About the Team:

This role is part of one of the company's largest global partnerships, supporting a client relationship that spans multiple markets and service lines. As part of a broader transformation programme, the team is evolving to unlock greater strategic value, improve marketing effectiveness, and achieve operational excellence across regions.

A key part of this evolution is the implementation of Procurement-as-a-Service (PaaS), which enables a more agile and insight-driven approach to sourcing, decision-making, and performance monitoring. The Account Director plays a crucial role in implementing this locally, ensuring in-market operations meet procurement KPIs while also supporting innovative and strategic goals.

The Account Director reports to the Business Director and works closely with performance, strategy, creative, and production leads to deliver against market-level needs and regional priorities. Although this role has in-market responsibilities, it remains fully integrated into the broader account ecosystem, collaborating across borders to ensure that insight, innovation, and impact are shared and scaled.

This is a highly collaborative, fast-paced environment with a strong culture of shared accountability and continuous improvement. The Account Director plays a crucial leadership role in shaping how we present ourselves every day — with curiosity, ambition, and a deep dedication to our client's success.

Purpose of the Role:

The Account Director leads and develops the client relationship across the regional market portfolio (SEA + ANZ), ensures operational excellence, and identifies future value opportunities. They lead the in-market team and act as the key contact between the client and the company, ensuring all activities align with both immediate requirements and long-term strategic goals.

This is a dual-focused leadership role – ensuring daily delivery excellence while also working with marketing, brand, and shopper teams to identify how the company can support higher up the value chain. The AD brings deep category knowledge and market insight to help shape more effective and impactful campaigns, activations, and sourcing strategies.

They act as the strategic anchor of the local team, establishing standards, shaping client thinking, and motivating the team to achieve bold ambitions. They play a crucial role in translating global strategy into local action, ensuring that regional performance delivers tangible impact at the market level.

Key Responsibilities:

Own and lead the client relationship, ensuring alignment to commercial and marketing priorities
Inspire, mentor, and lead the in-market team to achieve operational excellence, innovation, and client satisfaction.
Advance the strategic agenda by identifying opportunities to move up the marketing value chain.
Build strong relationships with client stakeholders across marketing, shopper, brand, and procurement.
Partner with strategy, performance, and production teams to deliver seamless, integrated solutions.
Ensure all delivery is aligned with contractual obligations, KPIs, SLAs, and quality expectations
Act as the market's voice within the regional structure, escalating needs and opportunities to the Business Director or Regional Account Director.
Champion ongoing improvement by identifying process, creative, or operational enhancements that unlock value.

Skills, Knowledge, Experience and Exposure:

Minimum 10 years experience in agency, client services, or marketing delivery across countries
Proven experience leading client relationships in complex, fast-moving environments
Strong commercial understanding and P&L awareness
Excellent leadership and people development skills
Deep understanding of shopper strategy and retail activation
Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to balance short-term priorities and long-term strategic goals
Confident working with senior stakeholders across marketing, procurement, and commercial functions
Experience managing cross-functional teams to deliver integrated solutions and measurable outcomes
Comfortable operating in matrixed, multi-market organisations

Mindset and Temperament to Navigate the Role:

The ideal Account Director is both a strategic thinker and a hands-on leader—someone who excels at the intersection of relationship building, operational excellence, and commercial growth. They bring a clear sense of purpose and direction to the team, navigating ambiguity with confidence and agility. With a proactive mindset, they anticipate client needs, identify opportunities early, and stay ahead of challenges.

Calm under pressure, they provide clarity and reassurance when stakes are high, balancing short-term delivery demands with longer-term strategic ambitions. They are natural collaborators and relationship builders, earning trust through integrity, action, and results. Comfortable leading conversations with senior stakeholders, they influence with credibility and communicate clearly.

Curious and engaged with the market, they bring innovative ideas and champion continuous improvement. As a market leader, they are motivating, inclusive, and dedicated to developing others — inspiring high performance while fostering a culture of openness and accountability.

Any Specific Role Requirements:

This is a multi-market role and requires the Account Director to work in the client's office in the country where the AD is primarily based and, in the market, when travelling on business
Occasional travel to markets is required
Fluent in English and the local market language, depending on the location where AD is based
Experience working across shopper, trade, or retail channels is preferred.

Account Director - SEA + ANZ (Must have regional experience)