Account Strategy Director

Account strategy director

Member of Client Experience Management Team

Reports to: Vice President of Client Experience
Status: Regular Full Time, Exempt

Love & Company

Love & Company, based in Frederick, Maryland, is a national leader in senior living marketing, research, branding, advertising and sales management.

Our people are inspiring. Curious and creative. Smart and strategic. Passionate, innovative problem-solvers. Together, we’re united and relentless in our pursuit to help seniors live better lives. And we LOVE what we do.

We’re fully committed to supporting you in your career journey in ways that reward on many levels, as exemplified by our three Cs:

• Culture

• We work together to achieve and exceed client goals.
• We are positive and enthusiastic collaborators who value diverse perspectives and foster trust and respect.
• We are committed to transparency, accountability and integrity.

• Career Development

• We provide career advancement opportunities based on demonstrated capabilities and organizational needs.
• We encourage continuous learning and skill enhancement for long-term success.

• Compensation Program

• Comprehensive employee package including competitive pay and paid time off
• Outstanding insurance benefits featuring full deductible coverage
• Flexible work hours to accommodate diverse schedules
• Hybrid and remote positions
• On-site gym to promote employee wellness
• Engaging social events and gatherings throughout the year

Position Overview

The primary responsibility of the Account Strategy Director is to be the strategic and relationship lead for their assigned client accounts, developing strong brand and marketing strategies for their clients, as well as managing the consistent execution of these strategies throughout their clients’ programs and initiatives. Responsible for managing their clients’ program strategy and profitability, the Account Strategy Director, along with the Program Director, leads their Client Experience Management Team and collaborates with the internal teams that include sales, creative and integrated media services to ensure that programs are executed on-strategy, on-time, on-budget and on-quality.

The Account Strategy Director analyzes their clients’ monthly and quarterly reporting, providing ongoing strategic and relevant planning recommendations. This role maintains specific knowledge of their clients’ brand and consumer profiles, enabling them to direct the effective creation of client presentations and pitch materials. In addition, the Account Strategy Director communicates regularly with their clients about high-level topics, including negotiations and budget conversations (e.g., change orders or out of scope requests).

Primary Responsibilities

• Oversees successful client onboarding and relationship building
• Develops and manages implementation of metrics-based marketing plans and strategies for clients
• Analyzes clients’ program results and makes ongoing strategic recommendations to meet and exceed goals, through quarterly planning, monthly results reporting, and proactively as the situation warrants
• Manages client profitability
• Works collaboratively and effectively with the Program Director to lead the Client Experience Management Team and hold team members accountable to meet commitments and deliverables

Detailed Responsibilities

• Oversees successful client onboarding and relationship building

• Serves as primary business owner for both client and internal account teams for all elements relative to their programs
• Develops and nurtures relationship as primary trusted advisor to clients’ marketing and sales leaders
• Ensures successful client onboarding and successful launch of projects
• Meets the stated client experience and relationship management criteria consistently to ensure that internal and external relationships support the company’s core values
• Presents and defends program proposals and campaign work to clients, and ensures feedback and approvals are secured, in accordance with established procedures and practices
• Addresses out of scope requests and changes with clients that Account Manager/Project Manager team can’t resolve, in accordance with established procedures and practices

• Develops and manages implementation of metrics-based marketing plans and strategies for clients

• Manages the development of the brand strategy, marketing strategies and plans that tap into industry-specific intelligence and trends, address the strategic objectives of the client, and apply creative and innovative thinking
• Ensures alignment of initial and subsequent years’ goals and objectives, including clients’ budget planning
• Ensures alignment of brand strategy/expression and client objectives
• Ensures recommendations incorporate and align with channel strategies
• Writes sections of marketing plan and reviews sections written by others
• Presents and defends marketing plan to clients
• Develops and can articulate a comprehensive knowledge of core agency service offerings/capabilities and their benefits, and senior living field and corresponding marketing strategies and tactics, and can identify and communicate to internal teams, company leadership and client leadership additional services that may help the client achieve their objectives

• Analyzes clients’ program results and makes ongoing strategic recommendations to meet and exceed goals, through quarterly planning, monthly results reporting, and proactively as the situation warrants

• Works with data analytics director, senior sales advisor and client to ensure data integrity of clients’ reporting
• Reviews project and campaign results analysis reports, identifies additional questions, opportunities and solutions, and discusses with Account Manager and/or client, as appropriate
• Prepares for and leads reporting integration meeting with Program Director, Account Manager and channel managers to develop annual and quarterly recommendations
• Prepares for and leads monthly results reporting meetings and quarterly planning meetings with client, reviewing and approving agenda and materials prepared by Account Manager, and presenting prior period report analysis and insights and next period recommendations to client
• Reviews, finalizes/approves quarterly planning meeting recaps before distribution, to uphold Love & Company standards for quality and integrity
• Oversees development of quarterly tactical plan proposals, working with Program Director and Account Manager/Project Manager team, who draft proposals and develop appropriate scopes and schedules for ongoing client work
• Writes campaign creative briefs and ensures project briefs and work orders are aligned with the campaign creative brief
• Identifies potential challenges and opportunities for clients, and works with appropriate leadership and sales partners to identify, develop, and present solutions
• Manages program budgets

