Senior Account Manager

Primary Purpose

Ensure long-term success of our clients in our strategic brand building and packaging design environment by developing long-term relationships with a portfolio of clients, liaise between customers and our cross-functional internal teams to ensure timely and successful delivery of our packaging designs & strategic brand solutions.

Must have experience and / or a passion for packaging designs and strategic brand solutions. This is a hybrid role based in Toronto.

Accountable For

The Client Relationship. Workflows. Project Management. New Business Development. Team Leadership. Ownership of all aspects of client project, including forecasting, budgets and reconciliations, to ensure successful project from start to finish.

As Defined By

Client satisfaction and relationships. Growth of revenue generation (net new and current) and contributing margin. Successful achievement of identified KPIs, and cultural impact and growth of both direct and indirect teams.

Reporting To

Group Account Director - Marks NA

General Overview

Your business brain is balanced with your creative brain. You celebrate a perfectionist lens for business, brand building, brand strategy, upstream innovation, design adaptation, all backed by strategic acumen.

You understand the role strategy, innovation and design plays in consumer conversion and the impact of great packaging. You will celebrate collective successes and learn / grow from opportunities to ensure that the team is always striving to be their absolute best.

Responsibilities

• Get immersed in exciting, fast-paced, projects currently on the go with our client portfolio
• Service clients by intaking their needs, understanding the ask, ensuring timely and profitable return.
• Manage client expectations, their projects, guard against scope creep, bring in subject-matter-experts when needed but be able to have initial conversation to have enough knowledge to be able to brief internal teams.
• Support new business developments by being involved in RFP responses, writing proposals, applying strategic thinking to brand opportunities, developing ideas and solutions, preparing and delivering capability presentations tailored for each opportunity.
• Drive all opportunities respective to your clients across innovation, strategy, research and adaptive design. Do so with strategic acumen.
• Ability to lead account, and creative teams, day-to-day creative outputs.
• Ability to apply insights to creative, effectively present and communicate ideas, thinking, design principles, design layouts, etc. to clients.
• Provide strategic direction / rationale and quality check on all design work to ensure high standards are met error-free and aligned with client feedback.
• Lead project kick-offs, brainstorming sessions, and client meetings, ensuring smooth project workflow in conjunction with all Team Members
• Write briefs in conjunction with the client, aligning on design objectives and design intent. Ensure the designs presented align with the approved briefs.
• Optimize internal and external resources for efficiency, creativity, and design quality.
• First point of escalation and responsibility to your clients.
• Ensure estimates are delivered and approved prior to work starting based on approved rate cards.
• Leading KPIs and action responsibilities through leadership.

Success In The Role

Success in the role Success in this role is achieved by consistently demonstrating the ability to manage, oversee and work against the clients' growth priorities, upholding the Marks Design Pillar Standard of Excellence, managing multiple priorities with internal and external clients, and making sound decisions to ensure the business moves forward.

Education & Experience Requirements

• BA or higher in Marketing, Business Administration, Graphic Management Services, or Design.
• 4-6 years of experience in brand stewardship, and account management. Experience working with clients on brand strategy and design adaptation.
• Professional experience as brand strategist, design manager, senior designer, or account planner is attractive.

Ideal Candidate Will Possess

• Experience in packaging design from start to finish. Upstream in brand foundation, strategy, and innovation, right through to design adaptation and completing artwork through production handed off to prepress.
• You have a thorough understanding of the creative process with experience showing understanding of critical thinking, decisive actions, and identifying potential problems before they occur.
• You can evaluate design effectiveness and brand performance across all media types.
• You're a motivated problem solver with an appetite for growth in a fast-moving, industry-defining business.
• You have a positive, proactive attitude towards opportunities and potential problems.
• You possess superior written and interpersonal communication skills that can flex and navigate easily across clients, onsite and offsite teams.
• You have experience managing / mentoring account team members and designers.

We are committed to ensuring equal opportunity in all aspects of employment, including recruitment. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, particularly those who may contribute to the further diversification of our organization.

If you require any form of accommodation during the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to inform us. Together, we strive to foster an environment where everyone can thrive and be their authentic selves.