Account Director

Job description / Role

Description

The Account Director is accountable for overseeing key client relationships and supporting broader strategic initiatives across the business. This role ensures service excellence on high-value accounts while mentoring and guiding the Client Services team to uphold delivery standards. The Director plays a key role in driving account growth, resolving client issues, and improving internal systems and processes to enhance the client experience.

Performance dimensions:

• Relationship health and growth across key accounts
• Team mentorship and development effectiveness
• Cross-functional communication and delivery alignment
• Commercial impact through retention, upsell, and account expansion

Key relationships

Internal:
Chief Client Officer
Business Development Teams
Project Management Team
Creative Leads
Commercial Finance Teams

External:
Clients (developers, architects, real estate brokerages)

Key challenges

• Ensuring the ongoing health, retention, and growth of key relationships, often across complex, multi-service projects.
• Switching between hands-on delivery support and long-term planning, while also mentoring senior members of the team.
• Advocating for client priorities across delivery and production without compromising internal capacity or process.
• Identifying upsell opportunities while ensuring commercial efficiency and delivery discipline.

Key accountabilities

Client strategy & relationship management:
Acts as the strategic lead and primary point of contact for a portfolio of key accounts, ensuring client objectives are clearly understood and consistently met.
Builds long-term relationships based on trust, strategic input, and consistent delivery, fostering high client satisfaction and repeat business.
Plays an active role in client tiering validation and long-range account planning alongside the regional head.

Account growth & commercial development:
Identifies upsell and cross-sell opportunities within active accounts, using service familiarity and client goals to proactively grow account value.
Supports commercial discussions and contributes to proposals for retained and ongoing work.
Collaborates with business development to co-develop pitches and expand service scope with existing clients.

Client delivery governance:
Working with production, provides supporting oversight on key strategic deliverables and ensures clear communication between clients and internal teams.
Flags delivery risks early and supports resolution plans in coordination with project management and production.

Cross-functional collaboration:
Works closely with project management leads and creative directors to ensure briefs are translated into actionable and achievable plans.
Ensures that the client services function remains integrated in project timelines, resource planning, and creative development conversations.
Supports onboarding of high-value projects to ensure continuity and clarity from pitch to production.

Team leadership & capability development:
Mentors and supports senior managers and managers across multiple accounts.
Promotes professional growth, soft skill development, and service excellence across the team.
Contributes to training content and onboarding frameworks for new team members.

Process & tools optimisation:
Champions consistent use of tools like HubSpot, GitBook standard operating procedures, and shared templates to streamline account management.
Identifies process gaps or inefficiencies and proposes solutions to leadership.
Leads post-mortems or service audits on key projects to inform ongoing improvements.

Reporting, feedback & escalation management:
Tracks key performance indicators such as account health, satisfaction scores, and feedback volumes, and reports upward to regional head.
Handles client concerns or dissatisfaction with professionalism and urgency.
Maintains a high level of documentation and information hygiene across platforms.

Hiring & onboarding:
Participates in hiring interviews and assessments for new client services staff.
Assists in onboarding new team members and providing contextual knowledge on clients and internal processes.
Ensures new hires are fully embedded in tools, process, and team structure within first 30 days.

Requirements

Preferred work experience:
8+ years in senior client services or strategic account management
Proven track record of managing large, complex accounts
Background in creative, advertising, architecture, or SaaS industries
Previous experience in agency or creative/production environments a plus

Certification or qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in management, marketing, real estate or relevant field preferred.

Technology & systems:
Working knowledge of project delivery workflows
Familiarity with CRM and account tracking tools

Learning agility:
Fast learner with ability to absorb technical, creative and industry-specific knowledge
Open to coaching, feedback, and continuous self-improvement

Mindset & attitude:
Tenacious, driven, and goal-oriented
Positive team contributor with a proactive, solutions-based approach

Communication:
Strong communication and negotiation skills
Confident in client presentations and high-stakes discussions
Team mentoring and performance feedback
Able to build trust with clients and collaborate effectively with internal team

Process / sales management:
Strong commercial acumen and budget oversight experience
Strategic planning and stakeholder management

KPI / metrics

• Key client satisfaction (CSAT / NPS)
• Client referral or advocacy activity
• Number and value of scoped upsells
• Timeliness of account handovers and transitions
• Feedback quality and completeness in CRM
• Mentoring and team development contribution
• Cross-functional collaboration feedback (project management / creative)
• Client engagement frequency
• Escalation handling success
• Participation in strategic initiatives

This list is not exhaustive; other KPIs and metrics may change or be added as required.

Benefits

• Annual base salary ranging from AED 290,000 to AED 340,000, dependent on experience
• Eligible to participate in the company bonus scheme
• 22 days of holiday per year (increasing with service) plus public holidays
• Private medical cover
• Great learning and development opportunities