Account Director ( Public Relations )

Ogilvy was founded in 1948 by David Ogilvy. David created a culture that deeply respects and cares about its people and clients. Our mission is to inspire people and brands to make an impact and we are committed to attracting, growing, and retaining the best talent in the industry.

About the Role

An Account Director should be an experienced, broadly capable project and account manager who handles a wide range of assignments, projects and/or clients with a high degree of success and independence. She/he has strong client relationships and is considered a company leader.

An Account Director has demonstrated high-level professional knowledge and skills. She/he is able to manage a piece of a large account or a few smaller ones, with little top cover from her/his Group Account Director, General Manager and/or Managing Director, as well as the staff assigned to the business. She/he should have strong project management, budgeting, counseling, programming, people management and business development skills with increased emphasis and demonstrated success in building business and people. She/he has the confidence and support of client contacts and strong relationships with the client organization. As a firm wide leader, an Account Director demonstrates the ability and wherewithal to deliver on our vision, performance requirements and growth projections. An Account Director has strong relationships with and the confidence of the client. There is no time limit on the Account Director position

What You’ll Do

An Account Director meets all the responsibilities and expectations of a Senior Account Manager and:

• Sets and manages client expectations.
• Develops and manages projects/programs, including implementation plans, evaluation mechanisms, staffing plans, budgets and timelines.
• In managing account team ensures that work is delegated to the appropriate experience levels within the team structure.
• Independently handles several small accounts or major projects of a large account, directing much of the day-to-day work with assistance from more senior staff as appropriate.
• Is the client contact for the full account and ensures that agency points of contact grow over time.
• Develops presentations for clients relative to project management/program status.
• Ensures that the team(s) is appropriately informed and involved in projects.
• Anticipates and leads in the resolution of emerging account problems.
• Ensures that team can articulate and apply agency vision, goals, practice areas and capabilities.

Professional Skills

• Has depth and diversity of account experience that informs public relations counsel.
• Has full understanding of public relations and a consistent track record of achieving public relations objectives.
• Responsible for overall development of programs based on team input.
• Directs development of range of materials developed by account team including client memos, press releases, speeches, articles, brochures, presentation and collateral materials.
• Efficiently and effectively plans and manages large-scale events.
• Develops and guides media relations strategy.
• Applies specialized industry expertise to client work.
• Helps team apply knowledge of the creative process, graphic and video production, as well as IT and emerging media.
• Has established a circle of industry editorial, investment community, professional and/or third-party group contacts.
• Has strong presentation skills and demonstrated ability to play a leadership role in a wide range of presentation settings.
• Anticipates and develops solutions to client needs and problems.
• Provides strong leadership in building effective, productive account teams.
• Develops accurate project budgets and monitors them effectively.
• Oversees timely development and distribution of bills and activity reports.
• Follows-up with clients on collections and other financial and administrative details.
• Completes timesheets daily and otherwise acts in accordance with company policies and procedures and ensures the same for the team.
• Contributes to forecasting/projections done by more senior managers.
• Meets Account Director billability targets and ensures the team does the same for their levels.
• Is gaining awareness and understanding of our contractual agreements and their impact on agency procedures.

People Management

• Participates with senior managers in hiring, assessment and career development activities.
• Identifies strengths and weaknesses of direct reports and team members, providing day-to-day counseling on job performance and career development as appropriate.
• Manages timely performance appraisals for direct reports.
• Manages staff to maximize productivity and individual, team and financial performance.

Business Development

• Provides leadership in growing existing accounts.
• Identifies and pursues opportunities for developing new business within and across company offices and practice areas.
• Provides leadership in developing and presenting new business programs for potential and existing clients.
• Ensures that team contributes quality ideas and recommendations for new/expanded programs and proposals.
• Delivers strong analyses, strategy and concepts to new program development.
• Presents and discusses firm capabilities, based on knowledge of cases, products and services and ensures team understanding of this area.
• Must be familiar with New Business Guidebook and databases.

Initiative and General Management

• Is familiar with, and supports achievement of, the company’s vision and exemplifies the company’s values.
• Routinely contributes to agency growth and performance as project, team, group and agency leader.
• Manages people in effective, productive manner that also develops their skills and loyalty to the firm.
• Routinely develops and implements solutions when problems arise.
• Assists peers in problem solving.
• Leverages talents of colleagues in own problem solving.
• Routinely seeks and shares information with colleagues.
• Directs and facilitates others’ contributions to team, staff and client meetings.
• Displays work ethic and values of the firm in day-to-day behavior.
• Routinely invests in building agency and client accounts and resources.
• Works with senior managers to identify and address supervisory training, leadership, and career development needs.
• Continually seeks new ways to learn and improve and contribute.

What You’ll Need

• Preferably have more than 7 years of experience in communications or related industries
• Has the confidence and support of multiple client contacts.
• Candidates with demonstrated communication skills and training or in a field related to the business are encouraged
• A capable writer who is able to generate a range of materials such as client memos, press releases, speeches and articles.
• A skilled editor capable of directing the written materials of juniors
• Oversees and directs communications campaigns
• Demonstrates the 6 brand values of Ogilvy
• Strong presentation skills and plays an active role in new business and client presentations
• Participates actively in team, staff and client’s meetings
• Continually seeks new ways to learn and improve
• Consistently identifies and pursues opportunities for enhancing involvement and contributions to the account, team and agency
• Displays work ethics and values of the organization in day-to-day behavior
• Identifies training, education and skill-building needs.

How We’ll Support You

Ogilvy celebrates its people. Fully. Enthusiastically. Unhesitatingly. We’ll empower you with the tools you’ll need to succeed. We’ll give you the autonomy to seek out new paths and better ways of doing things. We’ll support you with colleagues who are experts in their disciplines, drawn from across the Ogilvy network. And we’ll provide opportunities for you to do work of which you’ll be proud, with people you’ll be proud to call your teammates.

At Ogilvy, our people are at the heart of what we do: a creative agency that sparks game-changing ideas across culture and business through collaboration, integrity, and a celebration of self-expression.

We believe in building powerful teamswithpurpose. This means hiring and nurturing talent across all races, ethnicities, religions, abilities, sexual orientation, and gender identities – and we relentlessly curate transformative initiatives that make our commitment to fairness, and equity a reality.

Our ultimate mission is to leave a positive impact on the world, creating a better future for all, while supporting and uplifting the global communities we serve. This is central to our mantra of Borderless Creativity.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.