Account Director

GSD&M•Austin, TX

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

At GSD&M, we’re on a mission to build First & Only brands, meaning the first to do it and the only ones who can. We’re able to do this because we set a high bar for ourselves and our work. We care about what we put out in the world. We’re humans who like other humans. Our ideas make a difference. Shift culture. Create a smile. Inspire change. Initiate belly laughs. Deepen our understanding of the world and ourselves. We grow. We learn. We get better. We do it all over again. Because that’s what it takes to build and be First & Only. As an Account Director, you own your own business. More than any other position, you embody the entrepreneurial spirit that’s empowered GSD&M’s success from the very beginning. You are the Idea Team commander process champion, momentum owner, conscience of the team and the cultivator of great ideas and talent. Your partnership with the client is crucial in creating the trust that builds momentum for everything that follows. You create an environment that fosters bravery and optimistic problem-solving.

Requirements

BA required, MBA a plus; prefer concentration in advertising, communications or marketing
8–10 years’ agency experience (preferred) or related communication-industry experience that provides an understanding of advertising, marketing, paid and social media, creative, production, research, direct marketing, finance, etc.
Strategic thought leadership
Strong presentation and writing skills
Strong listening and interpersonal skills
Management and team-building skills
Must be highly organized and detail-oriented in a production-intensive environment
Proficient in MS Oﬃce Suite or Mac equivalent

Responsibilities

BE A FEARLESS LEADER. As a director, you are now leading and not just managing. Foster an environment that promotes risk-taking and bravery. Lead by example. Get to know your team and practice empathy. Set account and individual goals and help everyone succeed. As a leader of the integrated Idea Team, demonstrate cross-channel engagement and expertise. Master the art of managing up (to your supervisor), down (to your team/direct reports) and sideways (to your peers/client team).
CHAMPION INTELLIGENT AND INSPIRING STRATEGY. Partner in paying the price to solve the real problem: Lead insightful briefs and smart plans and then sell the heck out of them.
FUEL CREATIVITY. Creative is not a department. Run the wall: Engage in the work and partner with creative directors. Inspire ideas and build on others. Stoke the fires with the client. Talk to them about great ideas outside of their business and set the stage for presentations.
BE A TRUSTED CLIENT PARTNER. Our primary goal is to build our client’s business. You own the responsibility for the success of the client relationship. Develop a rhythm of client/agency relationship review meetings every three to six months. These should be in person and in writing. This tactic has been proven to uncover simmering issues and protect the life of our relationships with clients and revenue from clients. Track results and lead optimization. Be the gold standard for collaboration and integration. One of GSD&M’s great advantages in the marketplace is our approach to collaboration and integration, and you are the standard-bearer. Help our clients be heroes in their organization. Most importantly, always do what you say you’re going to do. Ensure the agency delivers.
OWN FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. The agency’s money is your money. Understand how to build a scope of work and eﬃcient staﬃng plan. Manage P&L and look for growth opportunities. You are ultimately responsible for the profitability of your account.
REMAIN CURIOUS. Cultivate an insatiable appetite for understanding. Hone your craft. Seek knowledge of the changing marketplace and emerging opportunities and educate your team. Be a student of our business and your client’s business.
MAXIMIZE TALENT. Grow your ranks. Train, guide and empower. Foster safe risk-taking. Provide radical, generous, ongoing candor. Be a champion for the agency and seek out new talent. Diversify our teams to ensure we have diverse perspectives and voices within GSD&M. Don’t forget to build your own skill set and seek out opportunities to do so.
BE UNFLAPPABLE. You set the tone for every conversation. Be the level-headed voice of reason. Demonstrate a commanding presence, but listen. Lead the conversation but incite participation. Organize the chaos and calm the waters.
OWN THE MOMENTUM. Drive processes and be involved. Inspire action in your team. Nurture ideas until they’re bulletproof and executed. Identify areas of needed change and be able to marshal the resources to eﬀect change.