Account Director

99c is a full-service, integrated advertising agency with offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and one of South Africa’s largest independently owned agencies.

We are looking for a strategic, operationally strong Account Director to lead the relationship with a new financial services client joining our Cape Town office. You will act as a strategic partner to the client, bring a strong understanding of integrated communication and integrated media strategies, and lead alongside the creative lead to deliver work that performs across every touchpoint.

Role includes but is not limited to

• Building strong, trusted client relationships, acting as a strategic partner rather than only a service provider
• Bringing a strong understanding of integrated communication across ATL and digital channels, and of integrated media strategies
• Staying well read on the industry and the client’s market, reacting quickly to news, trends, forecasts and key financial diary days to manage the portfolio proactively
• Partnering with and leading alongside the creative lead, sharing ownership of the work and the team’s direction• Managing multiple projects simultaneously, forward planning and prioritising workflow
• Producing top-quality proposals, presentations and reports, and presenting to clients
• Managing client and agency budgets, ensuring invoicing and financial administration follow best practice
• Identifying opportunities to grow the client’s business with the agency
• Managing and developing junior team members, including training and appraisals
• Ensuring status reports, contact reports, and quarterly and annual reviews are completed on time
• Delivering all projects on time and on budget

Minimum experience and skills required

• Diploma or degree in Advertising or Marketing
• 5+ years’ experience in a similar Client Service role in an agency (essential)
• 3+ years’ people management experience (essential)
• Verifiable experience on major integrated campaigns, including TV, radio, print, POS and online
• Strong understanding of integrated communication and integrated media strategies, offline and online (essential)
• Financial services experience, particularly life assurance (advantageous)
• Strategic thinker who is operationally exceptionally strong, with very strong client relationship skills
• Excellent writing, presentation and administration skills
• Commercial acumen, with strong attention to detail and follow-through
• Ability to cope with pressure, meet tight deadlines and handle a wide range of tasks
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel)
• Driver’s licence and own reliable vehicle (essential)

Personal attributes

• Enthusiastic, confident, professional and diplomatic
• Reliable, organised, proactive and solutions-driven
• A team player with initiative and the ability to lead
• A genuine curiosity about the industry, media landscape and financial sector, and a desire to grow in the agency