Business Director – Communications Consultancy

Company Description

We help grow many of the world’s most iconic brands at Leo Burnett. We help grow even more of the world’s most talented people. You’ll find at Leo Burnett an agency built on ideas and dependent upon the people behind them. A culture that doesn’t just respect creativity but cherishes it. And a community where the path you choose is your own, the places you can go limitless.

Today, Leo Burnett is one of the most awarded creative networks in the world. We believe creativity has the power to transform human behavior, and we use ours to help our clients’ brands discover their “human purpose” and play meaningful, active roles in people’s lives.

Job Description

Responsibility and Focus

Responsible for both building client relationship and monitoring a team, while collaborating with senior leadership (Business Lead / CEO), the various departments of the agency (creative, strategy, production) and other potential partners from Publicis Group (media, Vertical, epsilon, sapient)

Lead the strategic, operational and delivery aspects of the account and owns relationships with the client(s). 

Work closely with the Business Lead of your account(s) and ultimately ensuring high levels of client satisfaction and revenues’ growth across your assigned clients’ portfolio

Take responsibility & accountability for the growth of your client’s business within the assigned clients’ portfolio

Identifying and developing opportunities to drive new business proposals involving the group capabilities

Foster the agency’s beliefs and spirit externally-internally, as well as develop and drive vision for the business, aiming to bring in more business – and drive the Power of One development and implementation

Inspire, mentor, and guide the career development of your team members.

Main Tasks

Technical & Product

Lead clients’ conversation and work closely with Business Lead(s) to ensure excellence in strategy, creative and production 

Oversee strategy, planning, creative execution, production for all assigned client-account(s): Responsible for winning client commitment to the agency and Group’s direction, strategy, recommendations, and subsequent execution, translating business needs to creative challenges and ensuring a timely delivery milestone. 

Perceived as a trusted advisor by your own clients and as an expert in specific industry, internally and in the market, by demonstrating deep understanding and knowledge of category 

Be able to define the correct scope, the needed resources and deliver accordingly to financial targets for the current year 

Support in business development efforts alongside other senior agency stakeholders and engage relevant group resources, when appropriate

Business Acumen & Operational Efficiency

Responsible of all outcomes, quality control and the health of the relationship with the client across all disciplines, practices, facets of the business internal and external 

Build strong client relationships to understand the needs and requirements to proactively support the day-to-day delivery of projects

Responsible for driving cross client’s collaboration to drive both business growth as well as strategic alliances cross industries.

Set the yearly strategic roadmap with the client on business transformation by becoming the trusted consultant and authority on the client’s consumer Journey 

Ensure that the brand strategy, client messaging and deliverables (from planning to roll out) are consistent = Serve as a brand guardian role

Responsible for the smooth operating of day-to-day workstreams and foster positive collaboration between senior team members, strategy & creative colleagues, and all other experts to facilitate smooth process and project management delivery 

Lead your team on all plans (check and upload from markets) – ensuring the process is running timely and efficiently 

Drive both business and transformation and innovation for the clients 

Drives integration and interdependence across all capabilities to deliver high-standard integrated communication solutions

Capable of breaking down silos to enable cross collaboration by leveraging expertise resulting in cross-selling across different Groupe verticals and practices

Constantly aim to have award winning work delivered to get recognition to the clients in their industry and get recognition as an industry leader in our field

Support other teams when pitching for clients of similar industry

Responsible for the management of the client’s P&L end to end ensuring a healthy and profitable P&L. Responsible for the commercial tracking, forecasts, and KPIs ensuring no blindsides negatively affect the agency’s commitments

Inspire, mentor, and nurture the team to build capability and develop competence

Innovative & Analytical Mindset

Able to think strategically, creatively, and analytically to challenge the clients’ partners and propose innovative solutions to briefs 

Own the clients and partners’ relationships as a trusted advisor 

Able to predict emerging market trends in specific category and quickly grasp trends and dynamics of other categories to create new business opportunities 

Adopt an always-on innovation mindset, with a hunger for delivering competitive advantage for your client and cascade it to your team and key partners (strategy/creative) 

Identify growth opportunities and solutions within the assigned clients for Publicis group’s vertical or services (media, CRM…)

Work with the overall Business Lead and builds positive and collaborative relationships with all stakeholders including other head of departments.

