Account Director

About This Role

This role offers the opportunity to work with a leading telecommunications client and help shape the next generation of its agency partnership. The Account Director leads the client relationship, account team, and commercial performance of an assigned communications portfolio. The role acts as a trusted adviser, translating business priorities into effective PR and integrated communication programmes while ensuring reliable delivery against the agreed scope.

Responsibilities

• Build a thorough understanding of the client’s business, stakeholders, and competitors, and develop strategic and tactical communication proposals
• Lead key client meetings and reviews, manage expectations, and resolve issues early, escalating material risks to senior leadership
• Oversee account plans, calendars, contact reports, and status information so the team delivers a coordinated and dependable service
• Guide writing and editing across the portfolio and ensure specialist content teams receive clear briefs and quality expectations
• Lead media-relations planning, maintain strong South African media knowledge and relationships, and guide relevant story development and pitching
• Oversee media lists, news monitoring, coverage tracking, and reporting; share timely opportunities and distinguish coverage activity from meaningful outcomes
• Track scope, hours, fees, and billing with Finance and Operations, maintaining accurate timesheets and visibility of portfolio profitability
• Ensure new work and scope changes are estimated and approved; identify resource or delivery risks that threaten client value or margin
• Develop proposals, identify retention and organic-growth opportunities, and coordinate relevant Publicis expertise for integrated solutions
• Delegate clearly to account managers and executives while retaining accountability for timely completion and quality
• Coach the team, conduct performance reviews, and support recruitment, development, and capability building
• Review reports, presentations, and client communication, improving processes and sharing knowledge across the account team

About the Company

Publicis Groupe Africa is a leading marketing, communications, and business transformation network operating across 36 African countries, combining creativity, technology, and local insight to deliver integrated client solutions. It is part of Publicis Groupe, the second-largest communications group globally, founded in 1926. The African network operates as a partnership of 44 communications agencies with offices spanning 36 countries, including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and Morocco. Its headquarters are in Johannesburg and Cape Town.