This is an exciting time for AKA as we are seeking a JUNIOR ACCOUNT DIRECTOR to join our London office and our ever-growing team.
This role will oversee the Travel and Wellness team and a fantastic client roster of international hotels and resorts and lifestyle spaces. You will be a senior contact for our clients and will support the Directors to ensure the smooth running of the agency. You will play an integral role in growing the business and shaping its strategic direction alongside generating top-tier media coverage.
Our Travel and Wellness clients include Mango House Seychelles, Waldorf Astoria Platte Island, Seychelles, Shelter, Bali, NYX, Reformcore, 1 Warwick, Mortimer House, Vintry & Mercer, The Ampersand and The Bulldozer Group.
The role offers hybrid working arrangements, with 3 days spent in our centrally located Soho office. Our benefits package include a generous holiday allowance, training and development support through media and digital workshops, as well as client discounts and perks at some of London and the UK's best restaurants, bars, hotels and wellness concepts. Additionally, we organise team social events during working hours to foster a collaborative and enjoyable work environment.
As a Junior Account Director, your main responsibilities will be:
Media Relations
* Forge and solidify weekly high-level media connections through face-to-face meetings.
* Maintain and cultivate strategic media contacts (long-lead, short-lead, consumer media, trade and influencers), working to secure positive coverage for AKA clients in the media
* Create top-tier key messages, media releases, Q&As, prepared remarks, standby statements, and other materials, including research, writing, editing, compiling, and dissemination across pertinent news and social media platforms
Client Account Management
* Increasingly becoming a day-to-day point of contact for high level client contacts ranging from Founders to CEOs and Managing Directors
* Identify new business prospects or expansion opportunities among current clients
* Anticipate client concerns in advance to facilitate proactive adjustments and surpass client expectations
* Ability to deliver high level proposal writing and presentation skills to support pitches
* Provide support for agency growth and development of new business pipeline
* Oversee provision of account resources and budgets
Campaigns and Strategy
* Strategise, execute, and manage national and global media relations campaigns across lifestyle, travel, food, drink and business media
* Develop media outreach strategy and timeline for launches with relationship to overall project timeline
* Collaborate with Directors and project teams as necessary to seamlessly integrate creative programming into project and ongoing client strategy
* Ensure successful execution of press and social media campaigns, special events, retail collaborations and other deliverables
* Conduct a minimum of 5 proactive media sell in pitches and a minimum of 5 follow ups each week
* Deliver coverage across online, offline and leverage added value from all PR activity
* Maintain active involvement in and relationships with creative communities including travel, art, design
Leadership
* Line management of junior staff, setting them targets and ensuring they meet them
* Working as a mentor for mid-level and junior team members, providing them with support and guidance
* Focus on developing written skills with more mid-level and junior team members
* Developing performance management skills through supporting probationary and performance and development reviews
* Supporting with the recruitment process for vacancies within the team, developing shortlisting and accompanying first-round interview process
* Advocate the Company’s values and brand