Receive project briefs from client, assesses, calls for the internal meetings and meeting with partner agencies, and assign the brief internally, agree on timelines internally and with client

Successfully experience of running large matrix teams and simultaneous projects

Be an expert in time management and prioritisation of multiple projects across different business units

People & Leadership

• Capable of developing and sharing a strategic vision that others can aspire and commit to, having the confidence to adjust and adapt in the dynamic world.
• Able to use storytelling to connect with internal and external stakeholders in a compelling manner to influence and inspire.
• Able to handle complex issues and make decisions even when missing information.
• Able to proactively develop meaningful relationships with key decision makers across functions.
• Accepts responsibility for client problems, manages conflict and actively works to solve issues internally and externally.
• Able to build succession plans and grow and mentor future talent.
• Encourages others to value difference, collaboration and positive spirit while getting the best out of their diverse teams.
• Listens and proactively seeks views from others to create an environment that is transparent and comfortable for others to share.
• Able to understand, inspire and motivate their team to pursue goals and deliver beyond their beliefs.
• Able to assess ideas and people on merit alone, without bias or favoritism and gives recognition when due.
• Capable of coaching and supporting others by aligning career expectations, defining success criteria and providing actionable, open and constructive feedback.
• Capable of persuading others with integrity by understanding their motivations and identifying their concerns and work toward solving them.
• Able to handle complex messages and is able to convey issues to facilitate others’ understanding.
• Able to manage multiple viewpoints to build consensus and create positive outcomes for all stakeholders.
• Initiates and leads open conversations with internal and external stakeholders to build trust and ensures long term influence, partnership and support.
• Empowers individuals to solve problems and creates opportunities for others to grow and demonstrate their learning agility.
• Capable of breaking down silos to enable cross collaboration by leveraging expertise resulting in cross-selling across different Groupe verticals and practices.
• Able to encourage their team to evolve processes and improve collaboration to drive efficiencies, quality and effectiveness.
• Steers teams on key-clients strategies and ensures delivery of a superior output.
• Drives a culture of trust with peers, clients and other stakeholders.

Self

• Showcases agility and ability to adapt to different situations based on past experiences, feedback and industry changes.
• Is able to set high impact objectives and goes above and beyond to exceed performance.
• Demonstrates the Growth Mindset and is capable of taking ownership of personal development to continuously evolve and futureproof their capabilities.
• Able to constructively challenge the status quo and take risks to challenge internal and external perspectives.
• Approaches situations and individuals with honesty, integrity, transparency and humbleness.
• Able to stay resilient and maintain drive and a positive outlook when faced with challenges.
• Actively listens and is receptive to others’ feedback on performance.
• Able to take justified risks when appropriate and takes accountability and responsibility when things don’t go as planned.
• An early identifier of change, is able to proactively develop and share plans to seize the opportunity.
• Acts ethically and makes ethical decisions in line with local regulations and contracts, even in the face of ethical challenges.
• Able to listen to other people in a way that they feel understood, and is respectful of others.
• Capable of making timely decision that take into account different factors in ambiguous circumstances, considering impacts internally and externally.
• Able to build initiatives despite doubts or resistance from others to deliver strategic impact.
• Able to promote, champion and model wellbeing to sustain high performance.

Qualifications

Minimum of 12 years+ experience with a track record in brand, digital, social and data-driven marketing projects in a communication, media or marketing industry

Experience in being client facing in a leading role

Management experience of at least 6-8+ subordinates

Excellent understanding of end-to-end communication eco-system, with a deep understanding of digital, data usages and technology 

Experience in planning, strategy, managing and activating multichannel campaigns.

BSc degree (or similar) in Marketing, Digital Technologies, Business Management, Business Administration, or relevant field.

Read Full Description