Overview

The VP Client Lead will provide strategic oversight and direction on all client marketing activities for a group of accounts and help drive business growth by unlocking client's business opportunities.

The VP Client Lead will lead a team and be accountable for the realization of a major client. They are the key contact to senior clients and are responsible for all day-to-day operations and integration between the various Publicis divisions. The entire agency team, including the client services, creative, production and development departments, will rely on the VP Client Lead's expertise and leadership throughout projects to assure appropriate distribution of resources, fluid communication, meeting deadlines and achieving clients' business objectives and KPIs.

Responsibilities

Account Leadership
• Aware of overall status of all account activity but not necessarily all the details
• Key contact person for strategic or broader business issues consultation
• Focuses on major issues of strategic importance
• Keeps things moving both within the agency and at the client
• Work collaboratively within an inter-agency team (IAT) environment, coordinating with agency partners across disciplines to deliver integrated, cohesive marketing solutions
• Leads an integrated and motivated team around client objectives ensuring that teams are skilled up and resourced appropriately.
• Ensures realistic timelines are being set - is clear and precise about next steps
• Always strives for decisions and resolution
• Overall responsibility for maintaining agency standards and levels of service
• Initiates significant actions to improve agency's or client's business
• Identifies opportunities for and enables integration among Publicis divisions
• Keeps agency management up-to-date on big picture account issues and opportunities
• Makes tactical use of senior Publicis management to influence client

Client Relationship Management
• Has a solid grasp of where agency work fits into client's total operation - views client's business from broadest perspective possible
• Understand the client's business thoroughly - understand global issues as well as marketing issues
• Works with client in developing long-range marketing & communications plans, wherever possible
• Identifies key players in client organization and focuses selling efforts on key decision-makers
• Builds support by involving multiple client contacts in appropriate stages of strategy development, decision making and execution
• Manages team to ensure they also build strong relationships with their counterparts to deliver outstanding client service.

Financial Management
• Develops accurate project estimates, with input from extended team members (creative, project management, analytics, development, etc.)
• Reviews and approves estimates developed by direct reports, prior to sending to client
• Co-ordinates with finance, when required, to ensure they have a copy of approve estimates, invoices are sent in a timely manner and that bills are paid when due
• Reports percent complete to finance each month, for revenue tracking
• Leads development annual SOW, with input from extended team and EVP Mentorship
• Delivers Performance Development reviews including development plans for direct reports; provide coaching to direct reports on a variety of topics on an ongoing basis.
• Provides clear direction to Account team
• Provide stimulus for new solutions to business problems
• Assign responsibilities and accountability

Adopt a teacher/mentor role
• Instills teamwork and unity
• Manages conflict
• Trains and develops direct reports Strategic Management
• Delivers innovative and ambitious, strategic solutions that balance client and agency values working closely with colleagues and clients.
• Works with clients to define objective, set KPIs and ensure these are met.
• Involved in/inputs on all major business decisions; position/strategic discussions, meetings, research, recommendations
• Manages client relationship, contracts, financial issues
• Identifies business development opportunities (current and new clients) - use knowledge of agency products and services to influence and contribute to innovative, ambitious and value drive solutions

Qualifications
• 12+ years of experience in a similar function with a minimum of 4 years of experience leading a team in an agency environment
• Ability to articulate a strategic communications plan and develop recommendations to respond to client issues and needs
• Ability to instill confidence and manage expectations with internal and external stakeholders
• Previous experience with support new business efforts at the Network or brand level.
• Proven experience in developing sustainable relationships with clients Deep CRM experience, strategic thinker

Additional information

Salary

Transparency matters to us. The salary for this position is $180K 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.