Account Manager

:: DESCRIPTION

We are looking for a dynamic marketing and communications professional to join our wonderful SASSO team as Account Manager. If you so choose this new and exciting career journey, your position will be filled with client relations, strategy, planning, organizing, facilitating and good ole fashioned meetings. 

You will be constantly solving problems, managing internal and external communications and driving projects to completion. You will be expected to work collaboratively in a team setting as well as individually to hit deadlines that produce work that is on-point and clearly communicates with our clients’ goals and needs along with balancing our agency workflow. You will be engaged in driving the day-to-day business and communications: developing projects, attentive/prompt responses, managing tasks and timelines, obtaining client approvals, capturing excellent notes, keeping key agency personnel informed on a given client's point-of-view - all are checkpoints when managing accounts. The ability to think strategically and express those thoughts both written and verbally as well as being a self-motivated are critical. This position is not just a manager of inputting to-dos but a strategic thinker who always seeks solutions to any and all problems.

You will be expected to participate in brainstorming sessions, strategy and discovery meetings; work with every department and other Management to compile accurate quotes, scopes and timelines for projects, proposal and estimates; write client briefs, write rationales and other responsibilities.

SASSO promotes an environment where our all of our employees are continually learning and staying up to date on the latest marketing trends and techniques in order to provide the best work for our clients. This position will work closely with agency leadership, all department heads, employees and vendors. This position will be counted on to assist in continually adding value to our current processes and procedures.

Employment includes:

• Competitive salary
• Paid Holidays
• Sick leave
• Flexible schedule
• Remote work opportunities
  
• Paid vacation
• Continuing education 
• Annual retreat
• Casual dress code
• Amazing work environment
  
• Healthcare Benefits including Dental & Vision
• Room for growth within the agency services
• Flexible lunch schedule
• Team building events
  

Requirements:

• 3-5 years of experience in marketing; advertising agency experience preferred
• Bachelor’s degree in mass communications, business administration or marketing preferred
• Significant experience in professional client relationship management
• A background in advertising, marketing and communications
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Commitment to working in a team-based environment
• A keen attention to detail and budgetary restraints
• Full awareness of creative processes and techniques – including digital platforms
• Strong strategic, analytical, organizational skills and ability to plan at a senior level
• A proactive attitude, willingness to learn and take initiative
• The ability to work under pressure and tight timelines and assimilate large quantities of information quickly, while maintaining attention to detail, drive, and flexibility
• Resilience, to enable you to deal with problems and constructive criticism
• A persuasive and confident approach and understanding of creative projects presentations
• Technologically savvy and up to date in all of the latest trends in your area of expertise
• Superior knowledge of CRM management programs. Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite (particularly InDesign)
• Ability to travel, if/when necessary (although very minimal if at all)

:: ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES (Main Responsibilities)

• Build, refine and nurture the client accounts within the agency and the client-agency relationship
• Maintain regular contact and relation with client
• Ensure projects are on-point and on time and maintain daily/weekly status reports
• Manage, assign, and communicate/coordinate tasks clearly and with strategic thinking through the CRM or other forms of communication with our staff
• Develop and manage all assigned project timelines (internal and external) to keep team on time with workflow and deliverables (traffic control)
• Ensures all deliverables (internal, client and partners) are accurate, on time and routed through the appropriate departments for approvals
• Manage, coordinate, schedule, and run all of your assigned client meetings
• Produce excellent documentation including SOW’s, timeline/schedules, and gantt charts
• Ongoing management of retainer time, project-based projections, and scope of work
• Prompt communications and recaps following any/all meetings (immediately following or within 24hrs after)
• Ensuring that all aspects of agency work and communication are of superior quality and are conducted in accordance with agency processes and procedures
• Vendor & resource procurement/negotiations of partner and/or contractor agreements
• Forecast, track, manage, and fulfill project budgets, PO’s and invoices from beginning to end
• Ensuring the profitability and growth of client accounts. Always look for opportunity for new scope and additional client services with current clients as well as bringing potential new client opportunities to the attention of Agency Leadership and assist in proposal development
• Shepherd development of agency policies and procedures
• Undertake administrative tasks (i.e. ordering supplies, planning company events, etc.)
• Proofing and reviewing agency documents throughout the week for consistent and uniform language

Expectations:

• Serve as client strategist and consultant thought partner alongside agency leadership.
• Keep connecting client and team to the big picture over the course of a project.
• Help structure, write and revise content so they are compelling and clear. At times, you may be called on to craft copy; others you will work with CD and CBS to maintain alignment of project goals.
• Stay involved over the course of the project to aid in adjusting course as it evolves.
• Step back from client scope, documents, and evaluate content and requests. Work with leadership to offer suggestion on how to better client requests/content by advising on structure, style and medium.
• Serve as a coach to the agency team, mitigating challenges, remove roadblocks and identify opportunities for the team to produce the highest caliber work possible (not to create more problems).
• The role requires flexibility and ability to navigate ambiguity and deadlines under pressure and conflicting requests.
• Must have empathy and the ability to represent the client’s perspective.
• Advocate for the client, but committed to supporting the team, negotiating realistic deadlines and managing expectations along the way.
• Guide Client retention and Client growth for the agency on the accounts you manage.
• Solutions Driven and forward-thinking ALWAYS.