Group Account Director (CSR + Soccer Partnerships) (Financial Services Client)

Octagon

91d • $90,000 - $120,000

About The Position

CLIENT SERVICES / Responsible for leading Octagon’s client business and day-to-day management of client programs. Our headquarters are in Stamford, CT, but the location of this position can be flexible with a priority given to candidates open to hybrid work (3 days a week in the office) in one of our office locations - - Stamford, CT, New York, NY, Charlotte, NC, Miami, FL, Los Angeles, CA, Chicago, IL or Atlanta, GA. We will also consider a remote-based working arrangement for qualified candidates with East Coast working hours as a prerequisite. Our Financial Services client has recently made significant investments in soccer partnerships that will put them at the forefront of soccer during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and beyond. This is an exciting time for us to build a new soccer platform for a long-time client that is a global leader in the financial services industry. While contributing to strategic program development across our client’s entire Soccer portfolio (including partnerships with FIFA and the US Soccer Federation), this role will require past experience developing community impact programs. The position will play a key strategic role in building, shaping and implementing a soccer-focused plan to provide a long-lasting legacy in markets across the United States. Working with community partners will be integral to the success of this campaign as we undertake a variety of investment initiatives including soccer pitch building/refurbishment, delivering youth clinics, integrating soccer-themed programming in public schools throughout the U.S. and breaking the pay-to-play model that is negatively impacting youth participation in soccer. While launching in a big way in the lead-up to and during the 2026 World Cup, our client’s community impact efforts will extend far beyond next year’s tournament. Additionally, this position will also play a lead role in talent/ambassador procurement, management and activation supporting both the community impact strategy as well as the overall soccer marketing strategy. This work will require past experience in identifying talent that aligns with the strategy, negotiating talent deals and working with talent and talent representatives to activate assets. Talent usage will span multiple programs, campaigns and events requiring an integrated approach across key client stakeholders, other agency partners and internal specialty groups (e.g. experiential, digital strategy, creative).

Requirements

• 8-10 years of work with an agency, brand or property on the development of integrated brand campaigns within global sports and specifically soccer
• Experience or background in Corporate Social Responsibility programming/campaigns a major plus
• A passion for soccer and an eagerness to stay up-to-date with developments in the industry
• A passion for working in a team environment with a diverse group of people from different cultural backgrounds
• Quick learner with the ability to multi-task and meet deadlines, coordinate timelines, and perform under pressure while managing multiple workstreams at once
• Exceptional work ethic, a strong desire to succeed and willingness to learn
• Strategic collaborator and problem solver who can see possible impacts of a decision across many projects and ideate solutions that build relationships and influence a range of audiences
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate concisely, persuasively, and effectively across multiple mediums
• Dynamic presentation skills with all audience levels
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Software (specifically PowerPoint, Excel, and Word)
• Flexibility and willingness to travel domestically (and internationally) and work weekends or holidays as needed (anticipated travel amount: 30-40%)

Responsibilities

• Serve as a reliable agency contact for the client’s marketing and sponsorship teams
• Support Octagon’s account leadership team in strategic planning, campaign development and program execution across our client's soccer portfolio, which includes the 2026 FIFA World Cup
• Collaborate closely with the client’s Integrated Agency Team including implementation/evolution of management routines across multiple collaborators (clients, cross-agency partners, property partners, vendors, etc.)
• Lead the planning and execution of our client’s soccer-related community impact efforts, including managing community partnerships, activating the community impact strategy across various partner assets, collaborating with Octagon’s experiences team to execute youth-focused events (e.g. local soccer clinics) and working closely with our client to promote employee volunteerism
• Implement a strategic approach to leveraging talent to support our client’s soccer-related marketing efforts
• Manage an Account Manager providing support for day-to-day deliverables including the management of workstreams, budgets, status reports, inventory tracking and meeting agendas/notes
• Demonstrate intellectual curiosity and the drive to stay current within the financial services industry, sports and entertainment news and soccer trends
• Be ready to fully immerse yourself in all things 2026 World Cup

Benefits

• Unlimited PTO policy
• Competitive medical/dental/vision insurance plans with FSA/HSA and Dependent Care FSA options
• Pet Insurance
• Generous Family and Parental Leave Policy (12 weeks)
• Access to our parent company (IPG) Savings plan (401K program) with company match
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
• Pretax Transportation/Commuter Benefits and Parent Travel Program
• Dedicated Mental Health resources including Headspace membership, Employee Assistance Program (CCA)
• Discount portal for everyday goods and services
• Employee Resource Groups and inclusive diversity programming and initiatives
• Personal Development programs

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees