(Associate) Account Director

The Role & Responsibilities:
At The Purpose Group, we believe great account leadership is more than keeping projects on track. It is about understanding what keeps a client up at night, finding the opportunity behind the brief, and bringing the right people together to turn ambitious ideas into work that matters.
We are looking for an (Associate) Account Director who can sit comfortably at the intersection of business, brands, creativity and culture - someone who can be a trusted partner to senior clients, lead ambitious integrated projects, grow existing business, and open doors to new opportunities. This is a role for someone who is equally excited by a big brand challenge, a sharp strategic conversation, a bold creative idea, or a room full of potential partners.
Beyond core agency account leadership, the role will have opportunities to work across brand purpose, sponsorships, festivals, exhibitions, cultural initiatives and new business ventures, and other The Purpose Group initiatives.
1 - BE THE CLIENT'S TRUSTED PARTNER
Build deep understanding of clients' businesses, ambitions, challenges, audiences and cultural context.
Develop strong, long-term relationships with senior client stakeholders, business partners and external partners.
Become a trusted advisor who can challenge the brief, uncover opportunities and bring fresh perspectives to the table.
Translate client business challenges into clear creative and communication opportunities.
Ensure every interaction with the client reflects the strategic, creative and professional standards of Purpose.Ant.
Anticipate client needs rather than simply responding to them.
2 - LEAD BIG IDEAS FROM BRIEF TO REALITY
Lead the development and execution of integrated, 360° creative and communication campaigns.
Connect strategy, creative, production, media, digital, activation and other specialist capabilities where relevant.
Own project scope, timelines, budgets, resources and delivery standards.
Keep teams focused, motivated and moving - especially when the brief gets complicated.
Identify risks early, solve problems quickly and protect both client satisfaction and agency profitability.
Lead client presentations, strategic discussions and senior-level project reviews.
3 - GROW THE BUSINESS, NOT JUST THE ACCOUNT
Own revenue growth opportunities across assigned accounts and projects.
Identify where we can create more value for existing clients - and turn those opportunities into new mandates.
Build and lead strategic account growth plans in collaboration with the teams.
Develop compelling proposals, scopes of work and commercial models.
Lead commercial negotiations while protecting the quality of the work and agency profitability.
Build new relationships with potential clients, partners and collaborators.
Bring an entrepreneurial mindset to identifying what's next for the business.
4 - STAY CURIOUS, STAY RELEVANT
Stay close to emerging trends in advertising, creativity, technology, culture, consumer behaviour and business.
Understand what is happening beyond the advertising industry - because inspiration rarely comes from the obvious places.
Bring new ideas, references and opportunities into client conversations.
Understand the cultural landscape and identify what is relevant, timely and meaningful for brands.
5 - GROW PEOPLE, GROW TOGETHER
Lead, mentor and inspire the account team, fostering a culture of ownership, trust, collaboration and high performance.
Build and execute a clear team development and succession plan, helping people grow their capabilities and careers with Purpose.Ant.
Build a strong, connected and sustainable team by developing talent, strengthening retention and creating opportunities for people to take on greater responsibility.
Candidate Profile:
We would like to hear from those who have:
10+ years of experience in account management, integrated marketing, advertising, communications, business development, or related fields.
Experience working within a creative agency, advertising agency, communications consultancy, brand consultancy or similarly fast-paced environment.
Proven experience leading major brands, integrated campaigns and/or complex creative projects.
Strong track record in client relationship management and senior stakeholder engagement.
Strong commercial understanding, including experience with budgets, scopes, proposals, RFI/RFPs and negotiations.
Keen on detail and be a great multi-tasker.
Demonstrable ability to communicate, present, and influence key stakeholders.
Strong critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Embrace changes and challenges, able to handle pressure well.
Great with people, strong interpersonal skills, and a good team player.
Professionalism, integrity & transparency.