Client Partner

At AKQA we believe in the imaginative application of art and science to create beautiful ideas, products and services. With an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, we design adaptive digital services and applications that capture the imagination, delivering impressive returns for our clients.

The AKQA Client Services team serves as a trusted and respected partner to our clients. As the little details are the detail, the AKQA Client Services team show industry leading professionalism at every touch, meeting, call or message. We partner with our clients to create a better future, through world-leading work, constant innovation and care. 

A champion for excellence and enduring client relationships, the Client Partner at AKQA is a highly organised and credible leader. The Client Partner will nurture and build client relationships founded on shared values and aspirations. Motivated by work that makes a meaningful and sustained impact, the Client Partner has a passion for our client’s business, industry best practice and state-of-the-art techniques.

As a Client Partner at AKQA you will be responsible for managing senior level client relationships, revenue and growth, client planning, and monitoring quality of work for a portfolio of brands. You will partner with leads and management to create a work environment that fosters collaboration and innovation. You will lead a multidisciplinary team and be responsible for fostering effective teamwork, establishing quality of standards and providing thought leadership all in service of driving results and positive change. In coordination with the MENA management team, you will be part of the team that helps establish AKQA in Riyadh and the Kingdom more broadly.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

• Client Leadership and Growth: Build, maintain and grow strong relationships with key clients, understanding their needs, helping them to set new ambitions, and ensuring the delivery of innovative solutions that exceed expectations and drive business growth both for the client and for AKQA.
• Team Leadership: Lead, coach and inspire a multidisciplinary team fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment; setting accountability and focus for teams across client work, while also getting into the details and delivering work on the ground.
• Financial Accountability: Drive commercial success by managing budgets, accurate forecasting, ensuring profitability, and identifying opportunities for growth within a shared client portfolio of £10mm+.
• Strategic Vision and Creative Execution: Contribute to the development and execution of our client work to enhance our position as a leader in design and innovation. Understand and drive business and brand strategy, while consistently setting a hire bar for the actual creative output, partnering closely with creative portfolio leadership.
• Program Management and Delivery: Have a thorough understanding of project scoping, production across mediums and execution, being able to guide project teams and oversee operational and executional delivery.
• Fluent in English, both spoken and written. Fluency in spoken Arabic required.
• Previous experience in the MENA region required.

QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS

• Strategic Sensibility: A proven hands-on leader with experience working in professional services, brand management, strategic consulting or business development role.
• Commercial Acumen: Ability to forecast, plan and track overall portfolio commercials, along with individual client and project budgets. Ability to balance growth with service.
• Maker Mentality: Proven track record of ‘making’ – bringing excellent strategic and creative thinking together to create real world projects, and quickly (ideally have examples/portfolio of key projects).
• Emerging Design & Technology Knowledge: Stay ahead of industry trends and possess a deep understanding of emerging technologies to guide clients towards cutting-edge solutions.
• High Taste-Level: Demonstrate a keen sense of aesthetics and design excellence, with a portfolio that reflects an elevated taste level.
• Leadership Attitude: Lead by example with a humble yet persuasive attitude, inspiring teams to excel and surpass expectations. High emotional intellect with experience in growth and mentoring teams – coaching multi-disciplinary team members but also allowing for autonomy to support their continued growth.
• Hands-on Service: Comfortable getting into the details when necessary, ensuring a deep understanding of project requirements and the ability to contribute directly to the creative process. Understand the balance between servicing our clients and the integrity of the team.
• Tool Proficiency: Proficient in tools such as Keynote, Figma, and generative AI tools, utilising them effectively to enhance the ideation and design process.
• Industry Knowledge: Understanding of creative services, marketing and/or product experiences. Understanding of best-in-class, proof of being able to elevate the experiences and products made / sold in service of moving the brand or business forward.
• Understanding and experience of web/internet and marketing; experience in business strategy, information design, creative design and web technology (what we sell), as well as broad understanding of marketing/advertising elements of campaigns, annual plans, strategic goals and brand awareness.
• Proven background in brand positioning and strategy, channel planning, campaign strategy and social.
• A passion for innovation and business strategy.
• Ability to build successful ‘trusted advisor’ relationships with key senior client contacts.

AKQA is an Equal Opportunities Employer, we believe that diversity is vital to AKQA’s ability to provide our clients with the best recommendations and are committed to fostering a varied and inclusive work environment. Your race, colour, ancestry, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or veteran status have no bearing on our hiring decisions. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.