Integrated Account Director

About us

For great ambitions

Emperor is here to turn ambition into success through the power of clear, confident and consistent communications. Working together, we help our clients to connect and engage with their stakeholders and audiences, so they can achieve great things. Whatever our clients’ ambitions, and wherever they are in the business lifecycle, we’re focused on offering them strategic expertise, outstanding creative and the very best client service.

What we do and how we do it

Our strategic and creative teams bring insight, communications, stories and messages to life to turn our clients’ ambitions into reality. We are experts in reporting, brand, employee experience and sustainability. We create multi-channel content that drives reporting, messaging, marketing and campaigns to deliver a truly integrated experience for our clients’ stakeholders and audiences. Our services include everything from digital to print, film and presentations.

What we can offer you

Keeping our employees happy is what makes us a great place to work. We’re decent, fun and friendly people to spend time with. And we’re focused on helping you achieve your great ambitions.

THE ROLE

The role of the Account Director is to work across a diverse portfolio of clients, delivering integrated and strategic corporate communications. The Account Director works with our print, digital, design, brand and specialist teams to deliver creative and innovative solutions.

This role will beworking with our clients on a varietyof creativeprojects including corporate web builds, SEO, social media campaigns, blogs, film and animations.

We're looking for an experienced Account Director with integrated experience who can strategically lead key client projects and relationships.It would also be an advantage if you have experience working across brand and employee engagement, but this isn'tessential for this role.

PURPOSE

To own the client relationship and have full accountability for three areas:

1. Client service – Emperor prides itself on its client service and it is a key reason why clients choose to work with us. You will be organized and efficient in your communication/documentation and, most of all, personable in the way you work with clients and colleagues. Relationships matter and when something is in doubt if a deadline is looming you will instinctively pick up the phone rather than rely on email. Delivery alone isn’t enough, we want our clients to want to work with us again and again.

2. Project Lead and Programme Manager – exceptional clients will demand exceptional delivery skills. As a senior member of the team, you will be expected to lead showcase projects which demand hands on involvement from an experienced member of the team. You will also be expected to act as a Programme Manager, ensuring different work streams dovetail effectively and taking ultimate responsibility when overseeing the work of individual account/project managers. Leading the internal team is also an important part of the role.

3. Commercial success – a strong commercial awareness is critical to the role. Our client service team are at the forefront of scoping and pricing, and are accountable for delivering projects profitably. Having the confidence to talk about budget issues with clients is essential.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Client service

– Proactive approach to relationship building

– Day-to-day contact for clients

– Provision of an exceptional client experience, from the timely issuance of agendas and contact reports to clear on-going communication and sound judgment of when to escalate issues

– Act as a partner and safe pair of hands to your clients

– Provide a strong management approach, giving strategic advice as regards the project delivery

– Be one step ahead of the client at all times, advising of risk associated with any elements, always solutions focused

– Flexible approach and attitude when challenged by clients or situations

2. Project Lead and Programme Manager

– Management of delivery process from kick off to completion

– Programme management, providing lateral thinking and planning as required

– Lead internal team, provide necessary information in summary form, engage and inform team at regular intervals

– Accurate documentation both internal and external (status reports, agendas, contact reports etc)

– High standard of attention to detail; requirement to check work as senior on the project

– Attend to all reporting needs

– Create and manage project timelines

– Manage resource effectively, communicating any change to the planned resource in good time

– Production liaison/briefing/management

– Lead and coordinate on new business proposals, presenting as part of a team where necessary

3. Commercial success:

– Full commercial responsibility and financial accountability across your accounts

– Oversee project scoping and planning, briefing, resourcing, forecasting, delivery and invoicing ensuring work is produced on time, to brief, on budget, to required profit margins and that the client is happy

– Ensure that your clients are on track to meet their monthly revenue targets, invoicing through the month and managing WIP on your projects

– Ensure you and your team work towards profitability on your projects and proactively address if there are any overruns

– Maintain accurate and timely management data on all your accounts, and report regularly on progress

Skills, knowledge & experience:

– Embodies and demonstrates Emperor’s Values – Aim High, Creativity Everywhere, Infectious Enthusiasm, Always Learning and Razor Sharp

– Collaborative and team-worker with the ability to build strong relationships and adapt style to be equally effective, persuasive and influential across range of partnerships and projects.

– Financially literate and an appreciation of how to present financial information to stakeholders

– Mature leader, personable and enthusiastic team player with energy, stamina, drive and intelligence, with strong corporate communications experience

– Ability to truly listen to clients, challenge where appropriate and manage their expectations – a diplomat with strong EQ/client empathy skills.

– Excellent communicator both verbally and written - ability to present with confidence.

– Multi-tasker with ability to prioritise tasks - ability to manage clients and projects under pressure and manage up as well as down when appropriate.

– Attention to detail, ability to see the big picture and act/prioritise accordingly: able to simplify complex tasks into actionable activities for a team.

– Resilient, passionate, energetic and hungry. A positive driving force within the business - with strong business acumen and commercial awareness.

– Strong sense of responsibility, commitment and accountability, with a ‘can-do’ attitude

– Team player, always willing to support colleagues, directors and clients

KPI’s:

1. Client service

● 100% client retention

● Maintain highest levels of service throughout your account and delivery teams. Ensure the client is happy with scores of 4 or 5 on client satisfaction survey.

2. Project Lead and Programme Manager

● Deliver projects smoothly

● Zero error on all published projects

● Show capability to manage the volume of work set

● Manage integrated workstreams to ensure a consistent standard and approach

● A happy internal project team

● Good resource management, with few last minute drop outs

● Strong engagement on new business pitching

3. Commercial success:

● Create accurate proposals using fee calculator and SOW documents, sharing with senior managers for approval.

● Projects delivered within budget, or evidence of successful management of project budgets

● Strong management of sales forecast, with no last minute movement

4. Culture:

● Demonstrate and be recognised for living the Emperor Principles via 360 feedback, pitch feedback and client satisfaction surveys.

As an employer, we are committed to ensuring the representation of people from all backgrounds regardless of their gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, or any other aspect which makes them unique. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to apply and would encourage you to let us know if there are steps we can take to ensure that your recruitment process enables you to present yourself in a way that makes you comfortable.