Senior Business Director

StrawberryFrog•New York, NY

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

StrawberryFrog is a strategic and creative agency that helps brands outleap their categories, moving from where they are to where they want to go. Founded in Amsterdam in 1999 and rooted in New York since 2001, we have built a reputation for work that does not just communicate, it moves people. We operate through OUTLEAP Thinking, our proprietary methodology that pushes brands to outleap their category, outleap their competition, and outleap the brief. It is how we solve bigger problems than clients come in asking for, and it is what makes the work matter. Our clients sit in some of the most complex, high-stakes categories in marketing, from financial services and healthcare to technology and beyond. We’re not a generalist shop. We’re a sharp, focused, independent agency that knows how to punch above its weight. And we’re looking for people who want to help us keep doing exactly that. You are a Senior Business Director who operates at a high level. You do not need one retainer account to feel grounded. You thrive when you are across multiple projects, clients, and challenges at once. You bring structure to ambiguity, energy to complexity, and genuine strategic horsepower to every client relationship you touch. You have worked in financial services or healthcare, or ideally both, and you understand what it means to market in a regulated, high-scrutiny environment where trust is the product. You know how to earn credibility with sophisticated clients fast. But more than strategy decks and status calls, you know that great client relationships are built in the room, at the table, and in the moments between the work. You know your clients' favorite restaurants. You remember what matters to them. You make them feel like the most important partner in the building, because to you, they are. Client service here is not a function. It is a mindset. And you never stop looking for the next opportunity to add value. You find any excuse to get in front of a client, whether that is a check-in, a new idea, a media conversation, or just a good lunch. You understand that the best time to grow an account is before the client even knows they need something more. This role is based in New York and subject to New York State and New York City taxes. You will be in our Empire State Building office at least once a week and available to travel for client meetings, pitches, and events as the work requires.

Requirements

9+ years in advertising or brand strategy, with meaningful time in senior client leadership roles.
Strategic instincts that push past the obvious brief and land on something bigger.
Hands-on experience in financial services and/or healthcare. You understand the category dynamics, the regulatory constraints, and the client mindset.
Proven ability to manage multiple accounts or projects concurrently.
A genuine talent for client relationships. People like working with you. They trust you. They stay.
A track record of growing accounts organically and cross-selling services. You know how to open doors within existing relationships.
Comfortable working with AI tools and able to integrate them practically into day-to-day creative, strategic, and production workflows.
Familiarity with media as a discipline. You can have a credible conversation about media strategy and recognize when it is the right solution to bring in.
The instinct to always be moving toward the client, not waiting for them to come to you.
A track record of contributing to new business wins.
Sharp written and verbal communication. You can make a complicated idea feel obvious.
Leadership experience. You have built teams, given hard feedback, and developed people who have gone on to do great things.
Fluency in production across broadcast, digital, and social. You know how things get made.
Based in New York with the flexibility to travel for clients and be in our office regularly.
The ambition and readiness to operate at Group Account Director level.

Responsibilities

Lead across multiple accounts simultaneously: You will carry a diverse portfolio rather than a single retainer, moving fluidly between projects, clients, and categories without losing momentum or quality.
Drive client strategy using OUTLEAP Thinking: Apply our three-leap framework to push beyond the brief, reframe categories, and build platforms clients cannot get anywhere else.
Own senior client relationships: Serve as the strategic lead across day-to-day and executive-level client interactions. Build trust fast, maintain it through delivery, and expand the relationship over time.
Drive organic growth: You will always be looking for the next conversation, the next scope, the next reason to add value. You spot opportunities before clients articulate them and bring ideas to the table proactively, not reactively.
Cross-sell the full agency offering: You understand that StrawberryFrog is more than creative. You will actively introduce clients to our media capabilities through SF Media, finding natural moments to bring the full breadth of what we do into the relationship.
Find any excuse to be in front of a client: A new industry report. A relevant cultural moment. A media insight. A great restaurant reservation. You do not wait for the formal check-in. You create reasons to show up and add value, and you make every touchpoint feel worthwhile.
Build relationships that go beyond the brief: You will invest in knowing your clients as people, not just stakeholders. The goal is not just retention. It is the kind of partnership where clients call you first.
Translate complexity into clarity: Whether it is a regulated financial product or a nuanced healthcare message, you will distill the hard stuff into sharp, actionable direction for creative and strategy teams.
Manage scopes, budgets, and timelines: Run projects with precision, coordinating cross-functional teams, managing budgets, and holding quality standards without needing to be reminded.
Develop and mentor junior talent: Give feedback, create real growth opportunities, and build a team that runs at your pace.
Contribute to new business: Participate in pitches, identify organic growth opportunities within existing clients, and help bring new names through the door.
Manage account revenue and profitability: Track account health, flag risks early, and identify scope expansion opportunities that serve both the client and the agency.