Account Manager

About Us 

UM is a global media agency committed to empowering brands to their full potential of growth through the power of patterns by opening a brand’s aperture and rejecting black-and-white marketing decisions. As the leading global media network in IPG Mediabrands, UM operates in over 100 countries, with more than 3,000 people serving a roster of global clients including American Express, General Mills, Emirates, Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss & Co, Dyson, Enterprise holdings, Upfield, Eat Takeaway.com and Mattel. For more information, please visit uk.umww.com

Role Description 

Your primary role as the Account Manager is to project manage centrally briefed campaigns, from developing and agreeing briefs with clients and agency partners through to producing and presenting post-campaign result. You will work across all General Mills international campaigns focusing predominantly on their 3 main brands – Old El Paso, Haagen Dazs and Nature Valley. You will work closely with the Account Director and need to build strong relationships within the team including Strategy, our key day-to-day clients and our Global team in New York. You will also create and develop planning principles to align to the global strategy, as well as providing support to local markets by planning and buying smaller local campaigns.

Key Responsibilities

• Gain the respect and trust of all relevant client personnel by demonstrating knowledge, commitment and enthusiasm for their business
• Media Planning - Support the Account Director in developing planning guidelines for all the 3 global campaigns that will be briefed throughout the year.
• Client Engagement - Manage client expectations and have the ability to assess when to escalate issues to the Account Director or Senior Account Director. Also challenge clients when necessary
• Local market support - Support and advise local market teams to ensure their media plans comply with the central brief and strategy. Be able to confidently challenge and question assumptions and recommendations that have been made to ensure the best possible delivery for the client
• Reporting + Finance - Gain full understanding of both UM & General Mills finance processes, supporting the Finance Director as required
• Strategy and insight - Gain full understanding of the clients’ business and the markets that they occupy so that you can confidently speak from a position of authority and help identify the issues they face. Constantly use your knowledge of the clients’ business to identify areas where UM can help solve their marketing challenges. Be thoroughly knowledgeable on all relevant research available (e.g. TGI, IMS, Nielsen, Mediabrands proprietary) and confidently deliver information and solutions to the client using these tools

Desired Skills & Experience

• You are able to effectively communicate with various stakeholders – clients, agency partners and your own team members
• You have helped manage junior team members before, and you take satisfaction from helping them grow in their careers
• Juggling a number of tasks with often conflicting deadlines is second nature
• You are not afraid of saying no to a client when warranted
• You can build relationships with colleagues and contacts – daily contact with key clients is not new to you, nor is working closely and collaboratively with creative agency colleagues
• You have experience planning local market campaigns, or at least know what is required to plan and buy them
• An inquisitive mind-set that wants to understand the why behind every client brief
• Good with Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook