About EssenceMediacom

We are a global communications agency leading with breakthrough thinking, building explosive growth for brands, and helping our clients see the bigger picture. Our daring global network of 10,000 influencers helps our clients breach traditional boundaries in media, uncover novel ideas, and unleash exponential growth. EssenceMediacom challenges conventional thinking to build, propel, and supercharge our clients’ businesses at scale and lead our industry in critical areas such as diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability.  

EssenceMediacom understands that our people are tasked with big goals: building breakthrough growth for brands and leading with breakthrough thinking in our industry. Our people are at the heart of this work because their ideas will enable us to decode the intersections of people, content, and technology to bring our aspirations to life. Our success is down to our eclectic, diverse, and talented people. EssenceMediacom is a place for us to grow our careers and expand our horizons. EssenceMediacom is committed to building an agency culture that supports our people, puts diversity at the forefront of our operations, and creates opportunity for all. This collective culture will be our “new power” where ideas are freely exchanged, and collaboration is actively encouraged in a place where you can innovate in our hyperconnected world.  

*Although we cannot make guarantees, we welcome conversations about flexible working for all roles at EssenceMediacom London

About the Clients & Team

Our team is a global client team within EssenceMediacom Worldwide.  We are a passionate, close-knit group of individuals, with wide-ranging experience in media, who work in global media planning, activation, and local market coordination for our clients.

The team is led by an experienced global account director of long-standing service at EssenceMediacom, with support from a well-established account team of 6.

Key clients within the team include Klarna, Tempur, AkzoNobel, and iRobot.

We work with global clients based in Europe, and with our local offices on assignments that cover EMEA, APAC, and LATAM. They are all well-established clients, and we enjoy solid relationships and foundations on which to build. Our range of clients gives us a valuable variety of experience and skills – strategy and guideline development, thought leadership, business development, best practice management, coordination, and account management.

The Role: Global Associate DirectorReporting: Global Account Director

Location: LondonContract type: Fixed Term Contract

The role will be responsible for leading the Klarna agency team, with support from the GAD. Key to this will be developing a relationship with senior client stakeholders @ Klarna, supporting them in developing strategies and advancing media thinking, with a focus on EMEA market growth.

In addition, you will have a key role in overseeing the EMEA region for Tempur. A key aspect of the role is to navigate Tempur through an increasingly complex media landscape where more and more emphasis is placed on digital and performance media. This requires a focus on outcome planning, sharing and reapplying, building innovation frameworks, and working with local markets to deliver results.

Finally, the AkzoNobel role will focus on brand planning for the global client media team as well as adding value to local work across the world by developing best practices, guidelines, and insights and supporting the GAD and business director in client growth.

Key Responsibilities:

It is the responsibility of the AD to direct and own the quality of our output, in the following areas.

Client satisfaction:

• Ensure the client is highly satisfied with the delivery of EssenceMediacom and that EssenceMediacom is consistently one step ahead of the opportunities arising from the ever-changing ‘new communications landscape’.
• Make strong connections with the clients, understand their needs, be proactive, and deliver beyond their expectations.
• Manage service review processes and help ensure we address any issues with robust action plans.

Continue to drive change, and deliver thought leadership:

• The AD must help the client stay ahead of their competition by introducing the latest opportunities that will enable them to connect more powerfully with their consumers.
• They will be expected to continue to drive change and improvements in our digital offering by introducing the latest technology and opportunities to deliver stronger results.

Collaboration & Development of Strategies:

• Ensure there is a clear and well-supported central strategy, built on foundations of relevant insights. This will involve a collaborative process with the client and other agency partners as well as EssenceMediacom internal teams and local markets.
• Show how to use data to help the client understand their audiences better and develop insights that inform planning and execution.

Brief & Inspire Local Markets:

• Delivering great work requires a brilliant central team to deliver thought leadership and clear strategy, but the true value will only be realised if local teams execute brilliantly in-market. 
• The AD must lead the team to create strong relationships with local markets to harness the full potential of our network. Working with EssenceMediacom’s global network requires sharing brilliant work and also understanding how to fix any challenges that come with driving change and growth.

Local to Global:

• Accurate and timely information flow from local to global is critical to the smooth running of a global account and needs to be monitored and action taken when appropriate.

Inspire & Lead:

• Take responsibility for developing the planning knowledge of the wider team. Ensure all the junior members are engaged in their work and are motivated to add value.
• Identify and nurture high-potential team members and take steps to address underperformers.
• Ensure 100% compliance with 360 appraisals.

Skills & Behaviours for this role:

The role requires an advanced understanding of connected systems thinking, digital principles, partnerships, data, and analytics for management. A need to appreciate how marketing campaigns work across the market and media.

Skills:

• Leadership – the ability to lead, inspire and motivate direct reports to produce even better work.
• Demonstrate how to integrate different teams to deliver against a wide range of goals.
• Curiosity: Thirst for knowledge and using research to uncover relevant insights that can identify opportunities and solutions to problems.
• A strong communicator with excellent written & presentation skills
• Lead by example but also a good team player – collaborating with all levels.
• Commercially astute
• Driven to deliver best practices and business performance.
• To be able to hold high-level discussions with senior clients.
• Improving ways of working, understanding challenges of local market teams and problem-solving
• Highly numerate and proven analytical skills. Using research/data to create insights and develop solutions.
• Managing and challenging clients in a structured and well-thought-through way – clients at a mid to senior level e.g., Marketing Director, Head of Function
• Experience in line managing, motivating, and training individuals, in line with business requirements, resource, and development needs.

Behaviours:

• EssenceMediacom’s core values
• Exhibits great citizenship in aiding the wider group.
• Continuous pursuit of excellence and innovation
• Entrepreneurial (new products, revenue streams, new partnerships, etc.)
• Radiates energy and positivity.
• Exudes confidence, without arrogance.
• Straight talking
• Strong and well-attuned interpersonal skills, a force but not forceful
• Flexible style, not hierarchical
• The ability to challenge clients in a structured and well-thought-through way.
• A leader by example, but also a very good team player
• Collaborative, motivational communicator
• Ability to deliver tangible outcomes - not just a process.
• Hands-on approach

Key Performance Indicators:

• Client:  Help to grow client assignments (revenue), retain existing scopes, and achieve high client satisfaction scores.
• People: Development and retention of high-performing talent and develop connected systems thinking know-how within the team
• Revenue: Contribute towards the achievement of account/function revenue targets (to be agreed upon)
• Growth: Contribute to agreed growth targets and demonstrate the use of wider EssenceMediacom, GroupM, and WPP offerings to deliver growth 

• Personal development: Positive 360 feedback from manager, peers, and clients (where appropriate). Broadening skills base to encompass Connected Systems Thinking and wider media knowledge.
• Behaviours: display EssenceMediacom behaviours and values in every aspect of their work.

What we can offer you.

      Company pension scheme

      Private medical insurance

      25 days holiday (increases with length of service)

      Life assurance

      Permanent health insurance

      WPP share options scheme.

      Discretionary bonus scheme

      Free eyecare vouchers and money off glasses

      Extensive training and development

      Corporate gym memberships

      Cycle to work scheme.

      Interest-free travel loan

      Free breakfast (cereal and fruit)

      Smart shopper (online discount on a variety of products)

Sounds good? We’d love to hear from you!