Account Manager (Experiential & Live Events)

Imagination•Detroit, MI

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Imagination is seeking an experienced Experiential & Live Events Account Manager to join our client service team. This is a hybrid role encompassing account management, project leadership, and production. It supports high-profile automotive clients, including senior leadership and executive stakeholders, and is accountable not only for client relationships but for actively leading projects from brief to delivery. The Account Manager owns the day-to-day success of large-scale experiential and communications programs. This includes driving momentum, determining next steps, proactively directing internal teams, and anticipating what needs to happen next to ensure work moves forward efficiently and at the highest standard. This role serves as a trusted, highly responsive day-to-day partner to clients, often operating in fast-moving, high-stakes environments where priorities shift quickly, and attention to detail is critical. Success in this role requires sound judgment, discretion, and a strong understanding of the live-event and production processes, enabling the Account Manager to confidently guide teams, flag risks early, and make informed decisions. Our work follows the heartbeat of major live events and launches. While this occasionally requires evening or weekend support, we prioritize 'flexibility both ways'—ensuring our team can balance these peak moments with dedicated downtime.

Requirements

A genuine passion for client service and delivering excellence under pressure.
Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, Film/Video Production, or a related field.
4+ years of account management or production experience within an experiential marketing, events, advertising, or communications agency.
Demonstrated experience supporting senior leaders or executive-level clients in demanding, deadline-driven environments.
Proven ability to manage complex projects with multiple stakeholders and moving parts.
Exceptional communication skills, with confidence in presenting to and interacting with high-level audiences.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to remain calm and solutions-focused under pressure.
Experience managing large-scale budgets across the full project lifecycle.

Nice To Haves

Automotive industry experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

Serve as the day-to-day project lead, owning scope, timelines, deliverables, and overall forward progress.
Proactively drive projects forward by defining next steps, assigning responsibilities, and holding internal teams accountable.
Anticipate challenges, dependencies, and production considerations before they become issues, and propose clear solutions.
Translate client goals into actionable plans for creative, production, and logistics teams.
Maintain a strong understanding of the event production lifecycle, from concept through on-site execution and wrap.
Serve as the daily point of contact for clients, providing consistent updates and ensuring their needs are addressed promptly.
Manage high-touch client relationships with professionalism, discretion, and urgency, responding effectively to time-sensitive requests and evolving priorities.
Anticipate client needs and provide thoughtful guidance to help navigate complex decisions and deliverables.
Build trust and credibility over time to foster long-term client relationships and account growth.
Thoughtfully manage client hospitality, including curated gifts, birthdays, milestone recognition, hosted experiences, and personal touches that strengthen relationships beyond active projects and day-to-day deliverables.
Coordinate client-facing details, including meeting F&B, parking, and executive-level accommodations, to ensure a polished, seamless experience at every interaction.
Lead internal coordination across strategy, creative, production, and external partners.
Run internal status meetings, set agendas, document decisions, and ensure alignment across teams.
Act as the connective tissue between teams, ensuring clarity, accountability, and momentum.
Escalate risks early and align with senior team members on mitigation strategies.
Support the execution of live events and moments, including on-site leadership when required.
Ensure teams are prepared, timelines are met, and details are managed through show days and beyond.
Act as a calm, solutions-focused presence in high-pressure live environments.
Manage the project budget by tracking costs and ensuring projects stay within financial constraints.
Provide regular updates on project expenses and inform senior team members of any potential budget deviations.
Partner with the Senior Account Manager or Account Director in resource allocation and scheduling.
In collaboration with the Strategy Director, deliver clear and concise reporting on campaign performance, KPIs, and outcomes.
Gather and synthesize client feedback to inform improvements and strengthen future work.

Benefits

Work with a state-of-the-art product and deliver it to exciting and innovative brands
Learning and development opportunities that contribute to professional growth
A fun, engaging work culture
Be part of a mission-driven team that values agility, integrity, and excellence
Opportunity to contribute to large-scale, high-impact projects from day one
Comprehensive paid time off benefits
Hybrid work model, where our team comes into the office a minimum of 3 days per week
Generous parental leave
Up to 4% safe harbor company 401k match
Comprehensive, low-cost health benefits