Senior Account Manager

This role is either Sydney or Melbourne based.

A Senior Account Manager (SAM) is responsible for managing their project teams’ performance as it relates to client service and quality control, ensuring Zeno’s success in the Australian market as a leading integrated communications agency. The SAM will need to be a commercially minded, team-oriented, capability driving practitioner who ensures quality delivery against client missions.

The Senior Account Manager takes responsibility for delivering campaigns against set objectives, identifying and developing client relationships/ opportunities and serves as a valued team member and resource for clients, junior team members and all internal and external stakeholders.

In addition, a Senior Account Manager will exemplify and manage achievement of Zeno’s vision, values and management philosophies.

This role includes:

• Day to day management of all aspects of a client campaigns/ projects

• Management of regular client WIPs, ensuring key milestones are met and projects are being delivered (keeping the client updated at all times)

• Thinking proactively about the clients’ business. Providing client communications that are solution driven

 • Demonstrating understanding of the categories in which their client operates

• Media strategy development and press relations

• Creative idea generation and development

• Proposal writing

• Setting of client KPIs and managing the delivery of agreed KPIs in partnership with the Account Director, where relevant

• Being able to plan ahead to effectively self-manage and manage junior team members

• Management of budget trackers (in relations to projects/ events)

• Contributing to the overall culture in the office

• Having fun – and helping others enjoy their work too

Duties & Responsibilities

SKILLS

Management and Professional Skills

• Contribute to (and in some cases lead) the strategic development of project and long-term campaigns for all designated clients in partnership with the senior client lead (AD)

• Develop the professional and management skills of junior team members; provide ongoing feedback in a constructive manner

• Lend particular skills, capabilities or knowledge in problem solving on behalf of clients or teams.

• Ensure brainstorms for all designated clients are thoroughly planned to create the best creative environment, engaging a wide-range of expertise from across the agency.

• Lead media engagement for designated clients, demonstrating the ability to secure key leading coverage and teaching these skills to junior team members.

• In partnership with the senior client lead, develop of client KPIs and take responsibility for the delivery of these KPIs, working closely with team members to achieve these.

• Be a proficient writer across all styles of writing including press releases, speeches, briefs, newsletters…etc

• Be a positive role model and mentor for others at Zeno

Client focused

• Manage key relationships with client leads at local (and regional and global level if required) and therefore contribute to the growth of client revenues

• Provide channel-neutral advice to clients, whilst leading, inspiring and mobilizing an internal team around client needs, knowing when to seek senior counsel

• Manage delivery of the high-quality solutions we propose within budget scoped and timeframe agreed

• Act as an ambassador for integration and be able to sell any service in the agency and bring experts in to deliver

• Billability to be at least 90% of time

Financial/Administrative

• Day-to-day responsibility managing large projects as well as small teams on several accounts

• Responsible for client-related finance management, including managing large project budgets

• Ensure your team follows Zeno’s financial policies and processes and that your responsibilities in this area are diligently adhered to (regular accurate monitoring/recording/approval)

• Ensure understanding of status of account financials so you are able to confidently provide status on account at close of previous month or projection of account status at close of current month within same working day of request by account lead or Director

• Submit resourcing requests by monthly deadline

• Submit accurate time sheets weekly before the Monday deadline

• Review account trackers to ensure that all fees and OOPs are accurately captured and align with MTRs/invoices and guide AE/SAEs is refining trackers as needed

• Alert Account Director/ Director of potential scope creep (e.g., expected work product exceeds available budget) within five days of month close to ensure conversations are held with clients

• Before ore commencing any work for a client, review MSA to ensure you understand client billing policies (including travel policies); are knowledgeable about agreed rates and that all paperwork to support billing is in place; ensure that team is aware of and understands client billing policies (especially as they relate to what can and cannot be billed)

Business Development, networking and marketing

• Identify clients with the potential for growth

• Maintain client satisfaction, resulting in client retention

• Network amongst client groups and relevant industry peers

• Stay up-to-date with emerging technologies and trends and demonstrate considered understanding of how they integrate into communication marketing programs

