Account Director, Experiential Marketing

Cheil•Plano, TX

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Account Director, Experiential Marketing is the senior client leader for Samsung’s experiential business. The role shapes how the brand connects with consumers through ambitious, culturally relevant experiences, leads key client relationships, sets account strategy, and brings creative, strategy, production, and operations teams together to deliver work. The position also leads and develops a client-facing team and anticipates the client’s launch calendar with proactive ideas before formal requests arrive. This role calls for strategic perspective, commercial acumen, and operational understanding to build client confidence, navigate complexity, and move ideas into execution. It is based in Plano, Texas, on a hybrid schedule requiring at least two days in the office per week and regular onsite collaboration, with approximately 30% domestic travel. The position reports to the Head of Brand Experience.

Requirements

At least 10 years of experience in experiential marketing, event production, brand activation, or a related field, with significant client-facing leadership experience.
Proven experience leading major experiential accounts, including product launches, events, exhibitions, retail activations, or integrated programs.
Experience leading and developing client-facing teams and direct reports.
Strong command of project budgets, estimates, scopes of work (SOWs), purchase orders (POs), fee structures, and agency commercial processes.
Experience developing and presenting client proposals.
Strong PowerPoint and Excel skills.
Strong negotiation, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, including the ability to work with incomplete information and compressed timelines.
Ability to work hybrid in Plano, Texas, with regular onsite collaboration and approximately 30% domestic travel.

Nice To Haves

Experience with major consumer or technology brands.
Working knowledge of experiential production, including fabrication, venues, permitting, and onsite operations.
Familiarity with large-scale client procurement processes, such as competitive bidding and purchasing systems.
Background in agency, experiential, or brand activation environments.

Responsibilities

Serve as the senior day-to-day client contact and turn early or incomplete requests into clear briefs with defined objectives, audience, scope, timing, budget, and KPIs.
Challenge requests when budget, timing, or production realities do not fit, and present realistic alternatives.
Maintain a 3- to 6-month view of product launch cycles, retail and sales periods, sponsorships, and cultural moments; bring proactive integrated marketing and experiential proposals to the client.
Manage estimates, scopes of work, purchase orders, budgets, margin, and fee performance, and maintain a clear pipeline and resource forecast.
Involve production and operations early to validate feasibility, cost drivers, and lead times, including fabrication, venues, permitting, staffing, logistics, installation, and onsite operations.
Coordinate across departments, establish clear ownership and realistic timelines, and resolve gaps where responsibilities overlap.
Set standards for briefs, budgets, status reporting, and client communication.
Coach team members in client service, commercial thinking, and cross-functional collaboration.
Lead and develop client-facing teams and direct reports.
Develop and present client proposals.