Account Director - Webber Shandwick - Delhi

Job Description

To play a critical role in determining the future and long-term success of Corporate Voice | Weber Shandwick

The focus is on both existing and new business development and a wider scope of responsibility for account management, its profitability and staff.

Responsible for managing senior level client relationships and have regular exposure to
client senior management.

Accountable for team’s personal & professional / development.

Key Responsibility Areas

Financial Contribution

Ensure revenue and profitability targets are met
Ensure timely collections from all clients under purview
Ensure staff costs are within agreed budgets.
Renew contracts on time and ensure clarity in terms and conditions.
Assess new business leads and develop initiatives for new business acquisitions.
Participate in new business development

Continuous Improvement

Provide leadership, direction and guidance to account teams.
Be responsible for training & development of the team to ensure peak performance
Ensure regular reviews are conducted with all team members to discuss performance, training and overall development.
Structure and staff project teams including new staff selection.
Address personal development areas as identified
Ensure attrition levels are maintained within 20%
Ensure team members adhere to agency time reporting and financial guidelines.
                  
Customer Focus

Provide strategic counsel and implement client programs on schedule
Develop and maintain strong interpersonal relationships with senior clients
Adeptly address any issues, trouble shoot problems
Develop quality standards and ensure high levels of client satisfaction by  setting expectations correctly
Be creative in identifying newer ways to achieve client communication objectives

Cross Location Support

Ensure the National Accounts Team is adequately empowered to deliver agreed results.
Collaborate with peers across regions to build a winning culture.

Contact 

atul@corvoshandwick.co.in
Corporate Voice | Weber Shandwick
No.212, Second Floor
Okhla Industrial Estate
Phase III, New Delhi 110 020 - India
T: 91-11-40501200

Account Director - Waggener Edstrom - Mumbai

Waggener Edstrom is entering India with its first office in Mumbai

The Account Director will be primarily responsible for client satisfaction and retention along with their team.They would have direct team management, development and retention responsibilities as well. They would also support the GM in client acquisition and team recruitment.

Responsibilities:
Purpose of the Position:

A senior leader both for clients and the agency as a whole, this leadership position can be best described as communications strategist for the client(s), and manager and developer of account professionals. This position oversees client management and satisfaction at the highest level. The account director serves as the point of strategic integration and counsel for their team by managing the business and resources on a day to day basis. An Account Director (AD) manages high-level influential relationships and shapes broad industry themes, messages and storylines with key press. The AD plays a leadership role in strategic agency business planning as well as account staff development.

Accountabilities:

Media Relations:
• Manage and maintain relationships with senior influentials and business press, providing strategic analysis and information relevant to their audiences. Provide broader context of client’s business and long-term positioning, and place in the marketplace (vis-à-vis competitors).
• Proactively craft and place stories, shape broad industry themes and story lines, and negotiate client inclusion in coverage.
• Solicit feedback from influentials regarding their perception of your client/s, competition and industry position and share with team and client as appropriate.
• Solicit feedback from influentials regarding WE agency value-add and service, share with agency senior leaders, and develop plans if necessary to improve or further develop influential relationship.
• Coach team and broader account staff on agency “best practices” in engaging with influentials story placement and packaging.
• Identify broad trends among media and analyst communities and translate significance to team and staff and clients.
• Identify and cultivate relationships with new and emerging influentials.
• Read and monitor key media daily(e.g. print, TV, radio, and on-line). Share ideas and influential findings and implications for the business with your client, team or broader agency as appropriate.

Client Service:
• Drive strategic planning process.
• Provide strategic communications counsel to executive-level clients and serve as a strategic resource and champion to clients, based on knowledge of the client’s industry, technology and major products/services; competitors’ products and strategies; and emerging technology and industry trends/issues.
• Manage client relationship and client satisfaction. Hold regular meetings and/or maintain regular phone or written contact to keep senior-level clients apprised of WE work progress, address issues that appear and, solicit feedback from clients, and assess PR results against client expectations. Manage the development of client scorecards and resulting actions.
• Champion the marketing of PR results back to clients.
• Apply in-depth understanding of business, legal implications, and industry trends and communications practices to your clients’ issues.
• When called for, manage crisis communications. Anticipate potential challenges and develop a plan to put forth appropriate positioning to minimize negative perception.
• Ensure team’s fiscal responsibility, managing budgets and resources efficiently.
• Forecast, propose and track budgets. Manage a single or multiple accounts in client(s) annual budget.
• Ensure opportunities to leverage agency services (i.e., Electronic Media Services, Analyst Services, Communications Training) are identified and implemented as a means to increasing revenue and improving client satisfaction.

Agency Business:
• Understand and meet WE guidelines on best business practices including team financial and resource management, utilization, daily timesheets, accurate billing, timely expense reports, etc.. Keep senior leaders informed of what is transpiring with their business on a frequent basis, and ask for assistance when needed.
• Oversee team financial and resource management issues, in conjunction with the business VP. Track team utilization.
• Make presentations to groups of all sizes – both client and agency, small and large, formal and informal.
• Lead agency learning forums to share knowledge and increase leadership experience.
• Participate in professional development opportunities for personal continued growth.
• Participate in agency projects as requested.
• Contribute to the development of and support for agency strategic planning initiatives.
• Seek out and develop new business opportunities within your existing account/s as well as other areas of business. Leverage WE client services. Participate in “new business” presentations as appropriate.
• Share agency vision with team and advocate team’s/clients’ goals to agency leaders.
• Add information to WE database based on coverage, contact with and research of influentials.

People Management:
• Coach, mentor and motivate staff with the goal of retention.
• Lead and supervise a large team (may oversee up to 20 people) and manage direct reports (typically SAEs/AS’).
• Train and identify learning opportunities for team members on media relations, client service, strategy, and agency business.
• Evaluate performance and develop written performance plans for direct reports and ensure all team reviews are done on time.
• Provide support to current team members who are ready for a transition.
• Play integral role in staff planning. Give clients advance notice of changes when possible.
• Responsible for team staffing efforts which include posting jobs, interviewing, providing timely evaluation, editorial reference checking and final selection of candidates. Continually look for talent for the agency.
• Define integration process and appropriate training/shadow opportunities for new hires.

PLEASE ONLY APPLY IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO WORK IN INDIA

Qualifications

Education
• Bachelors degree or above in communications, journalism or related field preferred

Preferred experience
• Solid experience in PR -- in an agency and/or within the high tech industry -- providing public relations consulting service to high technology clients
• Established strong relationships with business, technology trade and consumer media, market analysts and proactively placed stories
• Strong experience in individual and team management experience, including experience developing a team
• Strong experience in PR management, crisis management, and execution experience, including developing plans, client management, launch strategies, product positioning, pitching stories to the media, negotiation, budget responsibility, media training a client, messaging and creative tactical ideas
• New business development
• Demonstrated creative and strategic mindset
• Conducted press meetings and/or led a press tour
• Worked under client and influential deadlines
• Has written and developed press materials
• Managed multiple projects/events simultaneously
• Made presentations to groups of all sizes
• Knowledge of high tech industry and players
• International experience
• Proficiency using computer and general business applications (MS Outlook, MS Word, MS Excel is preferred), and has demonstrated an ability to learn new software applications

Contact Details

Madhuri Sen
Trade Centre, 1st Floor
Bandra Kurla Complex,
Bandra (E),
Mumbai, India-400 051
+91 22 4070 0174
Fax: +91 22 4070 0800