Account Director - New York - OK COOL

Description

Reports to: General Manager

We're looking for a killer Account Director to join our team in the US and to manage a number of our most prestigious client accounts. Based out of the New York City area, an OK COOL Account Director is someone who has in-depth knowledge of social media platforms and how brands should show up on them.

An Account Director is able to develop and lead client strategies. Account Directors are able to lead and motivate their team to deliver creativity and work that is on brief. An Account Director takes processes to the next level and understands how projects and workstream interlink and overlap. An Account Director is a great multi-tasker with great written and oral communication and presentation skills.

Account Directors tackle all projects with client satisfaction and Account team goals in mind, contributing to a happy client and an efficient client services team. Account Directors ensure that all client requests and deliverables are compliant and within scope of the signed contract. Account Directors develop and manage processes and help grow and develop the team supporting training and conducting workshops as needed.

In this role, you'll produce solutions and strategies. You'll be a people person, good at building relationships and driving growth. You'll bring to the team your experience ensuring seamless execution of social-first campaigns.

Responsibilities:

Client Strategy & Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for key clients, fostering strong relationships and long-term partnerships
• Identify opportunities for growth within existing accounts and proactively propose new initiatives
• Liaising with clients, pitching and receiving briefs and communicating client expectations to the team
• Help support clear internal and external ways of working and positionings to improve the OK COOL team

Business Knowledge & Compliance

• Ability to forecast, reconcile and monitor client revenue and profitability
• Ability to estimate, manage, monitor and reconcile client out-of-pocket funds
• Strong understanding of scope management inclusive of how to track and manage, elevate scope pacing issues
• Keep a grasp on all projects across the team, ensuring the larger team's work is in scope
• Knowledge of the services, deliverables, performance and fees section of the SOW, ensuring team is compliant
• Ability to scope projects and retainers within budget and on brief
• Ability to productize our services within a proposal and SOW
• Ability to support new business pitches and proposals alongside leadership and growth team.
• Experienced in leading organic social efforts for brands/clients
• Experience in leading a high-volume, multi-service retainer for brands/clients
• Experienced in working on creator/influencer-led projects

Leadership & Delegation

• Proven leadership within the team, as a team player, mentor & problem-solver
• Ability to develop and lead short-term and long-term client strategies
• Consistently deliver high-quality work intended for varying audiences, having insight of the type of information that is appropriate for different audiences
• Support in facilitating team working sessions for cross-functional projects, bringing all parties together owning and leading project start to finish
• Serve as an internal point of escalation with team issues and prioritization
• Able to communicate complex messages to a variety of audiences ensuring all parties are aligned
• Ability to monitor team workload and manage client expectations, pushing back as needed
• Ability to hire, develop and manage relevant Account team members
• Ability to manage upward effectively, bringing in leadership when necessary
• Strong delegation skills providing appropriate guidance and support to all stakeholders involved
• Overcome resistance and secures support for ideas or initiatives through high-impact communication
• Ability to manage multiple projects and client workstreams concurrently

Campaign Oversight & Execution

• Collaborate with creative, strategy, influencer and production teams to develop compelling, social-first content
• Oversee the execution of campaigns across platforms, ensuring excellence in creative output and performance
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and on budget, maintaining a high standard of execution
• Troubleshoot challenges and proactively implement solutions to optimize campaign success
  

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Ensuring the team is executing against the social media strategy laid out by the strategy team
• Lead and mentor account managers and coordinators, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation
• Work closely with internal teams—including creative directors, strategists, and media buyers—to ensure integrated, high-impact campaigns
• Communicate effectively with senior leadership on account performance, client feedback, and growth opportunities

Growth Expectations

Over time in the role, it is expected that Account Director:

• Are able to view the big picture, beyond your immediate role or department, and align projects with company strategy, values & goals
• Connect each project to the business world, thinking through effectiveness, efficiency and consistency within all interdisciplinary projects
• Have an affinity for solving problems through collecting relevant information for assessment, understand solutions & consequences in order to choose course of action
• Have strong analytical capabilities, collecting and analyzing information, connecting the dots between data points and understand problems from different angles
• Understand the business side of client services inclusive of finance & legal
• Provide strategic guidance & feedback to the working team
• Improve effectiveness of all meetings, ensuring all meetings are valuable and productive
• Are able to lead in the development of new business response strategies and proposals
• Are able to produce deliverables for any type of audience, whether it be internal day-to-day team, internal leadership, internal company process, external client

Qualifications & Skills:

• 7+ years in account management, preferable in a creative agency or social media-focused environment
• Kindness, patience and optimism for your clients and colleagues
• An entrepreneurial attitude to seeking out opportunities
• Experience managing and mentoring teams.
• A thirst for social media trends and a deep understanding of platforms and best practices.
• Excellent client-facing communication skills.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to oversee multiple campaigns simultaneously.
• Proven ability to lead client relationships, manage expectations, and drive results.
• Experience developing social media strategies and media planning.
• An understanding of how technology, the arts and pop culture impact advertising and online trends.

What's in it for you:

• Opportunity to be part of an awesome, small team of experts in social that value innovation, collaboration and excellence
• Work with fantastic, world class brands
• A flexible, supportive, and inclusive workplace culture
• \$140,000–$160,000 annual salary, plus comprehensive healthcare benefits and participation in a 401(k) program
• 20 days PTO + sick days + 11 holidays + mini summer break + winter recess break
• Primarily remote with occasional in-person collaboration in office in New York City
• Summer Fridays early closing between Memorial Day and Labor Day

About OK COOL

OK COOL is a culture-first creative agency with teams in London, New York and Sydney. We specialize in social-native storytelling blending strategy, creativity and creator partnerships to help brands show up authentically where culture actually happens.

We're a collective of strategists, creatives and tastemakers who don't just follow the zeitgeist; we shape it. From insight-led campaigns to always-on content and paid social, we turn brands into culturally relevant voices that people want to engage with.

If you want to join a team that moves at the speed of culture, and defines it, OK COOL is where ideas become impact. OK COOL is a company of the Residence network.

About Residence

Residence is a multidisciplinary network of companies with the shared vision of creating a thriving ecosystem to empower the creative community at large by nurturing rising talent, encouraging egoless creativity, and fostering community among its members. Including - Buck, Creative Lives in Progress (CLIP), Giant Ant, It's Nice That, Part and Sum, Wild and VTPro Design.