data-driven media strategies that align with client goals
• Oversee campaign planning, ensuring alignment with audience insights, market trends, and business objectives
• Drive thought leadership by identifying new opportunities and industry trends
• Partner with internal teams to craft integrated, multi-channel media plans
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of account managers and planners
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning
• Provide clear direction, ensuring alignment on client goals and agency priorities.
• Oversee resource allocation and workflow to optimize team performance.
• Own the financial health of client accounts, including budgeting, forecasting, and profitability.
• Identify opportunities for account growth and drive new business initiatives.
• Collaborate with leadership on agency revenue and business development strategies.
• Negotiate contracts, scopes of work, and media investments with vendors and partners.
• Ensure flawless execution of campaigns across digital, traditional, and emerging media platforms.
• Oversee performance tracking, measurement, and optimization to maximize ROI.
• Drive innovation by testing new media technologies and platforms.
• Partner with analytics teams to translate data into actionable insights

Qualifications
• 10+ years of experience as an Account Director with a focus on client management and team leadership
• Minimum 3 years as Associate Director/Director experience
• University or College degree/diploma in Media, Marketing, Business, Project Management or related field
• Direct client-servicing experience
• Demonstrated supervisory, delegation and strong mentorship skills
• Challenges traditional boundaries and demonstrates consistent creative approaches

to business problems• Working knowledge of Syndicated tools (DDS, Prisma, DCM, DBM & Vividata etc
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite of products
• Strong storytelling and communication skills, with the ability to manage high-level client relationships
• Proven experience managing multiple senior client stakeholders and multi- disciplinary teams
• Demonstrated mentorship skills, with a passion for team growth and development
• Working knowledge of syndicated tools (DDS, Prisma, DCM, DBM, Vividata, etc.)

Additional information

We're committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. Accommodations are available throughout the hiring process upon request.

Salary

Transparency matters to us. The salary range for this position is $120k - 140k per year. Actual compensation within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and applicable certifications. This range reflects what we reasonably expect to offer based on current market data.

AI Use

We use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of our hiring process, such as reviewing applications or analyzing resumes. These tools assist our recruitment team but never replace human decision-making. We believe in a human-first approach, where your experience and potential are recognized by people.

About Saatchi & Saatchi

Saatchi & Saatchi is a global advertising agency headquartered in New York City. The company was founded in London in 1970 by brothers Maurice and Charles Saatchi and is now part of the Publicis Groupe, a French multinational advertising and public relations company. Saatchi & Saatchi has over 6,000 employees in 114 countries and provides a range of advertising and marketing services to clients in various industries, including automotive, consumer goods, financial services, and telecommunications. The company is known for its creative and innovative advertising campaigns, including the iconic 'Nothing is Impossible' campaign for Toyota. Saatchi & Saatchi has won numerous awards for its work, including Cannes Lions, Clios, and Effies.
Learn more about Saatchi & Saatchi
Size
6,000 employees
Industry

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