SS+K is a full service marketing & communications agency that combines the rigor of political strategy and the power of creativity to help brands navigate, create, and lead meaningful change. For nearly 30 years, we’ve worked with both disruptors and the disrupted— including clients such as Microsoft, Delta, jPMorganChase, Mount Sinai Health System, Iceland tourism, Shipt, Airbnb and WhatsApp. And our commitment to impact has led us to create essential campaigns for organizations like Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Girls Who Code, Communities in Schools, Lebron James’ More Than a Vote, and Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. SS+K is part of the M&C Saatchi Group, a global marketing & communications network.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Serve as the day-to-day business lead for client business and/or key workstreams. Work independently on projects big and small to exceed both client expectations and agency goals. Proactively seek out opportunities to better serve our clients and the organization at large. Provide coaching to junior account talent and support to senior account leadership.  

REPORTS TO Managing Director, Client Services

SUPERVISED BY Group Account Director / Account Director

SUPERVISES Account Executive, Assistant Account Executive

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Account Management

• Show mastery of the AC and AE roles through a proven track record of tactical wins.
• Demonstrate confidence and optimism as the owner of the agency’s offering from start to finish - from strategy to development to flawless execution - building to creative excellence at every turn.
• Own and author all presentations, briefing documents, and client-facing communications, ensuring communications are clear and strategically sound.
• Own rapport and trust with all teammates in service of truly integrated work, understanding needs and varying points of view.
• Own the client relationship and maintain their trust and confidence; develop a deep relationship that encourages transparency and leads to brave, breakthrough work.
• Be the agency go-to for our clients - know their key issues, competitive situation, and industry trends. - Manage up to Director and Partner levels to keep leadership informed and involved as needed. - Lead weekly client and partner agency status calls to drive ownership of the business. - Proactively listen for organic business growth opportunities, and partner with the ADs as necessary for appropriate follow-through on any leads.
• Ensure client business is operating efficiently and effectively, with an exceptional level of organization.
• Provide ongoing coaching and mentorship to ACs and AEs to ensure their internal and external communications, operational skills, and strategic skills are continuously sharpening; these teammates are the future of the agency, so help ensure their growth paths are clear.
• Proactively make decisions that get the agency to the best possible output, strategically and creatively. - Show deep understanding of the roles of other departments to help drive projects in a truly integrated way.
• Own the kick-off process, and orchestrate the right agency teams to ensure success - strategy, creative, media, and any other essential parties needed at the outset of an opportunity.
• Partner closely with strategy to ensure we’re building to internal briefings that will get us to world-class output; ensure strategy remains close to the process throughout development.
• As available, partner closely with project management to set and maintain internal and external deadlines to keep projects running smoothly.
• Build deep, collaborative relationships with creative teams to ensure ongoing trust and communication that leads to breakthrough work.
• Fine tune presentation skills to command a room and instill confidence in internal and external teams. - Begin to master the skills of selling great work - leading up to meetings, in meetings, and after meetings. - Supervise AE to ensure all internal and external team communications are timely, clear, and effective; show mastery of delegation to AEs and ACs.
• Proofread all external communications to ensure we’re consistently putting our best foot forward; ensure AE has run all legal and trademark clearances as needed.
• Proactively seek out best-in-class cases for various media channels that help tactically propel our work forward; keep informed of industry trends as the landscape evolves, and share with the team as opportunity permits; coach AE through weekly team updates on best-in-class work and inspiration.
• With supervision from an AD and partnership with strategy and media partners, lead development of great strategic marketing communications plans, and push for great work accordingly.

2. Production

• Lead projects across all agency departments in close partnership with producers and business affairs; help ensure flawless execution.
• Own the development of clear, realistic production schedules that are considerate of both client and agency needs, overseeing the AE as available.
• Own the relationship with media partners as necessary to ensure media planning and buying elevates the work.
• Successfully guide clients through the production process - from prep to the shoot, to post-production - all in service of getting the best possible work out the door.
• Own all shoots and productions, ensuring a clear runway for the creative teams to be their best, and clients are providing real-time approvals on creative and any overages that may occur.

3. Financial Management

• Demonstrate a solid understanding of all scopes of work on assigned businesses, and manage work, time, and budgets accordingly, with regular, consistent reconciling and reporting.
• Take responsibility for ensuring timely billing and follow-up in line with contracts and master services agreements. Attend monthly finance meetings to accurately track job completion and ensure records are up-to-date and financial backup is provided.
• Also take responsibility for securing formal client approval on estimates for all production and out of pocket costs and manage payment terms, billing and reporting.
• Ensure comprehensive tracking of all client billing and spending with up-to-date budget trackers and documentation (both fee and production).
• Support AD/GAD to manage fee tracking and client reporting and provide support for monthly or quarterly client-facing financial/SOW reviews.

4. Agency Operations

• Coordinate with New Business and PR Team to ensure campaign launches are communicated to the press in a way that elevates the SS+K story and case studies and award entries are created to appropriately merchandise work.
• Work closely with Project Management and Production to identify opportunities to apply new learning and improve our process for greater efficiency and better work and advocate for these ideas.
• Contribute to agency events and initiatives, including new business and ad hoc projects, as needed.
• Help ensure new employees are sufficiently onboarded and understand how SS+K gets from A to Z.

ABOUT YOU

You'll bring with you:

• Bachelor’s degree or similar experience preferred 
• 4-7 years in an agency environment preferred  
• 1-3 years of supervisory experience  
• Experience creating and producing integrated creative campaigns, from strategic development through creative development, production and trafficking 
• Solid strategic foundation and analytical skills, including the ability to define a business problem and the role of creativity and communications in solving it 
• Solid production experience across all platforms - film, digital, social, and printed  
• Familiarity partnering with media agencies for the planning and buying process  
• Well-versed in Microsoft Office, Google Apps, and presentation writing 

You're good at:

• A great communicator and excellent presenter and writer 
• A great listener, able to take in information, ask the right questions and quickly suss out what’s next  
• Organized and detail-oriented. A self-starting multi-tasker that can handle the pressure of several assignments at once. Resourceful and inquisitive, able to independently chart a path to tackle an assignment 
• Positive outlook and good people skills; a great team builder who team members and clients want to work with 
• Travel may be necessary  

WHAT YOU'LL GET:

We offer a competitive salary, a comprehensive employer subsidized benefits package which includes group medical, dental and vision coverage, Health Savings Account, 401k retirement plan with annual company match, employee wellness, commuter benefits and cellular phone allowance, generous paid time off and employee volunteer day to encourage social responsibility giving time to the non-profit, community service or charity of your choice. Salary is dependent on experience but ranges from: $90,000– $110,000. All candidates must have the ability to work in the US; we are unable to sponsor any work visas for this role.

M+C Saatchi SSK as part of M+C Saatchi Group, has pledged its commitment to create a company that values difference, with an inclusive culture. As part of this M+C Saatchi Group continues to be an Equal Opportunity Employer which does not and shall not discriminate, celebrates diversity and bases all hiring and promotion decisions solely on merit, without regard for any personal characteristics.If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, please make us aware as part of your application.

All employee information is kept confidential according to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

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