Group Account Director

Who We Are:

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse. 

Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences.  Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work. 

THE OPPORTUNITY
 
Group Account Director
 
In this role you will:

• Foster, strengthen and grow client relationships.
• Partner with the Leadership team to find new ways to maintain and inspire the agency’s creative soul and reputation for class-leading output.
• Partner closely with Strategy and Media teams to fully understand our consumer targets to develop relevant marketing communication and media plans.
• Drive and understand data at a level which evokes and contributes to innovative thinking on ways to go to market more effectively and efficiently.  
• Build effective teams by creating strong morale and spirit; fostering open dialogue for sharing new ideas; creating a culture where the team ‘owns’ and is responsible for their work
• Negotiate skillfully (using data and experiences) with both internal and external groups; settle differences with minimum noise; win concessions without damaging relationships; be both direct and forceful as well as diplomatic; gain trust quickly.
• Manage the client fees and scope of work process skillfully, balancing investment with bottom-line delivery and by pushing everyone to think and act entrepreneurially.
• Be based at our New York, NY office location.
• Expected to travel, mostly to Detroit for client and intra-agency connectivity.

You are/have…

• Experience at a senior level within the advertising and/or marketing industries, across all/modern touchpoints
• Premium/luxury brand knowledge and/or experience
• Passionate about world-class, award-winning creative work – and a transformative “spark plug” to drive projects, briefs, teams and work to get there
• Just as passionate about “winning” in the marketplace – a desire to follow campaign performance, optimize, learn, grow and try new things to help give our work and our clients an edge
• Open minded, engaged and always seeking to understand the situation 
• A deeply curious person with an appetite for understanding business and industry drivers, competitor activity, brand intel, consumer insights and emerging consumer trends.
• Fluency in data, tech, digital and social arenas that are so critical to the success of our clients
• Strong facilitation skills and ability to lead our multi-disciplinary team towards a common (and transformational) goal in an agile manner
• A nuanced and agile approach to running the business; you know how to get things done both through formal channels and the informal network; you understand the nature of operating within a big agency group i.e., the origin and reasoning behind key policies, practices and procedures
• Really insightful. Understanding how people tick and why they do what they do. Discovering and sharing fresh perspectives that have the power to change perceptions.
• Emotional intelligence that helps you lean into the culture of the agency and bring people along with you
• Leadership skills to continuously inspire your colleagues
• Financial and operational understanding, and accountability
• Global awareness (all the better, if you are a global citizen)

The base salary range for this position at the time of this posting is indicated below. Individual compensation varies based on job-related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package, click WPP Benefits for more details.

At VML, we are committed to fostering an all-inclusive work environment that is both rewarding and career-forward. Our Inclusion, Equity & Belonging initiatives, alongside the VML Foundation, reflect our dedication to giving back and making a positive impact in our communities and beyond. Our people are the heartbeat of our organization—creators, d