Director of Client Services

Purpose

This position is accountable to lead, manage and oversee execution of the work of the Client Service Department to ensure smooth running, client centric services and strategies. This cross functional leader will bring a broad strategic perspective and collaborate closely with our media, finance, new business, creative operations, and creative teams to support overall agency operations, B2C, B2B, and B2E clients and drive business results that in turn drives agency profitability. This role is a key member of the Hot Dish leadership team and must demonstrate the HDA core values in everything that they do.

Hot Dish Advertising Core Values:

• Passionate about our clients, our team and the work we produce.
• Curious to learn more, improve skills, use new programs, open to change and test new creative solutions to help our clients achieve their goals.
• Smarty Pants to challenge what has been done before and prove out a better solution that delivers results.
• Playing to win by willingness to hustle and politely persist to meet or exceed our goals.
• Respectful of everyone. Open-minded to the needs of others and work to help improve along the way. Teaching and showing without judgment.
• Fun and thrive off of partnering with other high-energy team members and clients!

Essential Functions of the Job

Strategic Vision

• Accountable for the creation, oversight and implementation and accountability of our philosophy and approach to business within the Client Service teams to align with and support the business and growth of the agency and of our clients.
• Direct the strategy, approach, and results for the Client Services team.
• Communicate concisely and effectively to drive traction within the team and the organization.
• Actively listen to understand client needs and ensure the team is activated to achieve client goals.
• Develop and maintain expertise in franchise marketing. Keep educated on best practices for the industry and proactively bring appropriate ideas and improvements to Hot Dish.

Staff Leadership

• Set the agency’s account management and client service philosophy and standards in accordance with our agency core values and strategic direction.
• Effectively administers, evaluates, and takes responsibility for the performance and activities of the employees within the Client Service Team.
• Hire and manage a team of Client Service professionals needed to support client work. Define clear performance expectations, develop career paths, give constructive feedback and performance management for the team.
• Work with Associate Client Service Directors to define adequate, effective operational policies and processes.
• Provide well defined scope development to effectively direct the creative operations team and to help deliver client satisfaction and results to drive agency profitability.
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the team in development of Client strategic targeting and brand framework along with marketing and media plan development.
• Ensure that all clients have a fully executed Master Services Agreement and corresponding clearly defined Project Plan scope and deliverables.
• Provide clear and timely goal setting, coaching, feedback and mentoring to Account Service team and cross functionally as needed.
• Lead by example in terms of team behaviors, process improvement, and timely responsiveness.

Client Service

• Provide strategic direction and oversight for all agency clients and ensure that we are always delivering great products.
• Create and support long-lasting relationships with our clients.
• Have a clear understanding of our product mix, deliverables and benefits for our clients and ensure that the team is also educated and able to upsell as needed.
• Accountable to ensure the development of scope of the work is well-defined and managed to deliver a great product and experience.
• Understand the needs of a franchise brand and effectively coach the team to support the needs of a growing franchise brand for both national and local B2C, B2B and B2E marketing.
• Act as point of escalation for internal and client-related conflicts and work to resolve issues as needed.

Agency Leadership

• Participate fully as a member of the leadership team. Provide proactive strategies and solutions to agency challenges and goals and effectively activate change to solve for challenges at hand for the greater good of the agency.
• Champion the EOS process to achieve traction within the agency. Participate and provide accountability for the Leadership Team L10. Lead L10 meeting with team and ensure that identified issues are solved and Rocks are achieved in a timely manner.
• Jointly accountable for agency profitability and growth.
• Oversight of client profitability and product delivery accuracy across agency accounts.
• Special projects as assigned to support agency operations as needed.

Required Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree Business, Marketing, Technology, or a related field preferred.
• Must have 5 years of managing a team of 5 or more individuals; Proven track record of building a strong team to scale and grow the business as needed.
• Strong client service experience. Proven ability to relate effectively with agency clients at all levels.
• Franchise marketing and advertising and digital media experience is required.
• Must have a minimum of 10 years’ hands-on experience in Client Services and marketing and media plan development.
• Experience in full funnel media execution and website development is required.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; strong presentation abilities.
• Good understanding of budgets, financial implications of decisions, and agency profitability.
• Proven ability to be proactive, responsive and to juggle multiple priorities effectively.
• Proficient in using the Microsoft product suite, including Excel. Ability to use Dropbox, OneDrive, Workamajig and Slack.

Job Demands & Conditions

• This position is a remote working situation with the ability to meet in person on a quarterly or as needed basis.
• This position involves sitting at a computer for several hours at a time.
• Proficiency in the use of keyboard / mouse and video meetings.
• Ability to see and hear in virtual meetings.
• Ability to work extended hours as needed.