Join Our Talent Pool: Account Director

Idea Peddler

$90K — $130K *
Business Services
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 7+ years of experience in full-service advertising including media, creative, PR, and social
  • Track record of leading successful client engagements
  • Strategic thinker with creative problem-solving skills
  • Proficient with cloud-based collaboration tools
  • Strong ability to build rapport and relationships with clients
  • Organized, accountable, and self-motivated
  • Fun-loving attitude that appreciates the nuances of advertising.

Responsibilities

  • Lead key accounts while supporting junior team members and senior leadership
  • Act as the main point of contact and advisor for clients
  • Facilitate collaboration among functional teams to produce impactful ideas
  • Monitor all client projects and proactively address any issues
  • Create visually appealing presentation materials for clients
  • Manage project timelines and deliverables to meet brand goals
  • Guide the development of junior talent within your team.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health, vision, and dental coverage
  • 401k matching program
  • Generous paid time off
  • Tech kit and health club stipend
  • Weekly catered meals and educational opportunities
  • Hybrid work model promoting work-life balance.
Full Job Description
Who we're looking for:

You are a confident client leader who thrives on building strong relationships and guiding partners with confidence, clarity, and a distinct strategic perspective. You don't just execute requests, you bring a sharp point of view to the table, navigating ambiguity to help clients make smart, high-impact decisions. You understand how strategy, creative, media, social, and PR work together. You are comfortable leading integrated thinking across all disciplines.

You are equally adept at zooming out to see the big picture and zooming in to ensure the details align. You bring calm, steady leadership to both clients and internal teams, taking pride in helping others do their best work in a "No B.S. environment".

Qualities Needed:
  • A strategic, client-facing leader who confidently guides conversations and decisions
  • A collaborative consensus builder who knows when to align and when to push for the sake of the work
  • 7+ years of experience leading client engagements in a full-service agency environment
  • A strong strategic thinker who translates insights into clear, actionable direction
  • Highly organized and proactive, with a strong sense of ownership over outcomes
  • Comfortable challenging assumptions and bringing a point of view that elevates the final product
  • Clear and confident in written, verbal, and presentation-style storytelling
  • Comfortable using cloud-based collaboration and project management tools
  • Kind-hearted, grounded, and fun; you understand how to balance urgency with what matters most

About the Role:

As an Account Director, you are the lead strategic and trusted advisor on key accounts. You will immerse yourself in your clients' businesses and categories to act as a partner across all facets of marketing and media. This role goes beyond relationship management. We expect you to provide guidance, anticipate challenges, and help clients "see around corners". You will lead annual and special project planning, shape strong briefs, and ensure work is grounded in purpose. Internally, you are a mentor. Externally you are a steady partner clients rely on to make good decisions.

Key Responsibilities
  • Client Leadership & Strategy
    • Serve as the primary lead and trusted advisor for assigned accounts
    • Lead annual and major initiatives planning processes, ensuring strategy aligns with client goals and business realities
    • Bring clear recommendations to clients, guiding them through tough decisions and trade-offs
    • Proactively address risks and opportunities before the escalate
    • Build deep, credible relationships rooted in preparation and follow-through
  • Meeting & Communication Leadership
    • Own every client interaction; setting agendas, guiding decisions, and defining next steps
    • Communicate with clarity, confidence, and calm, even in high-pressure or ambiguous situations
    • Be a strong presenter and storyteller, capable of selling ideas and recommendations through compelling presentations
  • Internal Team Leadership
    • Translate client objectives into strong, actionable briefs that set teams up for success
    • Partner across disciplines to shape integrated, "bespoke" solutions
    • Implement ways of working that produce "cross-functional magic" and ensures deliverables flow smoothly
    • Guide teams through complexity while balancing ambition, scope, and available resources
    • Mentor and develop junior team members, helping them grow in strategy and confidence
  • Account & Business Management
    • Own overall account health, including scope, timelines and resources
    • Partner with senior leadership team to ensure accurate forecasting, billing, and margin management
    • Identify opportunities for organic account growth
  • Work Quality & Delivery
    • Ensure work is strategically sound and well-briefed
    • Oversee and many times lead client-facing materials to ensure they are clear, compelling, and on-brand
    • Guide the team toward award-worthy thinking and execution

What does success in this role look like?
  • Clients view you as a strategic partner and conversations focus on direction and impact
  • Internal teams feel clear, supported, and confident
  • 95%+ NPS from clients' quarterly business ratings
  • High client retention (
  • Fewer than 5% of account issues require COO or CEO escalation
  • Low to no errors (grammar to financial) and a consistent solutions-oriented attitude

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Idea Peddler

More Business Services Jobs

Find similar Join Our Talent Pool: Account Director jobs: