Group Account Director (Creative + Media) - Hybrid San Francisco

We are pioneers at heart. What this means, is that we are always leaning forward, thinking of what we can create tomorrow that does not exist today. We were born digital and we are a new model of agency, with a deep skillset in tech and marketing. That’s why we hire curious, self-driven, talented people who never stop innovating.

Our culture is big enough to cope and small enough to care. Meaning, that with people across 20+ countries, we’re big enough to provide you with the best tools, global opportunities, and benefits that help you thrive. While acting small by investing in you, your growth, your team, and giving you the autonomy to solve our clients' problems, no matter where you are in the world. 

Group Director, Client Partnership at DEPT® lead ​​enterprise/global multi-service portfolios. We expect Group Directors to be experts in truly understanding the clients in their portfolio’s business, challenges, goals, and SWOT, and establish relationships with the senior level client contacts in order to push their team outside of the box on driving innovation/strategy.  Group Directors represent DEPT® to our senior-most clients, delivering a mix of strategic account management, integrated planning, client management, and commercial leadership.

Group Directors should optimize operational efficiency across portfolios and disciplines, design integrated solutions across practices, and develop future-state strategies with KPIs for their clients’ business. They should bring a keen focus around developing future leaders and upleveling integrated marketing expertise across the team. Group Directors are expected to contribute to agency POVs and participate in thought leadership initiatives, as well as introduce innovative approaches across accounts.

Group Directors should act as Champions of the One DEPT® model by integrating global capabilities across media, creative, experience, data, and technology to deliver holistic client solutions.  

Candidates must have experience managing teams (directly and indirectly), complex campaigns, and high-volume retainers for brands and be calm and controlled in high-pressure situations. Equally, experience with delivering commercial success in an agency model is important. We need people who can come up with big ideas as well as lots of little ones that are framed in a solid strategy grounded in insight and ultimately deliver a tangible ROI for our clients. Most importantly, we need a leader who inspires their team and earns the respect of senior clients.

The role of a Group Director is exciting, varied, and constantly evolving. In this role, you will:

• Responsible for ensuring client satisfaction by regularly communicating with senior decision-makers, resulting in high client retention and growth
• Ability to be a point of escalation on their accounts and effectively solve issues that arise, whether internally or with clients
• Proactively seeks out in-person relationship building opportunities (ie. in person meetings, conferences / events where the client is in attendance) to further the relationship beyond the work

• Identify and support talent, develop future leaders, and ensure high-performing team dynamics.
• Designs integrated solutions across practices and innovative approaches across accounts
• Develops future-state strategies with KPIs, demonstrating a keen understanding into the clients’ business and recommending appropriate future-state solutions.
• Fosters a culture of innovation leading to case-study worthy work on their client accounts.
• Proactively pursues cross-sell & upsell opportunities to drive innovation, strategy, and organic revenue growth.
• Demonstrates actions towards furthering their integrated marketing expertise in order to elevate work, cross-sell, and help clients achieve their business goals
• Collaborates cross-functionally between Media, Creative, Experience, and Engineering in order to solve client business challenges.
• Crafts QBR outlines and owns the overall narrative for alignment, collecting inputs / content from team members for presentation and organizing pre-read with day-to-day clients.

• Responsible for financial management of client portfolio revenue, including updating relevant internal financial systems accurately and in a timely manner.
• Ability to forecast, reconcile, and monitor client revenue and profitability in partnership with Client Finance and Delivery.
• Ability to productize our services, scope projects, and structure commercial models within budget and on brief - co-authoring scopes of work with Delivery and Legal.
• Ability to effectively and rapidly negotiate SOW adjustments & expansions with clients.
• Ability to lead contract negotiations and oversee the implementation of commercial agreements.

• Mentoring talent to uplevel skills and build high performing teams.
• Ability to lead, line-manage, motivate and inspire a team.
• Responsible for ensuring teams are operating effectively and efficiently towards clients goals while meeting financial revenue targets on accounts.
• Ability to successfully work with all craft teams to effectively drive strategies and work that leads clients to the next level of their business.
• Responsible for ensuring all teams servicing their client(s) identify core issues, proactively develop plans to mitigate issues, 
• Ability to effectively handle hard conversations both on client and employee side, rally team to overcome challenges, and deliver high client satisfaction (validated via CSAT surveys and regular check-ins).
• When required, escalates interpersonal issues to the People team and collaborates on a solution.

• Responsible for ensuring delivery of work is to the highest possible standard.
• Must have a strong understanding of scope management, inclusive of how to track and manage, escalate account, staffing, and profitability issues.
• Responsible for consistently assessing team/client fit, ensuring we have the right talent matched up to the right clients - based on expertise, communication/working styles.
• Ability to determine resolution for any cross-channel issues including performance, tracking, QA issues, etc.

• Leads new business pitches and proposals alongside the Growth team - owning the development of strong strategic narratives, pricing, and team structure.
• Strong understanding of DEPT's global service offerings & department leads with the ability to participate in conversations for complex projects or new offerings & know who to bring into the conversation within DEPT globally and how to position them for success.
• Contributes to agency POVs and participates in thought leadership initiatives.
• Delivers case-study worthy work and drafts case studies for Growth initiatives. 

Our offering is advanced for the industry, and we rely on great people. To be considered for this role, you will need the skills or experience outlined below.

• 12+ years of experience in roles servicing clients in an agency environment
• Owns $5-7M+ client portfolio. Runs client portfolio like an independent business unit
• Owns and exceeds multi-account growth targets
• Experience leading pitches and driving organic account growth
• Experience managing large integrated clients, AORs, and agency teams
• Executive presence: demonstrates self awareness, strategic thought leadership, excellent communication skills, and the ability to anticipate client needs and opportunities
• Experience in leading a high-volume, multi-service client engagements
• Experience inspiring team members and fostering a proactive, collaborative, and energized team culture
• Ability to communicate complex messages to a variety of audiences
• Ability to view the big picture, beyond your immediate role or department, and align projects with company strategy, values & goals
• Ability to solve problems through collecting relevant information for assessment, understanding solutions & consequences in order to choose a course of action
• Ability to connect each project to the business world, thinking through effectiveness, efficiency, and consistency within all interdisciplinary projects
• Excellent organizational skills and high attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills; excellent presentation skills
• Advanced problem-solving skills
• Excellent time management skills
• Ability to react quickly within a fast-paced environment
• Ability to remain focused under pressure and work under tight deadlines
• Proficient in working with data
• Proficient in AI enabled workflows to advance client offerings

DEPT® is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We believe our work is its best when our people feel safe and free to be themselves. We’re committed to an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection process and workplace, regardless of anyone’s identity, background, beliefs, lifestyle or disabilities. So tell us about any accommodations you need. It’s totally confidential and only used to make sure you feel fully supported at every step. 

DEPT® participates in E-Verify, meaning your Form I-9 information will be sent to the federal government to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S. 

We are a B Corp-certified company passionate about purpose-driven work.  Our hope is that you can feel good about the contributions DEPT® is making to the world and we always have an open door for your ideas in making the world a better place. 

DEPT® is a pioneering technology and marketing services company that creates integrated end-to-end digital experiences for brands such as Google, KFC, Philips, Audi, Twitch, Patagonia, eBay and more. Its team of 2,500+ digital specialists across 30+ locations on 5 continents delivers pioneering work on a global scale with a boutique culture. 

Learn more about DEPT®

At DEPT®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives.

Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide! Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine. 

We also encourage you  to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us.

Want to know more about our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Check out our efforts here.