Account Director

Who We Are

VML, part of WPP, is a leading creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce, creating connected brands to drive growth. VML is celebrated for its innovative and human first, award-winning work for blue chip client partners including AstraZeneca, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's. The agency is recognized by the Forrester Wave™ Reports, as a Leader among Marketing Creative and Content Service Providers, Commerce Services, Global Digital Experience Services, Global Marketing Services and, most recently, Marketing Measurement & Optimization.

In addition, VML's specialist health network, VML Health, is one of the world's largest and most awarded health agencies. VML's global network is powered by 26,000 talented people across 55+ markets, with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company - powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit

VML is seeking an Account Director to manage program development, execution activities while driving brand strategy through retail partners and influencing the shopper along the omni-channel path to purchase for a new client of ours. Ensure program success by building and maintaining strong customer relationships through delivery of expert counsel, understanding of the business, flawless execution, and achievement of objectives.

• Build rapport and credibility with day-to-day and senior level clients based on trust and expert strategic counsel
• Serve as an expert in the client's business and category, staying abreast of competitors, product development and market trends, and sharing information with internal team members
• Stay alert for opportunities to grow client business; research client's category and competitive landscape; define key strategic issues and opportunities for the brand/category and impact on client's objectives; author POVs and strategies to address issues/opportunities and present to client
• Develop and execute marketing solutions to address client's challenges
• Provide well-grounded marketing recommendations and ideas to clients based on their objectives and business needs
• Own development of proposals/presentations with input from account lead
• Collaborate with the client, account director, strategy and creative to develop creative briefs
• Manage the creative development process from concept phase through to production
• Evaluate copy, layouts, artwork, media plans and productions materials and make suggested revisions in keeping with agreed upon strategy and business objectives
• Quickly and effectively resolve client problems/concerns to ensure client satisfaction
• Evaluate effectiveness of marketing program, make recommendations to optimize future iterations of the program and determine next steps
• Lead internal and client meetings, presentations and calls; prepare relevant documents, including agendas, presentation decks and follow up communications, etc.
• Manage project scopes and budgets; alert client of financial and timing implications of their request(s); secure client approval to proceed; and revise budgets as needed
• Keep agency team informed of client requests and changes; anticipate potential problems and potential implications; proactively develop and execute solutions; allocate necessary resources

• Able to build relationships and collaborate effectively with clients, agency partners, other departments and teams to successfully deliver quality work
• Able to communicate clearly, thoroughly, succinctly and in a timely manner both verbally and in writing; responds to comments, suggestions and criticisms in a thoughtful and constructive manner
• Strong presentation skills; successfully presents and sells new thinking, strategies and/or ideas to clients
• Strong attention to detail, organization and process orientation, demonstrated through actively and effectively managing timelines, budgets, and deliverables for multiple projects simultaneously

• 8+ years of advertising or marketing experience; agency experience required
• Shopper marketing/retailer network experience required
• Comprehensive knowledge of client category and business objectives, and a clear understanding of the key strategic issues that impact the client's business
• Experience managing and/or mentoring individuals and providing actionable constructive feedback
• Strong leadership, client management, and communication skills