Account Director

LOCATION:

The Account Director position is a remote, work from home position, as are all positions at Acceleration Partners (a structure central to our culture and our vision to change the work/life paradigm). We are ideally looking for candidate’s on the East Coast in the following states: MA, NY, NJ, PA, NC, GA, FL Some travel is required for client meetings or other internal meetings, conferences, etc.

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THE ROLE:_ _

The Account Director is a critical role at Acceleration Partners that’s ideal for individuals who are excited about growing online brands and delivering exciting and innovative strategies that grow our clients and lead to ongoing success. This role is primarily focused on engaging directly with brands across our client portfolio, delivering the strong growth and outcomes that are expected of us on a consistent basis.

This person will be heavily focused on building strong relationships with clients, understanding their business needs, and finding solutions to support them. They will thrive in a fast-paced environment and feel excited as new challenges come their way. They will oversee a portfolio of clients and be responsible for retaining and growing revenue across this group. In addition to delivering excellent outcomes for clients, this person will also be responsible for identifying and closing expansion opportunities for clients and will be called upon to help lead the pitching and winning of new business as a subject matter expert.

The Account Director will work closely with our Program Directors to oversee large account teams and will be accountable for ensuring we are delivering outcomes at a high standard and in line with client needs. This person will have a demonstrated track record of embracing relationships, leveraging communication and interpersonal skills to build relationships based on trust and genuine partnership.

Top 5 Job Responsibilities:

1. Client Management and Engagement – Serves as the primary relationship manager for a portfolio of clients, working to earn client trust and encourage them to grow and retain. Engages heavily with client contacts, showing curiosity about their companies and striving to know the fundamentals of their businesses as well as they do. Excels at building relationships beyond the initial client contact, making in-roads with the client’s marketing leadership and brokering relationships with C-Suite leaders when possible (CEO, CMO, VP of Marketing, etc). Builds strong rapport with client through both virtual and in-person touchpoints. Skilled at anticipating and proactively addressing client risks and opportunities and owns client-facing dialogue on risks and escalations. 
2. Strategic Thinking and Implementation – Develops forward-thinking strategies that wow our clients and encourage them to engage closely with AP. Ensure that high-potential account opportunities are proactively identified, pitched and optimized with client buy-in to capitalize on them. Regularly works with the account team to develop and execute innovative strategy, tactics, and efficiencies that meet and exceed channel and business objectives. Skilled at interpreting program data to identify risks and opportunities; readily uses data to make strategic decisions and sell clients on those decisions. Pushes the team to operate with a growth mindset and take calculated risks when needed. Shows an instinct to know when risks are worth taking for the good of the account and excels at selling client on new strategies. Can deliver and oversee high quality client outputs including QBRs, strategy planning decks, weekly calls and reporting.  
3. Market Innovation and Big Picture Thinking – Stays dialled into the latest industry developments, leveraging an understanding of new publisher models and trends to support clients effectively. Understands clients’ industry/market trends and identifies how to capitalize on them and drive results for clients in any economic environment or business phase. Understands AP’s role as a partner to clients and is adaptable to clients’ changing business needs. Understands and regularly uses industry data and trends to pitch new opportunities to clients
4. AP Revenue Accountability and Growth – Shows high accountability for reaching existing revenue targets and often exceeds those Identifies potential expansion opportunities and leads the development, pitching and closing of those opportunities as well. Proactively monitors account renewals to ensure successful renewal rates and maximize opportunities. Has strong financial accountability, monitoring and achieving clients KPI’s and goals. Possesses a clear understanding of AP’s various services and market opportunities and proactively identifies those expansion opportunities. Shows comfort and confidence pitching expansion opportunities to clients, helping them understand why scope, geographic or service expansions will help them achieve their goals. Serves as an SME in new business pitches and participates heavily in the sales process to win new revenue. 
5. Lead, Coach and Influence – Although not responsible for direct management of teams, leads by influence and excels at driving an account team to get strong results. Coaches, guides and leads Account Managers and teams to understand and implement new strategies and respond to client needs and feedback. Works closely with Program Directors across the portfolio to ensure account teams are delivering strong program performance and generating excellent outcomes for clients. Works with Program Directors to identify necessary hiring profiles for senior account team members. Is comfortable with mixed-accountability and can influence strong performance without directly managing the team.

