Account Director

OVERVIEW

The Account Director is the strategic leader responsible for overseeing and nurturing a key client portfolio on one of South Africa’s largest and oldest Financial Services Provider.

In this pivotal leadership role, the Account Director will be entrusted with steering the strategic direction for a selected client portfolio on one of Incubeta’s key client accounts. This is not just any client; you will be the primary steward within your portfolio remit for one of South Africa’s largest and most storied financial services brands-an institution that has played a defining role in the country's economy for decades and continues to impact the lives of millions.

The core role of the Account Director at Incubeta involves fostering strong client relationships, developing tailored digital strategies to meet business objectives, and ensuring the successful execution of these strategies across various channels. They are also responsible for the financial health of their accounts, including budgeting, forecasting, and profitability monitoring.

Additionally, the Account Director plays a crucial role in team leadership and development, mentoring and guiding Account Managers to reach their full potential. This role is required to provide leadership to internal teams, particularly Account Managers, that support the Account Director on their client portfolio across day-to-day admin tasks and key strategic initiatives.. Mentorship and growth of Account Managers is a key requirement.

Purpose of this role

The purpose of the Account Director is to manage and grow a portfolio of clients to deliver business growth for them and for Incubeta.

Place Within Organisation

• Leads a portfolio of accounts, across client service and into operations, media planning, consultancy and delivery.
• Collaborates with counterparts in other teams to identify better ways of working and / or new services.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio Management:

• Driving organic revenue growth and account retention: Achieving quarterly and annual revenue targets across an assigned account portfolio through retention, renewals, and expanded engagements.
• Identifying organic growth, cross-sell, and upsell opportunities: Deeply understanding client business models, goals, and pain points to uncover and qualify expansion opportunities within existing client organizations.
• Structuring and pitching strategic growth initiatives: Developing and delivering high-value proposals, strategic roadmaps, and digital marketing pitch presentations tailored to existing client objectives.
• Maximizing portfolio value and client lifetime value (LTV): Contributing directly to agency profitability by expanding key client relationships, safeguarding against churn, and turning accounts into long-term strategic partnerships.
• Proactively mapping accounts and expanding internal stakeholder networks: Building relationships with senior decision-makers, decision-influencers, and new departments across client teams to uncover untapped revenue streams.
• Mentoring and managing account team to drive portfolio performance: Coaching Account Managers and Specialists to identify expansion signals, maintain service delivery standards, and achieve individual retention and revenue targets.

Client Relationship Management:

• Act as the primary point of contact for key clients, building and maintaining strong, long-lasting client relationships.
• Fully understand clients' business objectives and develop tailored digital strategies to meet those objectives.
• Conduct regular client meetings, including weekly status updates and quarterly business reviews.

Strategic Account Leadership:

• Develop and implement comprehensive digital strategies across various channels, including SEO, Google Ads, GMP, social media and creative enablement.
• Drive the development of client roadmaps and ensure alignment with overall business goals.
• Present solution pitches, media strategies, and performance reports to clients, providing actionable insights and recommendations.

Financial Management:

• Develop, manage, and oversee client financial plans, including budgeting, forecasting, and profitability monitoring.
• Negotiate commercials and ensure the financial health of client accounts.
• Ensure accurate monthly billing, forecasting, and profitability management.

Service Excellence:

• Collaborate with Technical Specialists and Team Leads to deliver high-quality digital solutions and campaigns.
• Ensure accurate and insightful reporting, closing the loop on insights and opportunities.
• Oversee QA processes and ensure deliverables meet client expectations and agency standards.

Team Leadership and Development:

• Mentor and grow Account Managers, providing leadership and skills development to prepare them for senior roles.
• Empower team members to leverage their strengths and contribute to client success.
• Foster a collaborative and supportive team environment.

Operational Excellence:

• Manage projects and campaigns from inception to completion, ensuring they are delivered on time and within budget.
• Ensure adherence to internal processes and workflows, driving efficiency and effectiveness.
• Provide clear and detailed briefs, including budgets, timelines, deliverables, and relevant codes for timesheet management.

Knowledge and Skill Development:

• Stay current with industry trends and emerging digital marketing technologies.
• Continuously upskill on Incubeta services and broader business trends to provide innovative solutions to clients.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent: A degree in Marketing, Business, Communication, or a related field is preferred.
• Proven Experience: Senior experience in Account Management, with at least 3 years in a leadership role within a digital advertising agency or marketing communications environment.
• Demonstrated Digital Experience: Recent and involved experience in developing, rolling out and reporting on digital campaigns across Meta, Google, Display&Video360, Third Party Publishers, TikTok, Linkedin and X.
• Proven Track Record: Of managing and growing key client accounts in a digital marketing agency setting.

Skills:

• Strong understanding of digital marketing channels and tools (e.g., SEO, Paid Media (Google and Social Media) and creative enablement)
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas and strategies clearly.
• Strong financial acumen, with experience in budgeting, forecasting, and profitability management.
• Proven leadership and team management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency in project management tools and software.
  • Google Product Suite (Gmail, Sheets, Slides, Docs, LookerStudio)
  • Microsoft Office (Excel & Powerpoint)

Advantageous

• Monday.com project management
• Harvest Time Management
• Google Ads Certifications
• Meta Blue Print Certifications
• Google Analytics 4 Certifications
• Google Marketing Platform Media Modules (DV360, CM360, SA360) Certifications

Personal Attributes:

• Strategic thinker with a client-centric approach.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented.
• Proactive and results-driven.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build strong relationships with clients and internal teams.

Incubeta Company Values:

• Earn Trust: Focused on maintaining and increasing customer focus, works with the customer in mind earning trust along each step with clients and colleagues
• Help Others Succeed: Makes an active contribution to a joint result (organizational target) or to resolving problems or conflicts. Think in terms of possibilities. Is able to solve issues and problems in a timely and effective manner, working as a team.
• Dare to Lead: Is willing to improve individual performance and stimulate others to act accordingly. Setting the standard and example. Being solution driven.
• Exceed Expectations: Carries out tasks without help from others; takes command of problem situations and aims to achieve more than the basic requirements. Goes above and beyond the basic expectations of the role and the business.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Incubeta is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Application Process:

If you feel you meet the criteria please kindly submit your resume, cover letter, and portfolio of relevant work. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.Please take note that if you do not receive a response within 2 weeks of applying, you should consider your application as unsuccessful.

Join us at Incubeta to shape the future of digital marketing!