Group Account Director

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 innovative brand campaigns, adaptive digital services and applications that capture the imagination, delivering impressive returns for our clients.

The AKQA Client Service 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 Group Account Director at AKQA is a highly organised and credible leader. The role will nurture and build client relationships founded on shared values and aspirations. Motivated by work that makes a meaningful and sustained impact, the Group Account Director has a passion for our client’s business, industry best practice and what’s next.

As a Group Account Director 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.

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
• 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 higher bar for the actual creative output, partnering closely with creative 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.

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.
• Emerging Design & Technology Knowledge: Stay ahead of industry trends and possess a deep understanding of emerging technologies to guide clients towards cutting-edge solutions.
• Design Sensibility: Demonstrate a keen sense of aesthetics and design excellence
• 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, ensuring a deep understanding of project requirements and the ability to contribute directly to the 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.
• Excellent communication in English is essential; Swedish is a valuable plus.

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