Account Director

Zeno is an integrated communications agency, born from PR. We operate across North America, Europe, APAC, and beyond. In Australia, we are a boutique agency, backed up by an impressive global support network. This means you can enjoy the benefits of being part of an agile team while having the opportunity to work on multi-market accounts and tap into a huge array of global resources. Our clients range from global tech, consumer and B2B clients through to Aussie businesses and local brands, so you'll need a curious nature and desire to work on both corporate and consumer accounts.
Zeno Australia has just won PR Awards Asia-Pacific 2024:
Best Culture of the Year Award. We are purpose driven and committed to a positive culture that supports and nurtures, while also inspiring everyone to push limits and to embody our Fearless Pursuit of the Unexpected.
About the Job
This is a full-time position located in Sydney CBD, with flexible working from home options. As an Account Director at Zeno, you will drive business development and provide senior counsel for account teams. You will be supporting the Managing Director and Senior Account Directors across all operational aspects of this fast-growing business. You will have a nose for new business, a strategic mind, strong financial acumen, and a flair for creative thinking.
You will be working with a team of bright and enthusiastic communicators and a client portfolio comprising professional and financial services, technology, FMCG and some of the world's most innovative and fast-growing companies.
B2B and strong corporate comms experience is essential, with capability to manage campaigns encompassing employee engagement, C-suite executive profiling and issues management. You will also be confident in driving purpose, sustainability, and social impact programs.
You will need to able to devise and execute integrated data-led communications programs that support clients in achieving their commercial and reputational objectives. A day in the life could include developing an RFP, managing team training and mentoring, reconciling account budgets, and managing servicing levels, running media training workshops, trouble-shooting client queries and a whole lot more.
We are looking for an Account Director who will be a team player and who likes to get things done without drama or ego interfering! Please note that at least six years' agency experience is essential - with a minimum of two years in Australian agency. Strong local market and cultural knowledge is required.
This role includes:

• Being an effective client strategist who is fully empowered to fulfill and execute your role, and able to lead, support, and inspire your teams
• Strategically managing key relationships with client leads at local, regional, or global levels, and growing client revenues
• Assisting the Managing Director in achieving team vision, strategy, and business objectives and cascade to the wider team, ensuring enhanced collaboration of the agency's various communities together
• Providing strategic trusted counsel to clients, while leading and mentoring your team
• Day-to-day responsibility over a portfolio of clients, including budget responsibility, strategy, and planning, and managing delivery and execution.
• Reviewing client KPIs to ensure accounts leads deliver KPIs on time and on budget
• Contributing to the overall positive culture in the office
• Being a passionate people advocate and developer of future talent
• Being a positive role model in leadership values and behaviors
• Having fun - and helping others enjoy their work too!

Client Focused

• Support the Managing Director and wider team to deliver high levels of client satisfaction.
• Lead and deliver best practices at all touch points of client service
• Ensure delivery of high-quality solutions within the budget scoped and timeframe agreed.
• Lead the strategic development of the project and long-term campaigns for clients
• Act as an ambassador for integration and be able to upsell any service in the agency
• Be a trusted advisor to senior client's contacts

Talent and Leadership

• Be an effective client strategist fully empowered to fulfill and execute your role, and able to support and inspire the team
• Develop relationships with key contacts across the Zeno global network
• Be a strong people advocate and developer of future talent
• Identify, shape, attract, and develop talent across all levels
• Retain and develop talent through mentoring, motivational feedback, and learning opportunities
• Make decisions whilst considering the needs of the whole agency
• Manage teams to maximize performance and productivity
• Be a positive role model and a real team player. Get involved - with no task too big or small

Marketing, New Business and Networking

• Lead business development with a focus on brands with purpose and values that align with Zeno's philosophy
• Bring capability to deliver end-to-end new business, from pipeline to pitch-and-win
• Undertake proactive and reactive new business strategies to ensure year-on-year growth
• Participate in and contribute to internal training offerings and industry opportunities
• Network amongst client groups and relevant industry peers
• Stay up to date with emerging technologies and trends and demonstrate expert understanding of how they integrate into communication marketing programs
• Review and approve new business and new project budgets before submission to the client

Financial Management

• Establish achievable revenue growth targets annually. Manage servicing levels of accounts by scoping and resourcing work appropriately
• Ensure forecasts are accurate and aligned with monthly resourcing requests:
  ensure budget allocations are accurately split across the agency per the resourcing plan;
  alert the Managing Director to any changes to scope or budget as they occur
• Ensure the team follows Zeno's financial policies and procedures and that your responsibilities in this area are diligently adhered to
• Ensure work completed aligns with budgets;
  identify and address the potential for scope creep. Ensure the client is aware of any discrepancies in expected deliverable an available budget;
  work with client to reprioritize work or expand budget as needed

About You
To succeed at Zeno, you need to align with our core values, as these underpin everything we do. We are:

- Fearless:
We push ourselves and each other into the unexpected
- Collaborative:
We work together to get somewhere better
- Entrepreneurial :
We pave the way for our people to make big things happen
- Inclusive:
We are a place where everyone can be seen and valued as their true authentic selves
- Kind:
We communicate openly and directly, always acting with empathy
- Ambitious:
We aim high, determined to advance our individual and shared goals
We are a TEAM, we always support each other, we lift each other up and help each other succeed.
Checklist:

6+ years' experience, including B2B/Corporate/Fintech expertise.
2+ years' experience in an Australian agency environment
Effective communication - active listening and ability to persuade and negotiate.
Confidence in presenting ideas and providing senior counsel to internal and external audiences.
Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
High emotional intelligence
Good judgment and willingness to take risks.
Creative and forward-thinking
A passion for telling interesting and insightful stories for our clients supported by solid media, influencer, and stakeholder networks.
Experience leading projects for brands with diverse communications requirements
Independent thinking, courage to challenge the norm, and confidence to generate fresh ideas.
Excellent written skills from pitch responses to media releases, case studies, by-lines, and online content production
A genuine passion for the industry we work in, and the brands we work with, and looking to grow and learn as part of a driven and ambitious team.
Flexible, team player keen to mentor and nurture junior team members
Positive outlook - we like to have fun at work!
Our Culture, Perks and Values
Awards and client win aside, it is our culture that really sets us apart from other agencies. We are fiercely protective and supportive of our people, who are our greatest assets. We invest heavily in training and career development, and we also work hard to ensure that work does not take over your life. We set clear boundaries and have many benefits in place to support your well-being.
Benefits for full-time employees include:

Flexible Working
- Flexible work-from-home options (with phone and internet allowance)
- Finish at 4 pm on Friday's year-round
- Finish at 1 pm every Friday before a public holiday
- Stopover Holiday Extension Three nights' accommodation paid if you are visiting a city with a Zeno office
- Aussies Abroad anniversary trip with flights and accommodation to visit another Zeno APAC office
Leave
- Anniversary leave day off
- Birthday leave day off
- Annual Zeno Day of Play - a day off to have fun
- Bonus Christmas leave between Christmas and New Year
Training
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