• Manages client profitability

• Anticipates potential challenges and opportunities that would impact team’s ability to achieve revenue as forecasted, and advises Program Director and Account Manager on appropriate steps to address or adjust existing client booked, pending and potential revenue in projections workbook
• Has the ability to review and analyze internal estimates to ensure they accurately map back to proposals, and identify and address questions should they exist
• Demonstrates a working knowledge of and ability to communicate the terms of agreement, including client-specific modifications
• Manages out of scope client requests and changes that Account Manager/Project Manager team can’t resolve
• Approves out the door invoicing for the first round of billing to new clients before client delivery; thereafter, invoices for new projects and invoicing with special circumstances
• Reviews program financial reporting and write off reporting for clients, and applies insights to ongoing program management

• Works collaboratively and effectively with the Program Director to lead the Client Experience Management Team and hold team members accountable to meet commitments and deliverables

Each Account Strategy Director is partnered with a Program Director, and together they lead their Client Experience Management Team. This section outlines shared responsibilities and team success criteria.

Marketing Planning Phase

Account Strategy Director and Program Director interface with other departments to lead the development of:

• Client strategies and programs/initiatives to achieve client’s desired results
• Proposal statement of work and proposed timeline
• Proposed investment/budget

Prior to New Client Kickoff

• All team members need to have a working knowledge of:

• Client’s desired results
• Key stakeholders on client side
• Contract signed by client and Love & Company (what everyone needs to know)
• Strategic objectives
• Statement of work
• Resource assignments
• Implementation plan (timeline, deliverables)
• Budget

• All team members agree and commit to:

• Shared vision for desired outcome for Account
• Client Expectation Management
• Fulfill position responsibilities
• Team and role decision making expectations
• Implementation plan
• Budget 

Team Success Criteria

All team members are held accountable for the following:

• Sets and manages the client’s expectations, relationship, and experience during the engagement.
• Aligns client objectives with specific strategies and deliverables that meet those objectives.
• Defines and executes a program and project plans, schedules, and budgets.
• All deliverables are of the highest quality, on time, in line with budget and align with the client’s expectations.
• Communicates effectively and efficiently with internal and external clients.  All communication is timely and keeps all team members in the loop on the status of the program, projects and tasks.
• Is proactive in identifying and resolving client and team members’ needs/issues/concerns.
• Keeps leadership informed and escalates issues as appropriate.

Account Strategy Director/Program Director Team Leadership Success Criteria

The Account Strategy Director and Program Director provide effective co-leadership of the team to include the following:

• Works effectively with other departments during the Marketing Planning phase to ensure the completion of:

• Client strategies, programs/initiatives to achieve client’s desired results
• Proposal statement of work and proposed timeline
• Proposed investment/budget

• Accountability for meeting assigned client/account program results and deliverables ensuring they are of the highest quality, accurate, on-time and within budget.
• Accurate forecasting on a weekly/monthly basis.
• Holds effective and efficient client and team meetings.
• Involves and collaborates with all team members (including specialists/subject matter experts) to develop a shared vision and make decisions that involve some or all team members.

qualifications

This is a supervisory-level position on the Client Experience Management Team. The individual should have the following experience and capabilities:

• Demonstrated strategic and analytical thinking skills
• Demonstrated behaviors and skills that align with Love & Company’s culture and values
• Broad knowledge of integrated marketing communications strategy development and implementation, including digital and content marketing, direct mail, traditional advertising, branding, collateral production, and public relations
• Seven to 10 years of business-to-consumer marketing experience and five to seven years supervisory experience
• Excellent writing skills; command of language, grammar and spelling; dedication to error-free work and communications
• Superior problem solving, time management and organizational skills
• Superior interpersonal skills with the ability to work with all levels of the organization
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Basic knowledge of Macintosh and/or Windows computers, especially with Microsoft Office Suite
• Senior living marketing experience greatly preferred but not required
• Ability to travel overnight when necessary
• Bachelor’s degree

application Details

If you are a self-motivated critical thinker who would thrive in this culture and position, please apply online at:  https://loveandcompany.com/careers/, providing:

• A detailed letter explaining why you are interested in the position, the strengths, benefits and cultural fit you can bring to the firm, and the experience you have in the above areas
• Your resume
• Your salary requirements

NOTE: Resumes will ONLY be accepted with a cover letter and salary requirements.

Love & Company is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.