Group Account Director (L&D, Life Sciences)

Red Nucleus is hiring a Group Account Director to join our global team! This is a hybrid role within our office based in London, UK.

Our purpose is advancing knowledge to improve lives. We succeed by being the premier provider of strategic learning and development, scientific advisory services, and medical communications solutions for the life sciences industry. Our global team is composed of nearly 1000 full-time employees whose commitment to creativity, quality, and on-time delivery is unrivaled in our space.

At Red Nucleus, we believe in providing a rich working environment that pushes us to innovate in ways that engages our employees to be their best selves. Our culture is about meaningful work, a true sense of community, and fun. We love to celebrate our people and we are proud to have been Internationally recognized as a “Great Place to Work".    

How You Will Contribute

In this position, you will be working with our Learning & Development division. For more information about our team, please visit L&D l Red Nucleus.
JOB OVERVIEW:

The strategic lead
The Group Account Director (GAD) holds a leadership position in an account, usually having a minimum of 7-8 years of relevant client account experience. They will demonstrate a high degree of knowledge of client account/relationship management and will deploy their skills in the management of the account.
Their ultimate focus is to ensure the account runs efficiently and that clients experience highly professional, technically proficient, knowledgeable and value-focused service while delivering on revenue and margin targets.
With a view to delivering the best experience for each client, the GAD embodies and regularly demonstrates all the skills required of a successful manager: listening and questioning, collaboration, accountability, and transparency.
These four pillars underpin how the GAD approaches each interaction, both externally and internally, to develop and support their team:

• Listening and questioning
  • Understanding the importance of clients’ broader business challenges, needs and intended outcomes, in order to suggest solutions that are rooted in business needs and drive ROI
• Collaboration
  
  •  Believing in the strength of multiple perspectives and skillsets to arrive at a solution; instructing the team on where and how to bring in different skillsets from within the Red Nucleus team to shape approaches that deliver on our clients’ unique challenges within agreed timelines, budgets and other potential constraints.

• Accountability
  • Accountable teams finish what they start and understand the steps required to complete a project; the GAD actively supports and guides the team and defines clear objectives for each role, ensuring team members are empowered within their roles to take ownership of their product and deliver tasks successfully
• Transparency
  • Transparency is key to building trust; the GAD ensures clients feel in safe hands with the Red Nucleus team and that they always have clear expectations and alignment on what we are delivering, why, and when
    

Mindset

• Passionate about people and clients and understanding their attitudes/mindsets in order to ensure the successful delivery of projects
  
• Is motivated by and comfortable with communicating with different personality types and all levels of client seniority, and adapts their style appropriately to fit discussions
  
• The team’s success is their success – empowers their team, but takes the leading role when necessary
  
• Client focused – can demonstrate the ability to satisfy client needs and those of internal stakeholders and team members, and shows a willingness to work together to build trust
  
• Solutions and results focused – seeks to understand challenges to ensure solutions are relevant and develops clear objectives and plans to deliver on time and budget
  
• Keen interest in education, healthcare and digital transformation – these are the building blocks of our solutions
  
• Resilient and flexible – is able to keep functioning effectively when under pressure and maintain self-control in the face of challenging situations; can adapt to the situation at hand and keeps calm handling several tasks at once whilst keeping things in perspective
  

The GAD job role will consist of the following areas of business:

1. Project oversight and empowering others

The GAD has oversight of key strategic accounts and is responsible for the delivery of key strategic objectives, as well as managing challenges, stakeholders and milestones for these accounts. There is a single type of account that a GAD may work on:

• Larger, strategic accounts. The GAD will oversee and work collaboratively with an Account Director (AD). The GAD assumes a leading day-to-day role conducting the following activities:
  
  • Being heavily involved in the planning stages for these accounts to ensure the strategic direction is clear and is communicated to the team
  • Helping to direct the approach, cadence of communication and input into the deliverables to ensure everything is aligned to agreed client briefs, budgets and to ultimately deliver value
    
