Account Director

Job description

Reporting to: Head of Client Services
Location: Holywood, N. Ireland
Closing Date: Friday 4th February 2022 at 12pm



Who we’re looking for:

Ardmore is looking for an Account Director to direct strategic communications, ensuring effective and measurable results for the Client, and returning profit for the Agency. You will be involved with pitches for new business and must be able to approach potential Clients with both a creative and commercial mindset. The ability to lead and inspire team colleagues, clients and external partners is vital to being successful in this role.


What you’ll be doing:

Providing strategic direction, development and leadership on Client accounts.
Creating and maintaining excellent daily working relationships with Clients.
Leading and managing Client projects, including: taking Client briefs; providing analysis of input of Client together with background knowledge and research; producing briefs for Creative, Digital and Media; identifying opportunities for adding value; presenting and selling to Client.
Monitoring competitor activity, and being proactive in suggesting and devising new initiatives for Clients.
Developing and maintaining excellent working relationships with all colleagues, and coaching, advising and leading members of the Client Services team as appropriate.
Proactively driving and maximising profit from Client accounts in line with general business and financial objectives.
Proactively generating new business and revenue opportunities for the Agency, and participating in production of tenders and new business presentations.
Maintaining and developing a detailed understanding of all disciplines and arenas in which the Agency transacts, in order to enhance the both Agency’s and Clients’ competitive advantages.
Adhering to all internal Agency and ISO procedures, including prompt completion of timesheets, generation of estimates and invoices, writing and distributing Contact Reports, and producing clear and accurate forecasts.
Assisting in the management of personnel and general managerial duties where necessary.
Making a sustainable positive contribution to the future success of the Company.
Performing any other duties as may reasonably be required from time-to-time.
Participating in training and development opportunities, staff performance appraisals and reviews as required.
Complying with Data Protection Regulations with regard to safeguarding customers’ sensitive information at all times.
Performing the role in accordance with the Agency’s policies and procedures.
Adhering to and supporting all other company policies, procedures, processes and working practices, including adhering to best practice.

The job description is not to be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive. It is intended as an outline indication of the areas of activity and will be amended in the light of the changing needs of the business.

What you need:
Essential

Qualifications/Attainments

Third level qualification in Marketing or related discipline.

Experience

Proven Account Director experience.
Extensive Industry experience.
Evidence of profitable and effective management of UK/Ireland-wide communication projects.

Skills/Knowledge/Competencies/Disposition

Understanding of what makes great/effective advertising.
Strong leadership qualities.
Ability to embrace evolving communication platforms.
Strong and compelling presentation skills.
A motivational and inspiring team player.

Other Requirements

Flexible and adjustable with the ability to work additional hours when required.
Hold a current & valid full UK driving license with access to a vehicle.
Proof of eligibility to work in the UK.
Two satisfactory employment references. One should be your current or most recent employer.

Desirable

Qualifications/Attainments

Ongoing evidence of commitment to personal growth.
Membership of Professional Body.

Experience

ISO Awareness.
Proven responsibility of Effectiveness Award with communications experience.


Additional information:

Closing date: the closing date for CVs will be as listed via the recruitment channel. Late CVs will not be considered.

Shortlisting: only candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the essential criteria will be shortlisted. The panel reserves the right to apply all or part of the desirable criteria at the shortlisting stage.

Reserve list: a reserve list of candidates may be maintained for the purpose of any similar vacancies (temporary or permanent) that may arise within 12 months of this recruitment process.

Employment offer: any employment offer is subject to satisfactory completion of two employment references, proof of right to work in the UK and proof of any required qualifications.

First-stage interviews for shortlisted candidates will take place the week commencing Monday 31st January 2022. Those candidates successful from the first stage will be invited to a further interview on the week commencing Monday 7th February 2022.

Ardmore may also recruit for additional roles such as Senior Account Manager and Account Manager from the candidate pool.

Ardmore is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. All appointments will be made on the basis of merit.

The Package

Ardmore can offer the following benefits to successful candidates alongside a competitive salary:

Enhanced Paid Leave of 27 days per annum plus your birthday and 11 statutory holidays.
Pension.
Access to Private Healthcare after six months’ service.
Flexible approach to working arrangements.
Access to Mental Health and Wellbeing platform and initiatives.
Laptop and IT equipment.
Comprehensive continuous personal development (CPD), onboarding and training programme.
Paid membership of IPA with full access to a range of CPD tools.
Paid expenses for travel undertaken for the purposes of your job.
Opportunity to join in a range of other team-building and fun activities.

The Agency

What we’re all about:

Our mission is to be a trusted strategic partner to our Clients. We are creatively restless, respectful, fearless, innovative, invested and always effective. Setting and smashing those targets we set ourselves has allowed our team to grow bigger than ever, so we need more people who will share in our goal of achieving spectacular results for every Client.

As a fully-integrated Agency, we offer Strategy, Advertising, Design, Digital, Videography, Media and Branding, as well as PR through our sister company LK Communications – and that’s just scratching the surface.

More than that, we’re all about our people. Inside our offices, you’ll find a friendly and collaborative group of innovative professionals all striving for the same goals: to create brilliant work and exceed expectations every step of the way.

Interested in working alongside industry experts on some of the UK & Ireland’s best-known brands? Enjoy a flexible, collaborative and stimulating work environment? Ready to drive your career forward with an ever-growing, innovative company? Then this is the place for you!