Managing Director, Australia

About Octagon:

Octagon is a global creative agency, with a specialty in sport and entertainment partnerships. With over 800 team members worldwide, we partner with brands to create big ideas that fans love and want to engage in, because it’s built in and around their passion. Where others see complexity we see possibility, and we believe in pushing authenticity, creativity, and longevity to do great things in the industry that lead the market.

As part of the extended family, the Octagon R&CPMK agencies provide complementary expert services in content production, data analytics, sustainability and Talent Management to help deliver on our brand promise. Of those, Futures Sport & Entertainment (Data Analytics) and No2ndPlace (Sustainability) have a presence in Australia.

Our Values:

Our values: empowerment, intelligence, inclusivity, innovation and impact, guide our behaviours and shape the way that we operate as a team. As one of the most senior members of the organisation in Australia, you will find ways to embody these in your own job as well as provide leadership and oversight on how those values come to life in all our staff and how we collectively operate.

About the Role:

We are seeking a Managing Director to play a figure head role for leading the Australia business over the decade of sport that lies ahead.  Responsible for raising Octagon’s brand awareness, driving new business opportunities, and strategically influencing critical client relationships.

Your primary objective is to drive revenue growth by acquiring new clients and collaborating with the existing senior management (Co-Agency Leads) to exceed current client goals, identifying new opportunities across our service offerings. You have a proven track record as a collaborator, adept at identifying and connecting opportunities to work with our local sister agencies (Futures & No2ndPlace) and the broader global network. You will serve as the local spokesperson, representing Octagon at conferences, participating in panels, and collaborating with our Regional ECD on thought leadership initiatives.

As Managing Director, you will be accountable for building on the strong and scalable foundations in place to drive company-wide best practices and processes across all facets of the business.  You will set the tone in building a workplace that is flexible, diverse and inclusive to allow staff to excel and progress in a changing operating environment and builds a culture that is the envy of our industry and attracts the best talent. 

Reporting to the Managing Director APAC, you will oversee a team of 25 staff currently in market, with 3 direct reports.

Responsibilities

Business Vision & Strategy

• Lead the development of the business plan that sets the vision and priorities for AU business, in line with global and regional business plans.
• Drive continued evolution towards a Global Creative Agency in Sports & Entertainment.
• Demonstrate ownership and proactive leadership across all strategic initiatives for building the growth of the business.

New Business and PR

• Own and implement a new business and go-to-market strategy that builds a strong pipeline for growth as we look to the decade of sport ahead of us.
• Foster strong industry relationships and proactively unearth new business opportunities.
• Act as a figure head to articulate the Octagon Australia brand story based on global direction.
• In collaboration with the regional senior management team, develop and implement a marketing plan to raise Octagon’s presence in market.

Work Output & Brand Strategy Development

• Lead clients strategically to foster growth and development of new opportunities through the breadth of services we offer.
• Collaborate with the regional ECD to drive client brand strategy and fuel the creative development of innovative work presented to clients.
• Establish strong, trusting relationships with both clients to foster collaboration, understanding, and the achievement of better outcomes.
• Manage evolution of products, tools and service offerings in line with changing needs of the industry and client requirements in collaboration with global colleagues.

Business Operations & Management & Collaboration

• Lead the management of local Australia budget/P&L on an on-going basis, including revenue, OPEX and staff expenses.
• Drive financial profitability and efficiencies, and corresponding procedures to ensure financial and operational compliance in association with local Australian & internal IPG policies, regulations & legislature.
• Work closely with functions across the organization – Creative, Compliance, Finance, and People & Culture, to create a strong and collaborative partnership that will ensure continued success.
• Develop relationships with peers at local and regional Octagon R&CPMK, and IPG agencies to explore joint open architecture opportunities.

Team & Talent Management

• Drive development of a culture and workplace that is diverse, inclusive and highly productive.
• Oversee Co-Agency Leads AUS, to support in their career development.
• Identify training requirements and appropriate programs for the team to progress and evolve.

Regional & Global representation & assignments

• Represent Australian business needs and interests on a regional management team level.
• Contribute to overall regional planning process and on-going management as needed.
• Assume other regional & global projects/responsibilities as assigned/agreed on an ad-hoc basis.

About You:

• Proven track record in new business development and converting opportunities through RFP processes or via brand network.
• Deep understanding of workings of a creative agency, required specialties/skills and procedures to create brilliant work consistently.
• Have a passion for and experience in brilliant creative work, ideally through partnerships in the sport and entertainment space.
• Excellent network and profile across the broader marketing & communications eco-system in Australia, including brands, agencies, publications, etc. Relationships in the sport & entertainment space a plus (rightsholders, federations, clubs, etc.).
• Progressive client leadership experience with an active role in developing clients’ brand strategy and evolving existing clients.
• Possess a deep understanding of the specific cultural and market nuances relevant to the agency's work, enabling effective strategy development and execution.
• Experienced in creating and crafting brand and business strategies, leading teams, inspiring Clients and Creatives alike and showing that you’ve been responsible for some great work.
• A brilliant communicator, able to articulate ideas, requirements, and expectations across all levels.
• Operational understanding of the Australian business environment and ability to work within local legislature as well as global holding company policy & procedure requirements.