Director of Accounts

Company Description

Forthea is an award-winning digital marketing agency that improves lead generation for clients by focusing on superior data analytics and creative executions that produce measurable results. Forthea’s rock-solid commitment to core values and sustained business excellence has led to successful partnerships with a variety of B2B and B2C clients around the world. Forthea was founded in 2006 in Houston, where it maintains its U.S. corporate headquarters.

Forthea has been recognized as one of the best places to work in Houston, one of the fastest-growing companies in Houston, and one of the largest Houston-area advertising agencies. Forthea President Christopher Pappas has been recognized as one of Houston’s top young business leaders.

Job Description

The Director of Accounts is responsible for overseeing the management of client relationships and success across teams. They will lead a team of account managers who manage clients. They will also act as the direct point of contact for various enterprise-level accounts.

This role will report directly to the VP of Client Services.  This is a key client-facing position which will be responsible for leading and growing key relationships, provide leadership across all of client services, and will hold accountability for the health and growth of accounts and teams.

Responsibilities

• Account Management - Oversee overall management of all client relationships across a set of teams. Owns the relationship for enterprise level accounts. Knows the decision makers and C-Suite contacts for all accounts. Ensure our clients view us as a partner to help with overall company strategy and consulting. Able to step into help with difficult client situations across all teams.
• Delivery & Performance Management - Coaches and oversees the team’s delivery process, providing regular feedback and suggestions. Holds team accountable for achieving plan objectives across client accounts and consistent execution of the process.
• Team Development - Develop direct reports and help with their team’s development as well. Grow account managers’ hard and soft skills. Act as a coach and mentor for direct reports as well as entire client services team. Recruit hire and train future account leaders. Train account leads to be able to be a consultant to clients 
• Client Strategy - Responsible for the overall design of the client strategy and planning process, including onboarding process, review and meeting processes, etc. Present strategies and proposals for client upsells.
• Able to step in and lead client meetings when needed across multiple teams being managed. Able to "tell the story" to the client with their eyes closed. Able to think on feet and handle the most difficult client questions and situations. Lead client meetings with or without support from rest of the team on enterprise-level accounts under their management.
• Focuses on doing what is best for all clients. Always acts in the best interest for all clients and ensures that all team members are doing so as well and sets the example on this for others. Goes above and beyond what is asked from the client to find other ways to help them.
• Responsible for hitting client and team retention targets (and financial benchmarks). Creates strategy to hit targets and supports implementation across teams.

Qualifications

• High Standards – expects personal and team performance to be nothing short of their best.
• Communication Skills – speaks and writes clearly and articulately without being over verbose or talkative. Great listener.
• Presentation Skills - Skilled in presenting and having command with senior level clients and large rooms of people.
• Client/Relationship Focus – dedicated to meeting and exceeding expectations of clients, establishes and maintains effective relationships with clients.
• Action Oriented – enjoys working hard, full of energy for new challenges, seizes opportunity
• Intelligence/Learner & Teacher – learns quickly when facing new problems, relentless learner, open to change, loves finding best practices, enjoys challenges and finding solutions
• Creativity – comes up with new and unique channel and business ideas, and always adds value.
• Strategic Thinking – able to see and communicate the big picture in an inspiring way. Proven ability to deeply understand a client’s business model, generate strategic ideas and effectively communicate/influence C-suite.
• Develops Team & Others – provides challenging and stretching tasks/assignments aware of each person’s goals, constructs compelling development plans and executes them. Able to work with broad spectrum of people - senior to junior level, multiple mindsets.
• Organization and Planning – plans, organizes, schedules and budgets in an efficient, productive manner. Focuses on key priorities.
• Follow-through on Commitments – lives up to verbal and written agreements, regardless of personal cost.
• Analytical Skills – able to structure and process qualitative or quantitative data and draw insightful conclusions from it. Exhibits a probing mind and achieves penetrating insights.
• Attention to Detail – does not let important details slip through the cracks or derail a project.
• Persistence – demonstrates tenacity and willingness to go the distance to get something done.
• Proactivity – acts without being told. Brings new ideas to the company.

Requirements

• 10+ years of proven client service/account management success, including extensive agency experience
• 5-10+ years of demonstrated success managing/coaching people and building effective teams (including teams of 10+)
• 3-5+ years of PPC/SEO experience, with ability to create successful “high-level” channel strategies –strong knowledge of multiple digital channels and how they work together (SEM, SEO, CRO, Social, Shopping, Display, etc.)
• Strong computer skills, particularly Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
• Experience managing and building large multi-channel relationships
• Proven track record of building relationships with senior level contacts and peers
• Masters or MBA a plus
• Project management certifications/experience a plus
• Previous P/L responsibility a plus
• Ability to travel – Once a quarter (may fluctuate dependent on client needs)

Benefits

• Great salary and secure working environment
• Excellent benefits including paid health insurance, vacation, dental
• Becoming an integral part of a cutting edge agency and helping it grow
• Working with a talented and dedicated group
• Casual atmosphere with professional standards
• Creative, modern and spacious work environment