  • Ensuring monthly or quarterly check-ins with the CSD and senior members of the client team to ensure Red Nucleus are apprised of any important information that could impact future projects and revenue streams
    
  • Identifying organic growth opportunities in the account and working with the CSD to shape the approach needed to respond to these opportunities
    
  • Assessing the need for additional resources on the account and discussing this need with the CSD
  • Executing the transition for accounts that grow, and thus, require support to onboard new members to the team

Project processes to drive quality

The GAD drives the Red Nucleus project process, ensuring that a project is delivered on time and on budget to the quality standards expected to drive the company’s success. This includes:

• Driving the use of the established project process to ensure high-quality work (e.g. the creation of briefs for writers and design teams, editorial reviews, fact checks, design reviews)
  
• The development and use of systems, e.g. Mavenlink, to organise, plan and keep track of information and project progress
  
• Verification of information at regular status meetings – thinking about the big picture and the end-user experience and asking ‘Why?’ to check the deliverables meet the client’s objectives
  
• Reviewing and ensuring the quality of end deliverables
  
• Carefully supporting with and preparing materials for meetings, presentations, client delivery, at regular kick-off, status and team meetings
  

Empowering others

The GAD empowers all team members on the account and can convey confidence in each member’s ability to be successful, especially at challenging new tasks. They delegate significant responsibility and authority, and allow team members freedom to decide how they will accomplish their goals and resolve issues.

• Expresses confidence in the ability of others to be successful and to take on key aspects of the account
  
• Gives people latitude to make decisions in their own sphere of work
  
• Comfortably assesses others’ ability to make decisions and take charge, fostering independent thought and action
  
• Encourages team members’ to identify problems, make recommendations for solutions or resolve on their own; avoids prescribing a solution
  
• Is available to discuss others’ challenges, solicit their potential solutions, and provide guidance on the best course(s) of action

2. Team leadership

Team staffing, career progression and training

• GAD will work with the CSD to consistently assess the capacity and skillset needs across the account team and make proactive recommendations on staff adjustments as required, to support the workload and pipeline
  
  • Once agreement is reached with the Director of Operations for open headcount, the GAD will work with the CSD on the recruitment, selection and onboarding process for new hires.
• From a training and development perspective, the GAD is responsible for helping to shape objectives and establish a clear roadmap for the progression of key account team members. This includes active and consistent discussions and effective coaching with members of the team to ensure individuals are clear on their next steps
  
• The GAD provides frequent, actionable feedback to the team in real time and supports on formal annual reviews and semi-annual check-ins
  

The GAD will support the CSD in developing the team through the management of performance by:

• Reviewing and monitoring Team Members’ progress and performance through both formal (e.g. one-to-one meetings) and informal methods (e.g. observations during daily tasks)
  
• Providing specific performance feedback, both positive and corrective, as soon as possible after an event
  
• Dealing firmly and promptly with any performance issues; speaking to team members about what is expected of them and when
  

Team management

The GAD will support team performance through promoting effective team communication and fostering good teamwork. The GAD should reinforce that information is passed on to others by:

• Ensuring that others involved in a project are kept informed about developments and plans through weekly status meetings and by sharing ideas and information that are useful to drive enhanced project development
  
• Using multiple channels or means to communicate important messages as needed/most appropriate (e.g. face-to-face conversations, meetings, email); whist being mindful of team members’ preferred means of communication and using them whenever possible/appropriate/efficient
  
• Keeping the leadership team informed about progress and problems to avoid unnecessary challenges arising
  

The GAD should lead groups of individuals with diverse skillsets to achieve common goals through teamwork.

