Account Director / Business Unit Manager Job in Uganda

Vacancy: Account Director / Business Unit Manager
 

Reporting To: General Manager
 

Statement of Responsibility
 

Build value for our stakeholders: To lead and manage account teams on a daily basis, delivering an efficient and effective service to clients, which is profitable to the Agency. Includes daily Client contact.
 

Meet key performance goals: Client satisfaction, business development, profitability and staff performance.
 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Excellent understanding of marketing communications – able to specialize in the agency experiential marketing and / or sponsorship marketing.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills at a senior level.
• Tact and negotiation skills.
• Focused through finance – ability to work with numbers.
• Strategic thinker. Proactive in developing clients business.
• Extensive management skills.
• Extensive IT skills.
• Ability to prioritise.
• Ability to identify problems and offer solutions.
• Work well under pressure.
• Open and friendly personality.

Overview of Responsibilities:
 

General Management

• Contribute to the strategic direction of the Agency.
• Develop and implement the stated policies, procedures and guidelines of the Agency.  
• Ensure that they are maintained.
• Continually update own skills and competence. Maintain and develop professional stance both internally and externally.
• Carry out specific projects to assist the management team in general management.
• Highlight issues to the Management which affect the morale of the Agency.
• Facilitate good relationships between group companies, departments and suppliers.
• Bring any significant changes (and/or issues), to the client relationship or to the Account Group, to the attention of the management team.
• Attend, and contribute to:

1. Finance Meetings – project based.
2. Operational Management meetings.

• Raise internal issues which affect the morale and job performance of the Account Group.

Client Service Management

• Have full understanding of the agency offering and to drive it through all dealings you have with client.
• Drive new business development by being an innovative and pro-active salesperson, seeking and proposing new business opportunities to and for clients through new business pitches.

1. Monitor and evaluate your (teams) performance in new business wins.
2. Create and exploit opportunities to develop agencies interests with the Client.
3. Direct the strategic development of the Clients’ business in Marketing Communications by having a full understanding of clients business.
4. Keep up to date with clients’ marketplace and competitors.

• Develop strong personal relationships with key contacts, building and nurturing all client relationships based on trust and mutual respect.
• Appoint and co-ordinate a team to manage client business.
• Hold regular status meetings with account team to assist with management of projects and plan work accordingly.
• Ensure account team deliver the best quality service to clients.
• Ensure policies and processes are followed by account team. These include:
  Policies: Finance, HR and IT (including back-up of information).
  Processes: Sixth SenseTM Marketing; Measurement and Evaluation (of projects); Internal Briefings; Brand Ambassador Training and Client Service maintenance and management (Contact reports – after every meeting ; Activation reports – weekly, monthly and on completion, which covers a full summary and evaluation of value created by The agency for the client as well as next phase of activity proposal.)

• Manage and approve all client issues regarding creative and / or strategic direction of Brands / projects.
• Understand and use relevant marketing and business related tools (E.g. The agency’s Sixth SenseTM Marketing tool)
• Resolve all day-to-day client issues with diplomacy.
• Anticipate and identify problems and provide solutions to them.
• Ensure the profitable running of each Client Account.

Staff Management

• Develop a constructive relationship with the Management Team, and identify the areas in which their support and advice can be used most effectively.
• Oversee account teams to deliver an efficient, effective and profitable service to clients.
• Ensure effective delegation and management within the team to generate the optimum use of resources to maintain the staff/profitability ratio.
• Direct and develop staff to ensure all are performing their relevant job functions.
• Provide motivation and leadership to maximise job performance.

1. Manage staff performances and facilitate staff career development 
2. Ensure and maintain discipline within the account team. 
3. Ensure company processes and policies are followed.
4. Ensure staff appraisals are carried out at least once a year and that they are true reflection of the member of staff’s performance.
5. Make recommendations on financial rewards and promotions for individuals.

• Encourage the flow of information and knowledge within and between account teams.
• To deal with staff issues in a professional manner.

Project Management

• Implement efficient working practises, systems, time management and staff training against the agency processes and policies.
• Direct the implementation of agreed projects and approve all creative briefs and artwork.

1. Review and sign off finished Artwork and ensure that written approval is obtained, from the Client, before going to print.

• Ensure that all projects meet the desired the agency’s standard of quality and Brand the experience offering.

Financial Management

• Maintain familiarity with the Agency’s standard Terms and Conditions of Business.
• Ensure the financial policies are followed and adhered to by the account team at all times.
• Sign off all cost estimates for the account team.
• Ensure budgets are approved and agreed with clients before work begins.  Revise as necessary.

1. Ensure that the fee arrangement is agreed before work commences and that the agreement is subsequently enforced.

• Ensure that all projects are within budget and meet the agreed profit margin.

1. Manage project GP throughout the project and report financial results to the Account Team on a regular basis.

• Maximise the profitability of the Account Group:

1. Review all work in progress regularly, and maintain a negative billing status.
2. Streamlining processes.
3. Maximise and increase client relationships and budgets.
4. Widen project margin thru effective ops management.

• Monitor billings (billings schedule) on a regular basis to:

1. Monitor income versus target
2. Revise the annual income projection each month to assist with the companies’ cash flow management.
3. Report these figures to the general manager on a monthly basis.

• Sign off all sales invoices. 
• Ensure that debts are collected promptly.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the agency’s terms and conditions of procurement and ensure that they are followed by all members of the Account Group.
• Produce an annual team and financial plan for the Account Group identifying opportunities and allocating responsibilities to grow the business.

Send your resume to recruituganda@kimberly-ryan.net