QUALITIES OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:_ _

• Enthusiasm for client delivery and engagement
• Enjoys the challenge of growing client programs and engagements
• Commercially astute, with strong negotiation skills
• Comfortable working across large teams with mixed accountabilities
• Comfortable coaching and leading teams without managing directly
• Self-starter with a strong internal motivation to hit and expand on revenue goals and targets
• Strong strategic planner; able to bring strategy to life to engage clients
• Excellent at thinking with the big picture in mind
• Innovative thinker with an enthusiasm to test new things
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Data-oriented; understands the value of data to drive decision making
• Has a deep understanding of the online industry and the levers to pull to bring success
• Displays accountability, always meeting deadlines and keeping commitments.
• Leads by example and knows how to collaborate and motivate team members in a remote environment
• Has confidence, poise, and eloquence in client meetings and difficult situations
• Thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys bringing order to chaos and sets the tone for the team
• Can overcome roadblocks and take a solution-oriented approach to challenges.

BY 6 MONTHS… the Account Director is overseeing the strategic direction and outcomes of multiple affiliate programs. They have formed strong relationships with key client contacts and have a great understanding of their business and needs. They effectively coach team to get required results without stepping into the weeds by providing on-going positive and constructive feedback. They have a good working relationship with their Program Director and the teams they manage are running effectively delivering high Client Satisfaction Scores and good outcomes.

BY 1 YEAR… the Account Director is delivering against their portfolio expansion targets and ensuring 90%-plus revenue retention within their current client base. Our clients lean on them as their strategic partner and feel excited about engaging with the work that is being delivered. Their clients love their Acceleration Partners team, all deliverables are A caliber, and Client Satisfaction Scores remain consistent at 8+

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:_ _

• 8 plus years of online marketing, e-commerce, or affiliate marketing experience required
• General understanding of affiliate marketing experience required (direct or indirect channel exposure at agency or inhouse)
• Proficiency in delivering compelling presentations, constructing impactful decks, and storytelling (or influencing a strategy) is essential.
• Experience of managing revenue targets a plus
• Experience of Data Analysis and effective use of data and insights to build strategies
• Knowledge of general affiliate tracking methodologies via platform partners (Radius by Impact, ShareASale, etc.) required
• Microsoft Office expertise- required
• Experience in an Agency or Client Service environment highly preferred
• Successful track record of increasing client spend through up-selling and expansion efforts is preferred
• Ability to travel up to 25% is required

WHY ACCELERATION PARTNERS?

Acceleration Partners is the world’s largest and first-to-market Partnership and Marketing Agency creating and nurturing partnerships that drive exceptional measurable outcomes for their clients. Managing clients in 40+ countries, their global team of 300+ focuses on data-driven strategies that help connect brands to the right consumers through performance partnerships, traditional affiliate, influencer, performance PR, content and B2B partnership marketing. Serving over 200 brands with household names like Amazon, Target, Google, Warby Parker, Crocs, Reebok (to name a few) their diversified staff is creating what’s next in the industry by building balanced portfolios of high-performing partnerships. As the only truly integrated global partnerships agency, Acceleration Partners prides themselves on being on the cutting edge of new industry developments, and leveraging their proven expertise to bring unique solutions to the most complex challenges for brands who aim for growth.

AP PERKS & BENEFITS - WHAT WE OFFER

• 100% remote work for everyone
• Group medical, dental, and vision coverage insurance (with opt-out benefits)
• 401K with matching
• Open Paid Time Off
• Summer & Holiday company-wide shut-down weeks in July and December
• Volunteer and Birthday Time Off
• Focus Fridays
• Paid Parental Leave Benefits
• Wellness, Technology & Education Allowances
• Paid sabbatical leaves, donation matching, and more!!

Benefits may vary based on employment status or country location.

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*GLSDR

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