A VP/Account Director occupies a senior position in account service and typically reports to a SVP, Account Director. The primary job function is to set agency standards by supervising their teams so that existing business is successfully managed and grown. Seven core competencies must be mastered for this position, described below.
Strategic Thinking
- Initiates and spearheads strategy at all levels of the business
- Actively participates in the development of copy strategy/positioning
- Fosters solid analyses of markets and competitive environments by account teams
- Maintains quality control on issues development
- Ensures alignment between issues, strategies and programming
- Builds commitment to strategy/process within the agency and brand teams
- Understands and utilizes agency strategic tools
- Offers strategic solutions that surpass common practice
Creative/Branding
- Encourages and contributes to the development of world-class creative
- Constructively reviews creative to ensure strategic alignment and enhance its impact on building the brand
- Creates the means to maximize selling of the creative product (e.g. anticipates objections, identifies 'hot buttons', adds Showtime elements, creates hype, rehearses team)
- Manages critiques of the creative product and ensures proper interpretation of comments/concerns
- Champions the creative product
- Seeks/helps develop creative solutions that surpass common practice
- Understands and helps drive the branding process
Driving the Business
- Drives income beyond forecast
- Identifies business development opportunities and assesses their income impact
- Fosters and generates proposals for incremental business building
- Supports client in forecasting and development of the A/P budget
- Helps the agency to set new standards within the industry
- Identifies opportunities for sister/partner companies
- Supports new business pitches as needed
Client Relations
- Develops and maintains harmonious client relationships
- Effectively represents agency POV to client
- Effectively leads both account and brand teams
- Demonstrates support and commitment to agency's processes, product and services
- Positions agency at its best with client
- Ensures well-rounded, high quality support of client business (strategic, creative, management attention, social)
- Elevates issues or opportunities to more senior agency level as appropriate
Management/Leadership
- Maintains and supports agency management in maintaining, a strong, valued presence with clients and in agency
- Ensures adherence to standards of excellence
- Effectively manages and supervises team members
- Appropriately counsels staff on internal and external issues
- Monitors and evaluates performance of staff (identifying strengthens, weaknesses, and areas for development); does timely and actionable personnel news
- Identifies and helps resolve people/departmental conflicts with practical solutions
- Celebrates/acknowledges achievements of staff with agency and client
- Contributes positively to agency culture and environment
Agency Operations
- Delivers accurate and realistic forecasts (annually and quarterly)
- Routinely monitors financial performance of accounts to maximize income generation
- Assists with fee negotiations and ensures routine monitoring for accuracy/adjustments
- Ensures smooth work flow management and procedure adherence among accounts
- Ensures compliance with agency expectations for standard documentation and reports (contact reports, reco's, client status reports, etc.)
- Identifies agency areas for improvement including competitive issues
Fundamentals
- Has in-depth knowledge of industry and driving forces
- Continually maintains/strengthens understanding of brands and businesses
- Generates results through effective written and oral communications
- Upholds highest work standards and quality control
- Excellent interpersonal and listening skills
- Strong management skills
- Manages time effectively
- Demonstrates solid, professional work ethic
- Shows strong analytical and decision making abilities
- Demonstrates passion for the brand and creative product
