Senior Client Advocate/Account Director

The Economist is the leading source of analysis on international business and world affairs. We deliver our information through a range of formats, from newspapers and magazines to conferences and electronic services. What ties us together is the objectivity of our opinion, the originality of our insight and our advocacy of economic and political freedom around the world.

The Client Solutions business offers a unique combination of research and content creation amplified by brand communications which reach the most influential audiences. Client Solutions works in partnership with many clients to create highly impactful programmes by leveraging the expertise of its teams and amplification platforms across the group. We believe strongly in the power and sophistication of our solutions and the significant value they create over and above other media companies.

The Senior Client Advocate will be responsible for driving integrated client campaigns, overall ownership of the client relationship and fostering collaborative and mutually supportive relationships with internal stakeholders. They will work closely with colleagues in Sales, Creation, Amplify and Marketing to deliver superior service to our clients.
 
The Senior Client Advocate will lead client engagements involving multiple Economist Group business units for clients. Client handling responsibilities include overall client satisfaction ranging from campaign execution, performance, and client communication. The Client Advocate will ensure campaigns are flawlessly managed to meet client’s strategic goals and performance metrics, and in turn contribute to overall revenue growth.

This contract is a full time, fixed term contract for 12 months.

How you will contribute:

• Provide senior level leadership for programmes, serving as the primary day-to-day contact for client and internal teams
• Manage cross-functional programme teams to ensure the correct processes and communications are in place and that campaign activity is on-strategy
• Define and manage client communications from weekly performance meetings to quarterly business reviews
• Act as a senior trusted adviser to clients - advising, consulting and proactively seeking out ways to maintain and grow relationships
• Provide senior level client consultancy regarding marketing objectives, beyond The Economist Group offering. Ideate around innovative services that can be offered to clients
• Partner with relevant Sales team members to develop client growth strategies as applicable
• Collaborate with Sales and other members of Client Solutions to manage the development of selected integrated proposals / RFPs 
• Define and communicate roles and responsibilities for each campaign and ensure they are adhered to
• Create communication and project delivery timelines and work closely with teams to ensure they are hitting deadlines and adhering to the scope of work for each project
• Drive the team to deliver client satisfaction and campaign performance, ensuring correct standards for all work are met satisfactorily 
• Liaise with team members to collate content and assets
• Manage reporting schedules; liaise with internal teams and client
• Ensure all work is signed off and approved by relevant personnel according to defined roles and responsibilities at all stages of the process
• Facilitate project review meetings as necessary
• Manage resource allocation for EMEA client support,ensures quality controls across the teams work and help troubleshoot with the support of the SVP of Client Operations 
• Manage and mentor Client Leads and Client Managers in the EMEA team, including freelancers as necessary, and collaborate with other EMEA Client Success colleagues
• Contribute to the ongoing improvement of Client Success processes and best practices

The desirable skills for this role include:

• At least eight years of experience or equivalent expertise managing clients and creative projects with integrated components
• Passionate about excellence in client servicing and programme management 
• Exemplary interpersonal skills and communication skills
• Extensive experience in client servicing and programme management with energy, positivity and a determination to get results
• Strategic marketing communications understanding
• Strong organisational, administrative and time management skills and excellent attention to detail
• Experience in delivering projects on time and within budget
• A deep understanding of mutual goals and individual issues
• A collaborative mindset 
• Professional gravitas and the ability to influence 
• Tenacity and a proactive approach to problem solving
• Strong grasp of The Economist editorial guidelines, clients’ businesses and a proactivity to stay up to date with developments
• Experience in managing a team is preferable