Talent and Leadership

• Be a positive role model for leadership values and behaviors

• Strong people advocate and developer of future talent

• Empower more junior team members to deliver the required business results for growth by providing counsel to junior team members and giving feedback on their work

• Manage staff to maximize performance and productivity

• Identify, shape, attract and develop talent across all levels; retain and develop key team employees through mentoring, motivation, feedback and learning opportunities

Strategic

• Help to effectively utilise agency creative and planning services where required in a cost-effective manner

• Work closely with colleagues throughout the Zeno network as necessary

• Seek to have a thorough knowledge of your clients’ business and related industries and aim to bring considered counsel to the relationship

• Demonstrate ability to delegate tactical assignments and accurately judge and edit the work of others at or below this level.

Initiative and General Management

• Maintain knowledge of the latest thinking and practices in public relations and apply these to the clients as required

• Engage with journalists of the relevant media to maintain their understanding of how the media works, new trends and apply these to the client as required.

• Regularly provide leadership in driving a positive and supportive work culture.

• Nurture and grow junior team members by providing regular feedback to senior team members. Be a positive role model for all others

• Be a team player. Get involved with no task too big or small

BEHAVIOURS

• Respecting each team member and the contribution they make

• Supporting each other by listening, learning and contributing

• Forgiving each other, learning from mistakes, and focusing on finding a solution together, accepting accountability and responsibility

• Protecting each other by having each other’s back, always

• Serves as a positive role model; supports and respects colleagues, clients and partners; focuses on self-improvement and learns from those around

• Effectively and consistently manages strengths and weaknesses of self and others; enables self and others to bring the best of their skills and talents to work; is consistently ambitious in setting and achieving goals

• Always takes all feedback as a constructive learning opportunity and acts upon it; enables others to thrive as part of agency life and adapts to others’ styles to do so

• Delivers substantial change for clients and the communities in which we operate; ensures new insights from self and others fuel innovation in agency approach and client work; uses diversity of perspective to elevate client counsel, the agency and own career

• Ensures work and relationships are founded on open and honest communications; listens and asks the right questions during day-to-day work; upholds creative, ethical and legal standards

ABOUT US

Zeno Group is the fiercely independent and global, integrated communications agency, born from PR. We bring together the boldest and brightest talent to help clients across industries and sectors unleash the power of strategic communications. Guided by our "Fearless Pursuit of the Unexpected," we push the boundaries to achieve real business value and societal impact for clients. Winner of the industry’s most coveted awards including the 2024 PRWeek U.S. Outstanding Large Agency of the Year, 2023 PRWeek Purpose Agency of the Year, 2022 PRWeek Global Agency of the Year, 2022 PRovoke Best Large Agency to Work For in North America and a three-time winner of PRWeek’s Best Places to Work. Zeno has also been previously recognized by the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Zeno is a DJE Holdings Company.

ABOUT OUR BENEFITS 

Healthy, happy employees make Zeno better, so we have programs that support physical, mental and financial wellness. Our culture and benefits are designed to promote flexibility, celebrate diversity and support work/life balance. We offer a variety of medical, dental and vision insurance with prescription plans, as well as short and long-term disability. Our Be Kind to Your Mind program focuses on mental health, providing a paid subscription to Headspace and access to mental health providers and other services through a best-in-class employee assistance program. Employees are encouraged to bring their authentic self to Zeno and participate in our employee resource groups which build communities for sharing and support. And while we love our work, we believe in the restorative power of time off with generous vacation, paid holidays and self-care time. Employees are supported in their pursuit of financial wellness with a 401(k) plan, pretax flexible spending accounts, tuition assistance, life insurance and free access to a certified financial coach. And our unique ZenoFit program provides a monthly allowance to fund activities in your personal life that bring you joy and keep you healthy. These and other benefits are available to non-temporary employees in the US.