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.

About WPP

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 WPP.com.

Who We Are Looking For:

The Account Director is a strategic leader and trusted advisor to our key retail partners and internal stakeholders. You will define and drive strategic objectives for major shopper retail accounts, proactively identify and capitalize on growth opportunities, and significantly influence long-term commercial success.

This role demands a deep understanding of our retail partners' overarching business strategy, market challenges, and long-term marketing ambitions. You will translate this understanding into actionable strategic plans and proactively identify significant growth opportunities for both VML and our retail partners. Crucially, you will leverage a profound understanding of retail dynamics and shopper behavior to unlock new avenues for market share expansion and brand loyalty. You will lead the strategic direction and profitable growth of one or more major accounts/brands, consistently demonstrating a strategic mindset to go beyond execution, challenge conventions, and identify innovative paths to grow the business.

What You'll Do:

• Strategic Account Leadership: Lead and inspire cross-functional teams (including internal brand teams, shopper marketing, insights, finance, supply chain) to deliver integrated, omni-channel solutions for our retail partners. Partner closely with brand teams to support planning efforts and ensure alignment.
• Retail Shopper Strategy & Innovation:
• Develop, champion, and execute cutting-edge retail shopper strategies, specifically focusing on traditional shopper marketing deliverables such as in-store toolkits, digital assets, banners, landing pages, and aisle takeovers.
• Leverage deep insights into consumer behavior, path-to-purchase, and in-store/online dynamics to optimize merchandising, promotions, and overall brand presence within the retail environment.
• Drive the translation of complex shopper data and trends into actionable business outcomes that enhance the shopper journey and drive measurable sales growth.
• Collaborate with internal marketing and insights teams to develop best-in-class retail activations that resonate with target shoppers.
• Retail Partner Relationship Management: Serve as the primary strategic thought partner and senior point of contact for key retail partner stakeholders, building and nurturing deep, trusted relationships at executive levels. 
• Team Leadership: Fostering a culture of high performance, continuous improvement, and deep shopper marketing expertise within your team.
• Operational & Strategic Excellence: Ensure strategic and operational excellence across all managed accounts and initiatives, delivering consistently high-quality outcomes.
• Market & Competitive Intelligence: Continuously deepen expert knowledge of the retail partner's business landscape, competitive environment, and evolving industry trends, translating insights into strategic growth opportunities.
• Proactive Opportunity Identification: Proactively identify, champion, and close significant new business opportunities and innovative solutions that drive mutual growth for [Company Name] and the retail