We’re looking for an Account Director to join one of our fastest growing Financial Services account teams. If you are passionate about digital work, customer experience and content marketing then this could be the role for you.

We’re searching for a talented, strategic thinker, who’s passionate about solving client challenges. You’re the kind of person that takes initiative in providing solutions, and is comfortable managing and leading projects, clients, team members and partners. You are collaborative, curious, empathetic and committed to service and excellent execution.

Reporting to the Senior Account Director, you will lead, execute and oversee a number digital projects from web and technical development to a number of email programs .You’ll immerse yourself in the brand, their challenges, their customers and play a vital role in the growth and business development of this account.

You will be responsible for:

Account leadership

• Work with Senior Account Director to set and define portfolio objectives over a 12-month horizon, as well as manage and lead internal and external partners to deliver against those objectives
• Contribute meaningfully to discussions in monthly financials on status of account
• Ensure reports understand portfolio targets and are working towards them
• Look for opportunities to lend support to other portfolios within the account team or to onboard new business if resources allow

Team leadership

• Coach and mentor employees. Conduct formal annual reviews of staff, involving objective-setting and formal development plans, along with informal quarterly check-ins against development plan
• Ensure that staff consistently delivers superior work, works collaboratively with other Ariad departments/functions, and is appropriately rewarded
• Make recommendations regarding hiring, promotion, salaries, and dismissal of reports
• Take initiative to understand and contribute to larger team goals and other client business
• Demonstrate leadership for all team members by setting a positive example and sharing knowledge and expertise

Financial leadership

• Manage the financials of the assigned portfolio, including performance to target, margins, and team utilization
• Keep pipeline up to date and accurate, and provide interpretation to supervisor on a weekly basis
• Coach project managers to enhance margins and utilization
• Make recommendations and decisions, as appropriate, on pricing, applying understanding of full range of inputs to budgets and quotes

Strategic and creative leadership

• Help to ensure that the Agency delivers outstanding strategic work, with short-term business benefits and long-term potential
• Lead (where appropriate) and contribute to strategy sessions
• Understand the business objectives and basic operations of each assigned client, in order to suggest appropriate solutions
• Build strong arguments and persuasive strategy proposals, and coach staff on developing strategic skills
• Work with team and Creative Services to ensure that the Agency delivers outstanding creative work
• Develop and submit case studies of Ariad work for awards, benchmarking and business development support

Project leadership

• Lead projects of a strategic or complex nature as appropriate
• Lead or participate collaboratively and effectively in multi-agency environments
• Provide guidance to employees on effective project management, approving project plans, schedules, and budget inputs
• Ensure projects are scoped accurately and delivered on time, on budget, and to the highest quality
• Contribute to Agency-wide initiatives intended to optimize processes across departments for improved margins and quality of work

Client leadership and business development

• Build awareness of Ariad’s brand and capability with client decision-makers – with a focus on Director-level clients and senior marketing managers; demonstrate subject matter expertise and industry understanding
• Work with clients to advance their business needs and develop long-range communications and marketing plans, fostering Ariad involvement in these plans
• Develop strong, professional relationships with clients, demonstrating thought leadership and subject matter expertise
• Resolves major client problems independently, seeking assistance when necessary to preserve business and organizational reputation
• Deliver effective, persuasive presentations with confidence
• Seek out new business opportunities within assigned lines of business, systematically and with discipline

You’ll have:

• Minimum of 7 to 10 years of experience in a marketing role, preferably in an agency environment
• Demonstrated experience in strategic development, as well as tactical planning and implementation
• Demonstrated experience and success in digital marketing, content marketing, customer experience, email and business development
• Demonstrated understanding/experience in the financial services industry
• University degree

Essential Competencies

• Strategic acumen
• Advanced oral and written communication skills – both formal and informal
• Strong presentation skills
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Demonstrated skill in coaching and mentoring, and managing employees
• Negotiation skills

Essential Traits

• Motivating
• Analytical
• Solutions-focused