• Providing opportunities for people to learn to work together as a team, ensuring that all team members are treated fairly and recognising and encouraging the behaviours that contribute to teamwork
  
• Enlisting the active participation of everyone in a team environment and promoting cooperation with other teams and departments to drive collaboration to produce innovative ideas
  

3. Strategic thinking

The GAD should think strategically when approaching the day-to-day aspects of the role to ensure informed decisions can be made on an account. It may be important to clarify a situation, seek the right information from appropriate sources, and then use it as a foundation to make appropriate project and strategic recommendations to benefit Red Nucleus and our clients.

The GAD should:

• Identify the specific information needed to clarify a situation or to make a decision
  
• Get complete and accurate information by checking multiple sources and consulting knowledgeable people
  
• Develop questions to team members’ probe to get at the facts, even if others are reluctant to provide full, detailed information
  
• Question others to assess whether they have thought through a plan of action or are confident in solving a problem or tackling a situation
  

4. Business acumen

Finane

The GAD should understand the principles of business acumen; this will include an understanding of the financial metrics and levers that will drive the success of the business. They should be:

• Aware of the project and deliverable budgets and the impact these have on the forecast and revenue for the year
  
• Aware of the revenue targets for the year on their accounts and how these break down by month and quarter, and have systems in place to monitor the monthly revenue agreed for the account to ensure that the agreed target can be met
  
• Able to monitor profit margins on projects and ensure team utilisation goals are achieved, and if they fall outside the defined level, then review these with the CSD to set out a plan of action
  

New business

The GAD may often be required to play a role in delivering new business opportunities – both organic and formal RFP/pitch opportunities.

• Working alongside Sales & Marketing, the GAD excels at managing senior level client relationships and can both support or lead on these opportunities, depending on the situation and circumstance
  
• Working alongside Account Managers (AMs) and ADs to grow a book of business, identifying and pursuing profitable business opportunities that align with Red Nucleus team capabilities and resources
  
• The GAD encourages and supports entrepreneurial behaviour in others so that innovative solutions can be recommended; constructive feedback is given in response to ideas and approaches so that these innovative solutions can be provided to support the needs of existing and potential clients
  
• The GAD provides insights and shapes and delivers proposals by having a clear understanding of how to position Red Nucleus offerings and recommendations, and confidently delivers them in face-to-face or virtual settings
  

Red Nucleus offerings

The GAD, with support as necessary from the CSD, contributes to discussions on the future shape and positioning of Red Nucleus in EMEA (both L&D and broader offerings).

The GAD should:

• Have a comprehensive understanding of life sciences commercial and medical functions on an affiliate, regional and global level
  
• Be able to gain an understanding of competitive products and services within the marketplace and how Red Nucleus compares to competitors
  
• Understand industry and market trends that affect our clients, and therefore, Red Nucleus offerings
  

5. Core KPIs

Targets to be set on an annual basis and reviewed with the GAD at the time intervals outlined:

• Revenue and margin targets on strategic accounts as established with the CSD and Director of Operations (assessed monthly)
  
• Client-level margin contributions (assessed quarterly)
  
• Team utilisation (assessed monthly)
  
• Client satisfaction based on client satisfaction surveys (assessed quarterly)
  
• Team development and promotions (assessed quarterly)

What You Will Enjoy at Red Nucleus

• Competitive pay, incentives, retirement, and income security programs
• Comprehensive benefits and wellness programs focused on healthy lifestyles
• Generous paid time off, employee assistance programs and flexible work arrangements
• Performance driven environment including professional development and transfer opportunities
• People first culture fostering self expression, diversity, and a growth mindset
• Celebrations! We love to celebrate service anniversaries, holidays, diversity and inclusion events, project milestones and anything else that is meaningful to our employees
• Support of the community organizations you are passionate about
• Ongoing programs and events designed to bring our global team together

Diversity, equity and inclusion are valued at Red Nucleus and we believe we have a shared responsibility to provide equal opportunity and foster an inclusive spirit.  We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, caste, sexual orientation, gender, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

#LI-LD1

#LI-SS1